13 published records
Business licenses and permits in Tulare County, California
Tulare County (county seat Visalia; population 483,546, U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate) issues county business licenses only for the business types listed in Part 6 of its Ordinance Code, and only for businesses outside city limits (§6-01-1050); for the industries on this site that means mobile food vendors and peddlers, licensed by the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector's Business License Unit. The county's Economic Development Office says that in the unincorporated area 'A business license is often not required, and zoning checks are necessary only if your business type or location requires it.' The HHSA Environmental Health Division issues food, mobile food, temporary event, body art, pool and hazardous-materials (CUPA) permits; the Resource Management Agency issues building permits and land-use permits for the unincorporated area; the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer registers commercial weighing and measuring devices; Animal Services issues kennel permits. The same Economic Development page states: 'Each of our eight incorporated cities has its own requirements for licensing, permits, and zoning' — Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia and Woodlake each run their own license and permit regime, which stacks on any county permit that applies.
What are you opening in Tulare 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 Tulare County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit / Tenant Improvement (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & Building | Permit Issuance (application fee) $86.00 per permit; Computer Maintenance Fee $10.00. Tenant improvement up to 1,500 sq ft: Plan Check $58.00 + Inspection $469.00. Tenant improvement 1,500 to 5,000 sq ft: Plan Check $256.00 + Inspection $1,020.00. Supplemental Inspection Fee for Issuance of Occupancy $70.00. Additional charge within an Urban Area Boundary (UAB), Urban Development Boundary (UDB), Hamlet Development Boundary (HDB) or Legacy Plan Boundary area $150.00. | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Special Use Permit / Administrative Special Use Permit / Temporary Use Permitonly if it applies to you | Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & Building | Special Use Permit processed by the Planning Commission, categorically exempt from CEQA: $115/hr against a $2,500.00 deposit. Special Use Permit processed by the Planning Commission, and amendments to Special Use Permits: $115/hr against a $5,000.00 deposit. Administrative Special Use Permit $1,900.00. Temporary Use Permit: one event per year $100.00; up to four events per year $400.00. Double application fees apply to uses commenced without approval under the Zoning Ordinance for which a citation has been issued. | per application (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
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 Tulare County?
Commercial Building Permit / Tenant Improvement (unincorporated area)
The RMA Building Department page states: 'By law, building permits and inspections are required for new construction, additions, and remodeling work to confirm that all structures meet applicable County, State and Federal Building Codes', that 'A building permit should be obtained before any construction work begins', and that 'Buildings will not be occupied before a final inspection approval by the Building/Zoning Inspector.' Applications must comply with the 2025 California Building Codes. For a business in the unincorporated area, the county's Economic Development Office says businesses 'work directly with the County of Tulare for permitting and approvals', and the same page states that 'Each of our eight incorporated cities has its own requirements for licensing, permits, and zoning.' Fees are per the RMA section of the County of Tulare Schedule of Fees FY 2026/27 (Resolution 2019-0238, effective July 1, 2019). For contractors: Tulare County Ordinance Code Part 6 lists the business types that need a county license; contracting is not among them. Contractors still pull these RMA building permits for work in the unincorporated area.
Special Use Permit / Administrative Special Use Permit / Temporary Use Permit
The RMA Planning page says 'Planning permits help regulate how land may be used, developed, divided, or changed in unincorporated Tulare County.' The county's Economic Development Office says that in the unincorporated area 'zoning checks are necessary only if your business type or location requires it' and gives the planning contact (559) 624-7177. Where the zone requires it, a business use needs a special use permit (by the Planning Commission or administratively), and a one-off or seasonal event can be approved through a temporary use permit. Ordinance Code §4-07-4000 states that 'Commercial, Rescue, and Boarding Kennels require a special use permit.' Fees are per the RMA Planning section of the County of Tulare Schedule of Fees FY 2026/27 (Resolution 2022-0275, effective July 1, 2022, for the special use permit lines).
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- County of Tulare Schedule of Fees FY 2026/27 (as of July 1, 2026)County of Tulare · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Building DepartmentTulare County Resource Management Agency · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- How to Start a Business in Tulare CountyTulare County Resource Management Agency, Economic Development Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Planning PermitsTulare County Resource Management Agency · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Schedule of FeesTulare County Administrative Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Tulare County Ordinance Code, Part 6 — Business Licenses and RegulationsCounty of Tulare / eCode360 · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Tulare County Ordinance Code, Ch. 4-07, Art. 4 — Kennel and Breeder PermitsCounty of Tulare / eCode360 · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
Who issues business permits in Tulare County?
Permitting in Tulare 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.
Tulare County issuing agencies
- Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Environmental Health DivisionFood facility, mobile food facility, temporary food facility, body art, public pool/spa and medical waste permits and registrations · Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) — hazardous materials business plans and hazardous waste generator permits7 permits
- Tulare County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, Business License UnitCounty business licenses under Ordinance Code Part 6 (license collector) for the business types listed in Part 6, in the unincorporated area of Tulare County (§6-01-1050)2 permits
- Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & BuildingBuilding permits and inspections, special use permits and temporary use permits in unincorporated Tulare County2 permits
- Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and MeasuresRegistration of weighing and measuring devices used for commercial purposes within the County (Ordinance Code Ch. 6-05, Art. 9)1 permit
- Tulare County Animal ServicesKennel and breeder permits (Ordinance Code Ch. 4-07, Art. 4)1 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.