Find a service by task

Look up a business license

Use an official business license directory or account lookup. Check the type and area of license covered.

Before you start

Start with where your business is located and where it will operate. A county license may apply only to unincorporated areas or specific activities; cities can have their own requirements.
Some county offices provide guidance or referrals and do not issue a general business license. Read the entry before choosing an application.
A business license or tax certificate, an FBN/DBA filing, business entity registration and a professional license serve different purposes. Zoning, health and other activity permits may also apply. Business stormwater registration is a separate local programme where required.
Check the license period, renewal date and rules for changes in ownership or location. A renewal may not cover a move or a new owner. Fees and application steps depend on the license category.

12 guides with reviewed service links · Reviewed local guides

Choose a county on the map

Highlighted counties have a reviewed service guide matching this selection. An agency may serve only a city or part of a county.

California58 counties

County directory Reviewed service guides available

Map for browsing; agency service areas may differ.

Map source

U.S. Census boundaries via U.S. Atlas · 2017 edition, simplified for display.

County government · El Dorado

Tax Collector

Business licensing

Business SearchOfficial online service

Use the official county search for business-license records by name, address, type or account number.

Service area: County licenses for businesses located or operating in unincorporated El Dorado County; check the stated exemptions. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

El Dorado County official website · El Dorado County — business licensing discovery (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

You can search our records for any licensed business in El Dorado County. You can search by business name, address, type or account number.

Saved evidence: a1ec9b5d6860b1fa · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

County government · Los Angeles

Tax Collector

Business licensing

Find county instructions for an existing business-license searchOfficial instructions

Official county referral for looking up an existing county business license. Read the page for search instructions and scope.

Service area: Records of county licenses for specified activities in unincorporated areas and Malibu, Santa Clarita or Westlake Village. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Los Angeles County official website · Los Angeles County — business licensing discovery (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Search Existing Business License

Saved evidence: 1688bcd7fcd1070b · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

County government · Sacramento

Finance — Business License Unit

Business licensing

Find instructions for searching county business licensesOfficial instructions

Use the county instructions for the current business-license search tool, or contact the Business License Unit. This is a records lookup, not a license application.

Service area: Records of Sacramento County business licenses for the county licensing jurisdiction. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Sacramento County official website · Sacramento County — business licensing discovery (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Instructions on How to Use the Search Tool

Saved evidence: 96510546973e4556 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

County government · Marin

Department of Finance — Central Collections business licenses

Business licensing requirements and referrals depend on the business activity and its location. Read the specific service scope before applying.

Search active county business licensesOfficial online service

Use the official county business-license search and check the account and location covered.

Service area: Records of county business-license accounts for unincorporated Marin County. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Marin County official website · Marin County — business licensing discovery (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Search Active Business Licenses

Saved evidence: 9b0d0ff24da22585 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Santa Clara

San Jose — Finance Department — Business Tax

City of San Jose business licensing or tax certificates.

Look up a city business tax recordOfficial instructions

Use the city business tax lookup. A tax record is not proof of all permits or approvals.

Service area: City of San Jose business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

San Jose municipal government · San Jose — business licensing discovery (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Business Tax Lookup

Saved evidence: 8ea8427ed1e1c9aa · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Fresno

Fresno — Finance Department — Business Tax Division

City of Fresno business licensing or tax certificates.

Search the city business directoryOfficial instructions

Use the city business directory. It is not a certificate of all regulatory approvals.

Service area: City of Fresno business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Fresno municipal government · Fresno — business licensing discovery (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Business Directory

Saved evidence: 7d40264f5eb79f58 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Sacramento

Sacramento — Finance — Revenue Division Business Operations Tax

City of Sacramento business licensing or tax certificates.

Search the city Business Operations Tax databaseOfficial instructions

Use the city’s business-name or description search. The page warns that only the first twenty-five accounts are shown.

Service area: City of Sacramento business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Service availability

Only the first twenty-five matching accounts are displayed; a limited result set is not proof that no other account exists.

Official information checked October 16, 2026 · Details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Sacramento city service · Sacramento — business search information (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Looking for a business within the City of Sacramento? Use the search tool below to search for a business by the business name or description.

Saved evidence: 6e590c1fde9b0b04 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Alameda

Oakland — Finance — Revenue Management Bureau Business Tax

City of Oakland business licensing or tax certificates.

Search city Business Tax recordsOfficial instructions

Use the current portal’s Business Search action. A tax record is not proof of all regulatory approvals.

Service area: City of Oakland business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Oakland — city-referred Revenue Management Bureau portal · Oakland — Business Tax portal activities (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Business Search

Saved evidence: 2ac8dcf74e716b12 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Los Angeles

Long Beach — Financial Management — Business License Division

City of Long Beach business licensing or tax certificates.

Look up a city business-license recordOfficial instructions

Use the city-referred public lookup; a listed license does not establish every other permit or approval.

Service area: City of Long Beach business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Long Beach government · Long Beach — business licensing and tax certificates (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Look Up a Business License

Saved evidence: 64c1942fad404cd4 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Orange

Anaheim — Planning & Building — Business License Division

City of Anaheim business licensing or tax certificates.

Search city business licenses on the official mapOfficial instructions

Open the city-referred interactive business-license search map. A record does not prove every other permit or approval.

Service area: City of Anaheim business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Anaheim government · Anaheim — business licensing and tax certificates (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Business License Search

Saved evidence: a2b87539dc948be6 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Riverside

Riverside — Finance — Business Tax Office

City of Riverside business licensing or tax certificates.

Search city Business Tax Certificate recordsOfficial instructions

Search the city Business License records; a record is not proof of every permit or approval.

Service area: City of Riverside business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Riverside government · Riverside — city-referred business-license portal menu (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Business search

Saved evidence: 8c7987eca67dab41 · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →

City government · Orange

Irvine — Community Development — Business Licensing

City of Irvine business licensing or tax certificates.

Open the city-referred license-record searchOfficial instructions

The current city page still refers to this public record search. Check its availability during the posted system maintenance; a record does not prove all other approvals.

Service area: City of Irvine business activity; city programme, not county-wide licensing. Area details & sources

Source checked October 16, 2026

Irvine government · Irvine — business licensing primary (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed business licensing instructions

Business License Search (Open in new window)

Saved evidence: 084b6a94aeb11e0e · Agent source review

Full guide, contact details & sources →