Sacramento County Business License
A Sacramento County business license depends on where your business is based, where you perform services, and the activities you conduct. This article explains county licensing requirements, the differences between license types, application methods, fees, zoning review, fingerprinting, renewals, and public license searches so you can identify the right process before submitting an application.
County and City Licensing Boundaries
Sacramento County regulates businesses in the unincorporated area—the parts of the county outside incorporated city limits. The county’s General Business License requirement applies to businesses based in those areas, including businesses operating from commercial premises and homes, unless an exemption applies. The license is not a business tax, and its cost is not based on business revenue.
The incorporated cities of Sacramento, Folsom, Isleton, Galt, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, and Rancho Cordova have their own licensing offices. If your business is based within one of those cities, contact that city about its requirements. However, certain activities performed in the unincorporated area require a county Special Business License even when the business is based inside a city or outside Sacramento County.
The county’s business license jurisdiction guidance explains this distinction. To establish the jurisdiction of a particular address, search it through the Assessor Parcel Viewer and read the jurisdiction entry in the Property Information pane. That entry identifies whether the property is in an unincorporated area.
Jurisdiction and zoning answer different questions. Jurisdiction helps identify the licensing authority; zoning determines which activities are allowed on the property. The Assessor also cautions that its land use codes describe property use for assessment purposes and are different from zoning. An Assessor land use code should not be treated as approval to operate a particular business.
Which Business License Applies?
The Department of Finance administers county business licensing. Its Business Licensing page provides access to application options, forms, fee information, and license verification. A business may need a General Business License, a Special Business License, a Tobacco Retailer License, or a combination, depending on its location and activities.
General Business Licenses
A General Business License is issued after the county reviews the activities proposed at a specific street address and the property’s zoning. Operating from a home does not remove this requirement. An internet business based in the unincorporated area also needs a General Business License unless an exemption applies, even if customers never visit the premises.
The county identifies several exemptions, with limits that matter when a business combines activities:
Financial institutions, including qualifying banks, savings and loans, and credit unions, are exempt, but check-cashing businesses require a General Business License.
Residential facilities for long-term stays exceeding 30 days, residential care homes, and family day care are identified as exempt categories.
Church facilities are exempt to the extent they are used for religious purposes or restricted to congregation members. Church-run or church-located schools, child care facilities, and thrift stores require a General Business License.
Public and private libraries are exempt.
Growing crops and raising livestock are exempt, but an enterprise combining products from multiple farms requires a General Business License.
Contact the Business License Unit if you believe an exemption applies. The county may require an application to document the activities. For day care specifically, the county’s guidance also states that California issues day care licenses and that a county General Business License may still be necessary depending on the operation’s size. Confirm the classification of your particular operation before relying on an exemption.
Special Business Licenses
Special Business Licenses apply to designated activities conducted in the unincorporated area, including some services performed by businesses based elsewhere. Common examples include housekeeping, landscaping and gardening, handyman work, towing, rubbish hauling, massage, mobile auto repair, car washing or detailing, and mobile food vending. Certain sales involving secondhand goods, antiques, used auto parts, firearms, or other regulated products can also trigger this requirement.
These examples are not exhaustive. Describe the actual services or products involved when asking the Business License Unit which license applies. An online sales operation can require a Special Business License based on its products, just as a business operating from physical premises can.
The Sheriff’s Department approves Special Business Licenses following a background review. Where a General Business License is also required, the Special Business License is an additional requirement. Employees performing certain activities must also obtain an Employee Permit; the business owner’s license does not automatically satisfy employee permit requirements.
Tobacco Retailer Licenses
Businesses in the unincorporated area selling tobacco products or tobacco paraphernalia need a Tobacco Retailer License in addition to other applicable county licenses and California tobacco retailer registration. Covered products include pipes, papers, rolling machines, and e-cigarettes. Tobacco sales must take place through a storefront business; home-based tobacco businesses are prohibited.
