Butte County is dedicated to assisting businesses interested in starting, expanding, or locating in Butte County. Learn more about our Economic Development Assistance Committee and how we can assist your business through the development process.
Visit CalGold, a website for assisting you with permits for your business.
Butte County
Business License:
The County of Butte only requires business licenses or permits for the activities within the unincorporated area. Depending on the type of business, if you operate out of your home you may also need a Home Occupation Permit.
Fictitious Business Name:
If you are operating under any name other than your own, you must file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the County. It is also referred to as a DBA (Doing Business As). A fee is required when the statement is filed. Also, once filed, the statement must be published in a local newspaper of general circulation. This statement must be filed with the County Recorder's Office.
Butte County Recorder's Office: 530.538.7691
155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965
Permits:
Planning Department: 530.552.3701 (zoning, other permits)
7 County Center Drive, Oroville, CA 95965
Online Forms
Online Parcel Lookup
Food Vendors: If you are going to be engaged in a business that sells food, you need a permit from Environmental Health, a division of the Public Health Department.
Environmental Health: 530.538.7281 or 530.891.2727
202 Mira Loma Drive, Oroville, CA 95965
Agricultural Commission
The Butte County Agricultural Commissioner’s office is a regulatory agency acting under the jurisdiction and direction of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), and the Division of Measure Standards (DMS) and in cooperation with various other federal, state, regional, and local agencies. The Agricultural Commissioner enforces the laws and regulations of the California Food and Agricultural Code and the California Code of Regulations Division of Measure Standards and is an appointed official of the County Board of Supervisors.
Main Office: 316 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965
Phone: 530.552.4100
Email: ButteAG@buttecounty.net
Web Site: https://www.buttecounty.net/agriculturalcommissioner/
Chico District Office: (T) 530.552.4085
Gridley District Office: (T) 530.552.4090
Cities and Towns
City of Biggs
3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA 95917
530.868.5493
www.biggs-ca.gov
City of Chico
Physical Address: 411 Main Street, Chico, CA 95928
Mailing Address: PO Box 3420, Chico CA 95927
Planning: 530.879.6800 (to inquire about zoning)
Finance Office: 530.879.7320 (to inquire about business licenses)
Apply for or Renew a Business License
City of Gridley
685 Kentucky Street, Gridley, CA 95948
General: 530.846.5695 (business license)
Planning: 530.846.3631 (zoning, environmental review)
www.gridley.ca.us
City of Oroville
1735 Montgomery Street, Oroville, CA 95965
Community Development: 530.538.2401 (planning, building, business license)
www.cityoforoville.org
Town of Paradise
5555 Skyway, Paradise, CA 95969
Community Development: 530.872.6291 ext.123 (building, zoning)
Town Clerk: 530.872.6291 Ext. 102
No business license is currently required. Contact the town clerk for information on required permits.
www.townofparadise.com
State & Local Permitting Agencies
If your business sells alcoholic beverages, you need a license. The fee is determined by the kind of business you own.
Dept. of Alcoholic Beverage Control: 530.224.4830
1900 Churn Creek Road #215, Redding, CA 96002
Online Forms
Every individual or business engaged in selling tangible personal property must apply to the State Board of Equalization for a Seller's Permit. This permit provides you with a registered resale number, which is required for conducting business. There is no fee for this permit, but you may be required to make a security deposit for future sales tax payments to the State. The permit:
- Exempts you from paying sales tax on the merchandise you purchase for resale through your business, and
- Authorizes you to collect sales tax from your customers.
State Board of Equalization: 530.224.4729
2881 Churn Creek Road, Suite B, Redding, CA 96002
If you sell cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, energy, motor vehicle fuel, or hazardous substances, you must pay an excise tax.
Excise Taxes Division, State Board of Equalization: 1.800.400.7115
PO Box 942879, Sacramento, CA 94279
All businesses that hire employees must register with the Employment Development Department to obtain an employer account number.
Employment Development Department Account Services Group, MIC 28: 1.888.745.3886
PO Box 826880, Sacramento, CA 94280
To maintain set standards of performance and to protect consumers, most states regulate entry in specific occupations or professions. These include health services, cosmetology, accounting and real estate. If your business is in any of these regulated fields, you must first meet the standards set forth by the State Licensing Board and then obtain a license. Licenses are usually valid for one or two years and are renewable.
California Department of Consumer Affairs: 1.800.952.5210
1625 North Market Blvd Ste N 112, Sacramento, CA 95834
Apply for and renew a contractor license. All businesses or individuals that construct or alter any building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by the Contractors State License Board if the combined labor and material costs for one or more contracts on the project is $500 or more. Contractors must be licensed before submitting bids.
Contractors State License Board
9821 Business Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95827
800.321.CSLB (2752)
https://www.cslb.ca.gov/