Holiday closure: December 24, 2024, to January 1, 2025

Santa Ana City Hall and most City facilities will be closed for the holidays. Learn more here.

Business operating outside of Santa Ana

Do I need a business license if I am an out of city business temporarily conducting business from the premises of an existing licensed business located within the city of Santa Ana?

Out-of-city or itinerant businesses temporarily conducting business from the premises of an existing licensed City of Santa Ana business are required to secure their own separate business license and Certificate of Occupancy.

Do I need a business license if I engage in peddling goods & wares, or soliciting business from place-to-place within the city of Santa Ana?

Anyone engaging in the business of going from place-to-place in the City of Santa Ana and peddling goods & wares, or soliciting future business is required to secure their own business license. (If you are a wholesale agent or salesman calling on existing clients to solicit future wholesale business, you are exempt from this requirement).

Do I need a business license if I am an out of city state licensed contractor doing business in the city of Santa Ana?

If you are an Out-of-City State Licensed Contractor doing business in the City of Santa Ana you are required to secure your own individual business license(s). The Santa Ana Municipal Code requires that General Contractors (including Builder Owners) submit a verification form identifying all specialty contractors engaged with any building permit obtained to work within the City of Santa Ana. In accordance with City ordinance, no Certificate of Occupancy or Final Inspection may be granted by the City until all business license fees have been paid by every prime contractor and subcontractor engaged.

Do I need a business license if I am an out of city business doing business in the city of Santa Ana?

If you are an Out-of-City business doing business in the City of Santa Ana, you must obtain your own separate business license. Except where otherwise provided under state law, Out-of-City businesses are exempt from the minimum (or basic) City of Santa Ana business license assessment. Out-of-City businesses are assessed only based on the volume of business done, or anticipated to be done within the City of Santa Ana.

Do I need a business license if my business does not do business in the city of Santa Ana, but may perform deliveries or certain other limited activities in the city with connection to a business located outside of the city?

A business license is not required for any business done in the City of Santa Ana where the business conducted is only occasional and incidental to a regularly established business conducted elsewhere. Nevertheless, a City of Santa Ana business license will be required if more than (3) pick-ups or deliveries of goods, merchandise, or business supplies take place within a (1) year period.

Do I need a business license from the city of Santa Ana if I am located in the unincorporated area of Orange County?

If your business is in the unincorporated area of Orange County, the licensing agency is the Orange County Sheriff Office, located at 550 N. Flower Street, in Santa Ana. For information please contact their office at (714) 647-7000 and ask for business licensing.

May I register to do business from a post office box or private postal mailbox (PMB) located within the city of Santa Ana?

A post office box or private postal mailbox (PMB) address may be used as the mailing address of record for receiving information regarding a Santa Ana business license; however, a post office box or PMB address does not constitute a business location for business licensing purposes.

A post office box or PMB address cannot be substituted as the business location address for any business, whether physically located within the City of Santa Ana or physically located outside of City of Santa Ana.

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