Posted by stacey_ca on 4/28/05 11:10am
Msg #34569

business licence??

Ok. Everyone can throw stones at the newbie. But I can't seem to get any governmental agency to give me an answer. So if someone would be so kind as to answer... I am just starting my business and I can't find what licences I need for the state of Ca. On another note...Sylvia, if you're out there, I've been reading these forums for a couple of months now and I just want to be you when "I grow up."

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/28/05 11:14am
Msg #34572

Stacey
First place to check is your city hall. I found I needed one for my city, and then one for my county.

Hope this helps

Reply by Art_MD on 4/28/05 11:15am
Msg #34573

no stones. Maybe a life preserver?

If you do a search on "business license" on this site, you will get a lot of threads to read. It seems there are multiple opinions on which licenses are aor aren't required.

Good luck

Art

Reply by stacey_ca on 4/28/05 11:31am
Msg #34579

Thanks for your help. I did do a search before I asked the question and after you answered it, but nothing came up. I guess I will be back at city hall until 2 people can give me the same answer! Thanks Sylvia! Thanks Art!

Reply by Art_MD on 4/28/05 11:42am
Msg #34583

Try spelling "license" not licence

thread numbers 29569, 29352, 22001 if still can't get anything.

Art

Reply by CaSigner on 4/28/05 11:54am
Msg #34586

I called my city hall and of course they said I needed one, no surprise to me since they need to make money somehow but I also called the county and they said I did not.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/28/05 12:08pm
Msg #34588

You may need one for the city without needing one for the county.

I found of all the signing agents in my area I am the only one who got a license! Makes you wonder if it is worth it. But then again, I wouldn't want to get caught operating a business withouth a license.

Don't need one just to be a notary, but when we start running a business then we usually do need one.

Reply by Paul2_FL on 4/28/05 5:36pm
Msg #34673

Hi Sylvia,

"Don't need one just to be a notary, but when we start running a business then we usually do need one."

I'm a little confused (not unusual) about your response above. Being a Notary and collecting fees is, in reality a business in that you are required by the IRS to declare all income received. (Especially since you will declare expenses as well.) When I applied for my certification I don't recall anything stating I had to get a city/county business license. I never gave this a thought! Is there something about being a "Notary" and "starting a business" that allows in one case not to require a license while in the other it does? Bottom line - Am I currently in violation of some city/county FL ordinance that I don't know about?

Reply by PAW_Fl on 4/29/05 12:10am
Msg #34771

Paul2, IIRC you are in Hernando county, so I can't say for sure. But here in Pasco, I was fined because I did not have an Occupational License. Notaries Public, doing only notary work, do not require an occupational (business) license since they are commissioned state officers. However, acting as a Signing Agent, you are providing a value added service, which is regulated by the state and license by the county. It all goes back to what the job is. NSA's where two hats, perform two functions and therefore each hat/function must be looked at separately when determining state/county/city licensing requirements.

BTW, an OL doesn't cost all that much anyway.

Reply by ERNA_CA on 4/28/05 2:22pm
Msg #34624

It is a good idea to have a license for a home office when it comes to taxes. You are right it is only a form of revanue for the city or county when it is a business like ours.

Reply by Lee_CA on 4/28/05 12:20pm
Msg #34593

San Diego County Business License Info

Hi Stacey!

Where are you in California? Well I'm in San Diego and went to my city hall (also valuable info for any newbies starting up in SD).

I've also done a search on this forum for any previous discussions on whether or not a BL is required and have come to the conclusion that nobody really knows, but it's a really good idea to have one JUST IN CASE.

Check out this website: http://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/businesstax/index.shtml and see if that helps. Of course I don't know exactly where you are, but it might give you some ideas. I think I paid something less then $80 for my license.

Some signing companies like to know whether you're licensed or not so it might be a feather in your cap if you actually took care of it. At least for me, it wasn't a lot of trouble at all.

I think the hardest part with filling out the application was trying to decide if I wanted to "name" my business. I think LEE Mobile Notary Services sounds a little funny and I wasn't too thrilled about having to file a fictitious business name so I registered myself as just myself. =)

Hope it helps?

Reply by stacey_ca on 4/28/05 12:52pm
Msg #34602

Re: San Diego County Business License Info

Art, thanks for the spell check! Hadn't caught that one! I am in Contra Costa county. (bay area). Anyone out there from my area???
So, I called city hall who transfered me 3 times before I got a rude guy who said "anytime you do business you need a business license." I said, ok. where are you and I'll come down and get one. He said, did you get your fictitious business name? me-No, do I need one first? Him- well, it's a good idea. OK. to me that means I don't NEED one so why do you care if I have one?!! Then he asked for my address. I gave it and he said I needed to talk to zoning first about having one for the city. I said I already know I'm not in the city limits. I checked thier website and I won't need one for them. He says "yes, I can see that. I just pulled it up on my computer. But you should go there first." So I guess I'm going to the zoning office for someone to tell me what we all already know. Then I'll go get a new name that I don't need. So that I can get a licence that no one else has. But if I want to be Sylvia when I grow up, I'll get one! I think I need a drink now, except for it's only 11am and I don't drink!

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/28/05 1:25pm
Msg #34609

Re: San Diego County Business License Info - Stacey

Stacey
Have that drink - it may be only 11am there, but imagine you are in a different country - somewhere in the world it is drinking time

Reply by Art_MD on 4/28/05 1:28pm
Msg #34610

Re:Paris is 8 PM N/M

Reply by John / FL on 4/28/05 1:31pm
Msg #34611

Re: San Diego County Business License Info

If you don't live in the city, why call city hall?

Am I missing something?

Since you don't live in the city, I would start with the county.

Your county does, in fact, issue fictitious names:
http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/elect/clerk/clerkfunc02.html

good luck!

Reply by stacey on 4/28/05 2:05pm
Msg #34615

Re: San Diego County Business License Info

Reply by stacey_ca on 4/28/05 2:20pm
Msg #34622

Re: San Diego County Business License Info

I think I'm going to skip the fictitious name if possible. But I did know they issue them. I just started with the first phone # I could find on the web and that was city hall. Our county seat is in the same block so they all seem to know where to go for things. They just don't know what I should be going for. I've been down there alot with all this! I think when I'm done I'm opening a new business downtown of directing the traffic of where to go and what to go for.

Reply by ERNA_CA on 4/28/05 1:34pm
Msg #34612

Re: San Diego County Business License Info

Oh my. you dont need to do all that. You can apply for a fititiouse business name on line and for a home office you dont need to worry about zoning. You wount have any foot traffic so you dont need a zoning permit. Next hel tell you you need to have a portapotie for your business lol.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/28/05 2:01pm
Msg #34613

Re: San Diego County Business License Info

What?? You mean to tell me I really didn't need that Port-a-potty? LOL

Reply by ERNA_CA on 4/28/05 2:06pm
Msg #34616

Re: link for app

http://www.sba.gov/library/forms.html
go there for applying for fititiouse business license

Reply by ERNA_CA on 4/28/05 2:14pm
Msg #34619

Re: http://www.sba.gov/library/forms.html