The license lasts one year, is issued for each sales location, and cannot be transferred between owners. The Environmental Management Department conducts annual inspections for appropriate signage and tobacco storage. The Sheriff’s Department also conducts undercover purchase attempts using minors as decoys.
Sacramento County’s flavored tobacco restrictions include loose leaf tobacco, shisha or hookah tobacco, and certain cigars that the state exempts. A business found to have flavored tobacco or nicotine products available to customers is subject to a 30-day suspension. There is no option to pay a fine instead of serving that suspension.
Zoning Review Before Paying Fees
The county encourages applicants to contact the Department of Planning and Environmental Review before submitting an application and paying the fee. Explain the proposed activities and business site so planning staff can determine whether the current zoning allows the operation. The department accepts these questions at SacPlan@saccounty.gov.
This review matters because application fees pay for the review process and are nonrefundable. A license application does not resolve an incompatible use or a property’s failure to meet development standards.
Commercial Property Requirements
Some commercial and industrial activities require a use permit before operating. County examples include auto sales, auto dismantling, gas stations, hotels and motels, 24-hour convenience markets, drive-through windows, public storage, arcade or gaming centers, and temporary concession stands. Planning staff can address the requirements for the proposed activity and location.
Commercial and industrial businesses must also meet development standards covering matters such as landscaping, parking, fencing, and setbacks. A license may be denied if the property does not comply. Promotional displays, including banners, flags, pennants, and searchlights, require a Temporary Use Permit and are subject to time limits.
Home Occupation Restrictions
A home business must remain incidental and subordinate to the residence. The county’s published standards limit the business area to no more than 20 percent of the principal dwelling’s habitable floor area and allow no more than three home occupations per residence. Only occupants may work in the business on the property. Off-site employees or partners are allowed if they do not report there for work.
Business traffic cannot exceed normal residential activity or require more than two additional parked vehicles at one time. The standards generally limit business visits to one per hour and eight per day. Office-type businesses may have up to two visitors at the same appointment, with no more than eight appointments daily. Deliveries of products or materials are limited to one per week.
Outdoor storage of business materials and supplies is prohibited. Products cannot be displayed where they are visible from outside the dwelling, and equipment or operations cannot create dust, odors, vibrations, or other effects detectable at the property line. Particular occupations have additional restrictions, including limits on on-site sales, equipment, and working hours. Review the home occupation provisions in the county’s business licensing requirements and application guidance before planning customer visits, inventory storage, or production at home.
Application Preparation and Submission
Identify the proposed business address, describe the activities to be conducted there, and determine which license categories apply before completing the application. For a Special Business License, also account for the owners, partners, and spouses listed on the license because the county’s fingerprinting and photograph requirements apply to them.
The Department of Finance forms page includes the Sacramento County Business License Application, a Claim for Veteran’s Waiver of License Fees, and an SB205 Stormwater Discharge Compliance Form. Business license applications and Fictitious Business Name Statements are separate forms. Select the document for the transaction you intend to complete.
Every section of the business license application must be completed. The county states that a blank line or unanswered question will cause rejection and delay processing. Review the entire form before submitting it rather than assuming an incomplete section will be resolved during review.
Standard Application Options
The county offers online, in-person, and mail application options. Online applicants can enter through the Business Licensing page. Printable applications are available through the forms page, and the Business License Unit’s automated telephone system accepts requests for an application by mail.
The main licensing page gives public office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the last customer accepted at 4:30 p.m. Telephone assistance is available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. Plan an office visit around the customer cutoff rather than the building’s closing time.
Massage and Short-Term Rental Applications
Applicants for massage establishments at commercial locations must submit their applications in person with government-issued identification. The designated submission hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. These application hours are narrower than the general office hours.
Short-term rental operators follow a separate application route. The county directs them to the short-term rental permit, business license, and tax portal identified on its Business Licensing page. Short-term rental business license applications are no longer accepted at the office, by mail, or through the standard Sacramento County online business license application.
