Los Angeles
How do you get a business license in Los Angeles?
Every business operating in the City of Los Angeles must register with the Office of Finance for a Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC) within 15 days of starting business, which functions as the city's business license, and businesses selling taxable goods also need a California seller's permit from the CDTFA.
How do you get a business license in Los Angeles?
Every business operating in the City of Los Angeles must register with the Office of Finance for a Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC) within 15 days of starting business, which functions as the city's business license, and businesses selling taxable goods also need a California seller's permit from the CDTFA.
The BTRC is the license
The Office of Finance issues the Business Tax Registration Certificate to every person conducting business in the city, from corporations to freelancers working from apartments. Registration is filed online, the certificate itself carries no fee, and the obligation it creates is the city business tax: an annual gross-receipts tax with rates by business classification, renewed by the end of February each year. Small businesses under the city's receipts threshold can qualify for exemption, but only by registering and renewing on time.
The state layer
California adds the layers our California business license page covers in full: entity registration with the Secretary of State, the statewide franchise tax obligations, a seller's permit from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for any taxable sales, and state industry licenses, contractors through the CSLB being the most prominent. Fictitious business names in California are filed at the county level, with newspaper publication required in Los Angeles County.
Activity permits on top
Los Angeles requires police permits for a list of regulated activities, dance halls, pool rooms, secondhand dealers, valet services, among others, and the county health department permits food establishments. Home-based businesses operate under the city's home occupation rules. Alcohol runs through the state ABC with local zoning conditions. If your activity is regulated, the BTRC alone is not enough.
The multi-city trap in LA County
The City of Los Angeles is one of 88 cities in the county, and each licenses separately. A business in Santa Monica, Burbank, or Glendale registers there, not with LA, and a business working across several cities may owe registrations in each where it maintains a fixed place of business or exceeds local activity thresholds. Mapping which cities' rules apply is a real exercise for contractors and service companies working countywide.
The California state layer
City requirements sit on top of California's state-level rules: entity registration, tax permits, and industry licenses. Check both layers together.
California business license requirementsFrequently asked questions
How much does an LA business license cost?
The BTRC registration itself is issued without a fee; the cost is the annual city business tax on gross receipts, with rates depending on classification and an exemption available to small businesses that register and renew on time. Current rates are published by the Office of Finance.
Do freelancers in Los Angeles need a BTRC?
Yes. The registration requirement covers anyone conducting business in the city, including independent contractors and home-based freelancers. Many qualify for the small business or creative artist exemptions from the tax, but the registration and annual renewal are still required.
Is the BTRC the same as a California state license?
No. The BTRC is the City of Los Angeles registration. State obligations, entity filings, the CDTFA seller's permit, and industry licenses, are separate, and our California business license guide covers that layer.
Business licenses by city
- All city guides
- New York City business licenses
- Chicago business licenses
- Houston business licenses
- Phoenix business licenses
- Philadelphia business licenses
- Seattle business licenses
- Atlanta business licenses
- San Antonio business licenses
- San Diego business licenses
- Dallas business licenses
- Denver business licenses
- Miami business licenses
Related resources
Business licensing
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