10 published records
Business licenses and permits in Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County's business obligations split by geography and program rather than applying uniformly countywide. The Business License Tax (Treasurer-Tax Collector) reaches only the unincorporated area; each of the county's 19 incorporated cities — including Richmond, Antioch, Concord, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Martinez (the county seat) and the rest — runs its own business licensing instead, out of scope here. Contra Costa Health's Environmental Health Division is the retail-food, mobile-food and temporary-event food regulator countywide, reaching both incorporated and unincorporated areas alike, with no separate city health jurisdiction anywhere in the county. Hazardous-materials and CUPA registration (Hazardous Materials Business Plans, hazardous-waste-generator registration, UST/APSA permits) is also countywide, administered by a single agency, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, rather than being split by city. Building permits and discretionary land use permits, issued by the Department of Conservation and Development, reach the unincorporated area only — each incorporated city issues its own. Contractor, veterinary, cosmetology and child care licensing are State of California functions, covered at the state level rather than as county records.
What are you opening in Contra Costa County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Contra Costa County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business License Taxonly if it applies to you | Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Business License Tax Division | Class A (general businesses): $100.00 flat per business entity, plus $10.00 per full-time-equivalent employee in excess of one — so a sole proprietor with no additional staff owes only the $100 base. Class B (transient, itinerant or amusement businesses): $100.00 per day, paid in advance. Businesses with annual gross receipts under $20,000, qualifying 501(c)(1)/(2)/(3) nonprofits, businesses leasing 4 or fewer residential units, and certain agricultural growers are exempt from the tax itself, subject to filing proof of the exemption annually with the Tax Collector. Transfer-of-license and lost/duplicate-license fees are each $10.00. | annual; license year July 1 - June 30, renewal due by June 30 | 2026-10-02 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Contra Costa County?
Business License Tax
This tax applies ONLY to a business located in, or operating from, the unincorporated area of Contra Costa County — the county's own page states the requirement this way, and the codified text makes it unlawful to engage in business in the unincorporated area without first procuring a license. A business inside any of the county's 19 incorporated cities (Richmond, Antioch, Concord, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Martinez and the rest) instead follows that city's own business licensing, entirely outside the county's reach. A state-licensed contractor who conducts business in the unincorporated area, or who is based there regardless of where the work occurs, must hold this license and supply a current State Contractor's License copy with the application. Late payment carries a 25% penalty plus interest at 1.5% per month.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Business License InformationContra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- County Ordinance Code, Title 6, Division 64, Chapter 64-14 — Business License Tax (codified text)Contra Costa County / Municode · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- Business License Important Notice of ComplianceContra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- How to Apply for a County Business LicenseContra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- Cities of Contra Costa — list of 19 incorporated citiesContra Costa County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
Who issues business permits in Contra Costa County?
Permitting in Contra Costa County is split across 5 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Contra Costa County issuing agencies
- Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Hazardous Materials Programs (Certified Unified Program Agency)Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) registration, Hazardous Waste Generator Program fees, and UST/APSA program fees, as the county's sole Certified Unified Program Agency — countywide3 permits
- Contra Costa Health, Environmental Health DivisionRetail Food Facility Permit, Mobile Food Facility (MFF/CMFO) Permit, and Temporary Food Event Permit — countywide, incorporated and unincorporated areas alike3 permits
- Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and DevelopmentBuilding permits (plan review and permit review/processing) and discretionary land use permits — unincorporated area only2 permits
- Contra Costa County Animal Services DepartmentDangerous Animal and Potentially Dangerous Animal permits1 permit
- Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Business License Tax DivisionBusiness License Tax registration and collection — unincorporated Contra Costa County only1 permit
Other California jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.