License Fees and Payment Methods
The following fees took effect July 1, 2026. The county’s official business licensing fee schedule includes the totals and separate charges for specialized licenses, appeals, copies, and other transactions. Application and renewal totals below include the $4 state surcharge; do not add that surcharge a second time.
| License or permit | New application | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| General Business License | $262.60 | $124.30 for home-based businesses; $252.48 for commercial locations |
| Special Business License | $237.87 | $231.11 |
| Standalone Employee Permit | $221.00 | $221.00 |
| Tobacco Retailer License | $560.55 | $455.98 |
| Sole-provider massage establishment | $344.68 | $344.68 |
| Multi-provider massage establishment | $550.43 | $550.43 |
An Employee Permit associated with a Special Business License costs $15.24. A General Business License is valid for three years. Special Business Licenses, standalone Employee Permits, and Tobacco Retailer Licenses have one-year terms.
Mailed applications must include a check or money order payable to Sacramento County. At the public counter, applicants may pay with cash, check, money order, or credit or debit card. Online applications accept credit or debit cards. Card payments incur a convenience fee charged by the payment processor. Application fees are nonrefundable.
Fingerprinting and Application Review
A completed General Business License application may take up to 45 days for review and investigation. The application is considered complete when all required information and fees have been submitted. An incomplete filing does not meet that definition.
Special Business Licenses take longer because fingerprint records are submitted to the Department of Justice. The county states that the review period is no more than 90 days by ordinance. These applications are not considered complete until the applicant finishes fingerprinting at the Sheriff’s Department, which must occur within five business days after filing.
All owners, partners, and spouses listed on a Special Business License must be fingerprinted and photographed at the Sheriff’s Identification Bureau after Finance processes the application. Online applicants receive an email with fingerprinting instructions. Follow those instructions when arranging this part of the process.
The published one-time fingerprinting charge is $32 for the business owner and $74 for partners, spouses, or other owners listed on the license. Taxi drivers pay $74. The Sheriff’s Department collects these charges separately and accepts Visa, Mastercard, debit cards bearing either logo, or money orders. Cash and personal checks are not accepted for fingerprinting.
Approved licenses are mailed to applicants. If an application is denied, the applicant receives written notice and an opportunity to appeal.
Renewals and Business Changes
A renewal received after the license expiration date incurs an $18 late fee. If a license has been expired for more than 90 days, the county closes it and requires the owner to submit a new application. Use the expiration date associated with your own license when planning renewal.
General Business Licenses and Tobacco Retailer Licenses cannot be transferred to another person, location, or type of business. Special Business Licenses and Employee Permits cannot be transferred to another person or type of business, although the business location may change. Contact the Business License Unit before treating an existing license as authorization for a new owner, address, or activity.
Business License Searches and Verification
The county’s Business Licenses dataset provides public records through the Sacramento County GIS Open Data Site. Open the data table and use its filter to search by business name or business address. Records include fields such as the record number, business name, license activity, filing date, and expiration date.
Home-based business addresses are confidential and are not released without a subpoena or to an authorized government agency. An address search therefore cannot provide the same location detail for a home business that it may provide for a commercial establishment. The county’s General Business License search instructions explain the table and filter process.
The Business License Unit can also help determine whether someone holds a valid county business license, and public computer terminals are available at its counter. A license does not assess or guarantee a business’s workmanship, business practices, or other consumer protection matters.
Licensing Violations and Complaints
Operating without required Sacramento County business licenses is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and six months in jail. The county also states that operating without a valid license may lead to criminal or civil action against the operator or property owner to compel the business to cease operation.
Suspected operation without a required county business license can be reported to the County Complaint Center at 311. Keep the distinction between licensing compliance and service quality in mind: the county’s issuance of a license does not guarantee the quality of the business’s work.
Business License Office
Sacramento County Department of Finance — Business License Unit
700 H Street, Room 1710, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 874-6644