STARTING A BUSINESS IN SANTA PAULA

Starting or Growing Your Small Business

Interested in starting a business of your own? The Small Business Administration can provide you with a comprehensive Small Business Start-Up Kit in either PDF or HTML format at no charge.

City Resources
Licenses and Permits

The City of Santa Paula Business Licenses and Tax Information staff will be happy to answer any questions you have regarding doing business within the City. You may contact them by calling (805)933-4211.

The following is a brief overview of what needs to be done in order to obtain a city business license. Complete the following forms, which may be obtained from the Business Licenses office in City Hall at 970 Ventura St., Santa Paula, CA 93060:
  • Building, Fire & Zoning Clearance form or Home Occupation Permit form ($576)
  • Business Tax Statement application
  • Pay business tax fee according to schedule shown below
Please Note: New Business License Tax Statements are issued throughout the course of the year and expire on December 31 of each year. New licenses are subject to the same Schedule of Rates as renewals, as shown below:

Group 100 Series Apportioned Business Tax As Applied To:
Wholesale and Retail Sales, Professionals, Service Gross Receipts of Business

Annual Gross Receipts

From To Tax Rate *
$0 $39,999 $25.00
40,000 $59,999 35.00
60,000 99,999 45.00
100,000 199,999 65.00
200,000 299,000 85.00
300,000 399,000 100.00
400,000 499,000 125.00
500,000 599,000 150.00
600,000 799,000 175.00
800,000 999,999 200.00
1,000,000 1,999,999 225.00
* + $4.00 CA State Fee
The schedule of rates for $2,000,000 to $10,000,000 ranges between $250 – $450 in increments of $25 per each additional $1,000,000 in sales.

Business License Yearly Renewal Guidelines
The Business License Tax statement is to be completed and returned to the City of Santa Paula business License Tax Office along with the appropriate payment (per the previously shown schedule) between January 1 and January 31 each year. Licenses will become delinquent as of February 1. Failure to pay license tax when due will result in a penalty of $10 or 10% of the license tax due, whichever is greater, and shall be due on the 1st day of each month after the due date. Penalty charges shall not exceed $50 or 50% of the license tax due, whichever is greater.

Business Financing
You can search the Chamber’s Member Directory for a list of member banks and financing institutions. Each of these members can be contacted directly for information regarding their lending programs and terms.

Helpful information about the Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan 504 Program is only a click away. The SBA 504 loan program provides long-term, fixed rate, subordinate mortgage financing for acquisition and/or renovation of capital assets including land, buildings and equipment. Virtually all types of for-profit small businesses are eligible for this program.

Small Business Support
Need advice on how to prepare or revise your business plan, improve your market position, or simply need to check with someone about whether or not your business idea is based on attainable grounds before you commit your hard earned investment capital into a bad business venture?
Check it out with SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business,” a non-profit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth, and success of small business nationwide. SCORE volunteers provide free, confidential face-to-face and email business counseling.
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