Los Angeles Business
License Application

The City of Los Angeles requires any business within it's borders to have a BTRC, commonly known as a business license. This is required regardless of the business type, size, or industry. Get your business license today.

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Who Needs a Los Angeles BTRC (Business License)?

According to the Los Angeles Office of Finance “All individuals or entities conducting business activities within the City of Los Angeles are required to apply for and obtain a Business Tax Registration Certificate with the City of Los Angeles, Office of Finance”.

In other words, if you are are doing any business in LA, you need a BTRC, which is more commonly called an LA business license, although not the technical term.

How Does my Business Get a Los Angeles BTRC (commonly referred to as a business license)?

All California businesses are required to have a business license to operate legally. Most cities have their own terminology for the “business license” such as a “tax registration” or “business registration”, but the concept is all the same. If you’re thinking about starting an enterprise of your own in the Los Angeles area, applying for a BTRC should be at the top of your list.

Eligibility Criteria for Online Registration

For the convenience of entrepreneurs, the City of Los Angeles accepts online registration. In order to be eligible to file online, however, the City requires you to first meet all of the following criteria:

You are opening only one location at the time of registration
Your business has never been registered in L.A. before
Your business is located within city limits (or, if there is no physical location, all business is conducted within city limits)
You are capable of providing electronic payment for any registration fees that may apply

If you do not meet all four of these criteria, you will need to register in person or via other contact with the City of Los Angeles.

Information You’ll Need to Provide

To apply for a business license in Los Angeles, you’ll need to provide a variety of relevant personal and business details. Before you sit down to fill out your registration, gather the following pieces of information:

The legal name of your business
The type of business (corporation, sole proprietorship, LLC, etc.)
Your Social Security Number or Federal Employment Identification Number (depending on the type of business)
Your main business address (and mailing address, if different)
A description of your business activities
The date you plan to start operations
Any other business contact information (controller, CPA, etc.)
Your Sales Tax Number or Business/Professional Activity Code, if applicable

Other Permits and Licensing You Might Need

Depending on what your business does and the products and services you’ll offer, you may need other legal permissions in addition to your City of Los Angeles business license.

Common types of permits and licenses that may be required include:

Liquor license: for selling alcohol
Lottery license: for selling lottery tickets, scratch-offs, etc.
Health department permit: for selling food and beverages
Tobacco retailers permit: for selling cigarettes and other tobacco products
Specific occupational license: for practicing a certain profession (doctor, lawyer, etc.)

FastFilings Makes the Registration Process Easy

Starting a business is exciting, but the paperwork can be complex. Even with the City’s online registration system, you may find yourself confused by the process or unsure how to respond. At FastFilings, we streamline registration so that you can get your California business license worry-free.

When you register through FastFilings, all you have to do is provide us with the information we request. Once you’ve submitted it, we’ll complete all the necessary forms for you and file them with the City. With our knowledge of City of Los Angeles business license requirements, you can rest easy knowing we’ve got everything covered.

Ready to get started? File online with us today!

We process all orders quickly, and we error check and review all permit orders before submitting to the State of California to ensure that all permits are issued quickly by the CDTFA.

About Our Service

FastFilings is a private permit and license filing service. We file all permit and license requests directly with the issuing government office, however we are not a government agency, and you may obtain documents at a reduced fee through your district office.

Our goal is to help you avoid the hassle and headache with ordering a permit directly through your district office. We error check and expedite all orders through the state agency.

Los Angeles Business License Application