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11 permits · verified 2026-10-27

What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in El Dorado County?

In short

A contractor or trade in El Dorado County, CA has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division charges $20 per filing, biennial for the statement of information (llc). 5 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-27 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a contractor or trade in El Dorado County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Generator Permit (CUPA)only if it applies to youEl Dorado County Environmental Management DepartmentCounty fees, annual, per the Environmental Management Department fee schedule (Resolution 122-2026, Exhibit A): Hazardous Waste Generator VSQG $221; SQG $287; LQG $332; RCRA LQG $332; Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator (<55 gallons stored) $332; Business Plan, small business (55–1,999 gallons above ground) $332; Business Plan, large business (>1,999 gallons above ground) $442; Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) less than 10,000 gallons $155; APSA 10,000–100,000 gallons $332; Underground Storage Tank annual operating permit $707 per tank minimum, then time and materials. The state surcharges listed separately on the schedule are not included here. These fees are effective September 19 through December 31, 2026.Annual; under Resolution 122-2026, Exhibit B §J, a permit "shall expire annually on the one-year anniversary date of issuance or date of receipt, unless the permit or receipt indicates a different expiration."2026-10-27
Contractor LicenseContractors State License Board$450 original application for one classification, then an initial license fee of $200 for a sole owner or $350 otherwise. Renewal every two years is $450 sole owner or $700 otherwise, with C-10 electrical contractors paying $20 more at each tier2 years2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in El Dorado County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Business License — unincorporated El Dorado CountyEl Dorado County Treasurer-Tax CollectorVaries — formula on the El Dorado County pageThe BL-100 FAQ states: "The term for a business license shall be for a period of one year commencing with the first day of the calendar month during which the license is issued and expiring on the last day of the 12th succeeding month."2026-10-27
Building Permit — unincorporated El Dorado Countyonly if it applies to youEl Dorado County Planning and Building DepartmentVaries — formula on the El Dorado County pagePer permit2026-10-27

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

CA registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$20 per filing, biennialbiennial2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$70 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$100 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually2026-09-03
Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$25 per filing, annualannual2026-09-03
Seller's Permitonly if it applies to youCalifornia Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationNo fee — no fee to applyno expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller2026-09-03
Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to youCalifornia Franchise Tax BoardVaries — formula on the CA pageannual, until the entity is cancelled2026-09-03
General Business License — California position (city or county, not state)California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionNo feeset by the issuing city or county2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a contractor or trade in El Dorado County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a contractor or trade in El Dorado County, CA, 3 apply to every business of this type and 8 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

5 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Generator Permit (CUPA): County fees, annual, per the Environmental Management Department fee schedule (Resolution 122-2026, Exhibit A): Hazardous Waste Generator VSQG $221; SQG $287; LQG $332; RCRA LQG $332; Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator (<55 gallons stored) $332; Business Plan, small business (55–1,999 gallons above ground) $332; Business Plan, large business (>1,999 gallons above ground) $442; Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) less than 10,000 gallons $155; APSA 10,000–100,000 gallons $332; Underground Storage Tank annual operating permit $707 per tank minimum, then time and materials. The state surcharges listed separately on the schedule are not included here. These fees are effective September 19 through December 31, 2026.

Contractor License: $450 original application for one classification, then an initial license fee of $200 for a sole owner or $350 otherwise. Renewal every two years is $450 sole owner or $700 otherwise, with C-10 electrical contractors paying $20 more at each tier

The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the El Dorado County permits page and the CA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in El Dorado County?

Permits for a contractor or trade in El Dorado County, CA come from 7 separate offices: El Dorado County Treasurer-Tax Collector, El Dorado County Environmental Management Department, El Dorado County Planning and Building Department, California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Franchise Tax Board, Contractors State License Board. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a contractor or trade need in El Dorado County that other businesses do not?

1 of the 2 permits particular to a contractor or trade here applies to no other business type we cover in El Dorado County: Contractor License.

Contractor License

The fees are the small part. Every licensee must carry a $25,000 contractor's bond, raised from $15,000 by Senate Bill 607 with effect from 1 January 2023. Two more bonds can stack on top: a $25,000 Bond of Qualifying Individual where the license is qualified by a responsible managing employee, or by a responsible managing officer who does not own at least 10 per cent of the voting stock; and, for an LLC license, a further $100,000 surety bond for the benefit of employees for unpaid wages. An LLC contractor therefore carries $125,000 of bonding before it starts. Fingerprinting is paid separately to the Live Scan operator — $32 to the Department of Justice and $17 to the FBI, plus a rolling fee CSLB does not set. An inactive license needs no contractor's bond while it stays inactive.

Shared with other businesses in El Dorado County

  • Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Generator Permit (CUPA) — El Dorado County Environmental Management Department, County fees, annual, per the Environmental Management Department fee schedule (Resolution 122-2026, Exhibit A): Hazardous Waste Generator VSQG $221; SQG $287; LQG $332; RCRA LQG $332; Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator (<55 gallons stored) $332; Business Plan, small business (55–1,999 gallons above ground) $332; Business Plan, large business (>1,999 gallons above ground) $442; Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) less than 10,000 gallons $155; APSA 10,000–100,000 gallons $332; Underground Storage Tank annual operating permit $707 per tank minimum, then time and materials. The state surcharges listed separately on the schedule are not included here. These fees are effective September 19 through December 31, 2026., Annual; under Resolution 122-2026, Exhibit B §J, a permit "shall expire annually on the one-year anniversary date of issuance or date of receipt, unless the permit or receipt indicates a different expiration.". Also required for auto repair shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.

The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in El Dorado County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the El Dorado County permits page. The 7 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across CA and are covered on the CA state page.

How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in El Dorado County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Contractor License. A auto repair shop needs Weighing and Measuring Device and Point-of-Sale Registration, which a contractor or trade does not.

Permits particular to each business type in El Dorado County, CA, compared with a contractor or trade
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a contractor or tradeOnly a contractor or trade needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops2111
Retail stores7116
Childcare centres1021
Coffee shops8028
Fitness studios1021
Food trucks4024
Restaurants8028
Salons and barbers2022
Veterinary clinics2022

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the auto repair shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the El Dorado County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Contractors State License Board — schedule of feesContractors State License Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. California Business and Professions Code section 7071.6 — $25,000 contractor's bond, raised by Senate Bill 607 with effect from 1 January 2023California Legislative Information · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.