What do these permits involve in Imperial County?

Question

Accepted Answer

County General Business License (unincorporated Imperial County)

The Treasurer-Tax Collector's General Business License Information sheet (Updated 07/01/2024), linked as 'General Business Licenses' from the Tax Collector's Miscellaneous Licenses page, sets the general requirement as 'Any activity engaged in that provides goods or services to the public within the unincorporated area of the County of Imperial', and quotes the code: 'No person, whether individually or as an agent of another, shall engage in any business enterprise in the unincorporated portion of the County of Imperial without having first obtained a license therefore from the County Treasurer-Tax Collector'. Its Jurisdictional Boundary Information states that 'Any business within the city limits of any of the following incorporated cities are not required to obtain a County Business License': Brawley, Calipatria, Calexico, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial and Westmorland. The sheet lists a $250.00 license fee (more than one month, up to one year) or $50.00 (one month or less), a $25.00 county processing fee, and a $120.45 Basic Fire Inspection Fee 'where applicable' — the fire figure is as published on the Treasurer-Tax Collector's sheet updated 07/01/2024; the Fire Department's own site does not post a fee schedule. The $4.00 state fee is collected under Government Code §4467; the Division of the State Architect's current SB 1186 page states that 'effective January 1, 2024, the SB 1186 Fees will remain $4.00' and that 'Assembly Bill 2164 (Lee, 2022) removed the sunset provision for the fee'. The sheet says a Board of Supervisors resolution of December 2, 2014 exempts agricultural operations, landlords who only lease land, and some businesses that also hold a current license from one of the incorporated cities (proof required), and that internet-only sellers and certain businesses on tribal land are exempt. It says the license fee is 'non-refundable' and that applicants may also owe fees to other county departments, including the fire department, Planning and Building, the Agricultural Commissioner and the Health department. Applications are accepted in person or by mail; the Licensing Division is at (442) 265-1250.

Building Permit (unincorporated Imperial County)

Imperial County Planning & Development Services issues building permits for construction, additions and remodels in the unincorporated area, under the fee provisions of County Code Title 9, Division 9, Sections 90901.00 through 90904.05, as cited in the department's building fee handout. The handout says fees came from a study by Wohlford Consulting, were approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 14, 2022, took effect October 1, 2023, and 'include annual CPI adjustment'; the department's Fees page still links that document under the label 'Building Permit Fee Schedule Handout 2023', so its 2023 amounts are not repeated here. The Fees page states: 'Effective January 26, 2021, payments processed using a debit or credit card will incur a 2.39% service fee of the total transaction amount', and announces the department's move to the Civic Access online permitting portal. Contact Planning & Development Services at (442) 265-1736 or buildinginfo@co.imperial.ca.us for the current fee on a specific project. A business inside one of the seven incorporated cities applies to that city's building department instead.

Land Use / Zoning Application (unincorporated Imperial County)

County Code §90101.01 states that the text, tables and official zoning maps of Title 9 'shall constitute the comprehensive land use regulations for all unincorporated areas of the County of Imperial.' A business opening or changing use on a parcel in the unincorporated area works within these regulations, and a use that needs a discretionary land use approval goes through Planning & Development Services. The department's Fees page states that 'A deposit (check, debit, credit card and/or money order) is required with each application submittal' and asks applicants to call (442) 265-1736 for the deposit on each project; deposit amounts are not published on that page. Card payments carry the 2.39% service fee in effect since January 26, 2021. Land use inside the seven incorporated cities is governed by each city's own zoning code.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
County General Business License (unincorporated Imperial County)	Imperial County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Licensing Division	For more than one month and up to one full year: $250.00 license fee, plus $25.00 county processing fee. For one month or less: $50.00 license fee, plus $25.00 county processing fee. Both periods also list a $120.45 Basic Fire Inspection Fee 'where applicable', per the Treasurer-Tax Collector's sheet updated 07/01/2024. A $4.00 state Disability Access and Education fee (Government Code §4467) is also collected. Nonprofit organizations are exempt from the license fee but pay the $25.00 fee and the $4.00 state fee, 'for a total of $29.00', as the sheet states. Qualifying veterans are exempt from the license fee and the Basic Fire Inspection Fee, but the $4.00 state fee still applies.	license periods of one month or less, or more than one month and up to one full year, per the Treasurer-Tax Collector's sheet	2026-10-27
Building Permit (unincorporated Imperial County)only if it applies to you	Imperial County Planning & Development Services	Fees by project type and valuation under the county's building permit fee schedule. The ICPDS Fees page links the schedule as 'Building Permit Fee Schedule Handout 2023' (effective October 1, 2023), which states 'Fees include annual CPI adjustment'; current amounts are not published on the Fees page — contact Planning & Development Services at (442) 265-1736. Payments by debit or credit card incur a 2.39% service fee of the total transaction amount (effective January 26, 2021).	per project	2026-10-27
Land Use / Zoning Application (unincorporated Imperial County)only if it applies to you	Imperial County Planning & Development Services	A deposit is required with each application submittal. The ICPDS Fees page says: 'Please contact the Planning & Development Services at (442) 265-1736 for deposit requirements of each project.' Deposit amounts are not published on that page. Card payments incur a 2.39% service fee.	per application	2026-10-27

Business licenses and permits in Imperial County, California

What are you opening in Imperial County?

Permits that apply to every type of business in Imperial County