When starting a new business, there are many important decisions to make and many rules and procedures that must be addressed. While there is no single source for all filing requirements, the following steps have been developed to assist you in starting your business.

Step 1

It is helpful to begin with a business plan. A business plan is a blueprint of every aspect of your business. Sales, Marketing, Advertising, Promotion and Location are just some of the categories to consider when creating a plan. Go to the U.S. Small Business Administration website to find a tutorial on how to create a business plan.

Step 2

If you would like help deciding on a location for your business, contact the California Business Investment Services unit of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GO-Biz). The California Business Investment Services unit provides tailored site selection services for businesses, real–estate executives, and site selection consultants.

Step 3

Choose a business structure. A brief overview of the following types of legal business structures available in California can be found on our Entity Types website:

Step 4

Your next step will be to file your tax and employer identification documents.

Step 5

Most businesses require licenses or permits in order to operate. Please click on each of the resources below to determine if your business requires any licenses or permits.

Disclaimer: The information and links to various websites, including various non–governmental sites, are provided for your convenience. The information on this website is constantly updated; however, there may be omissions or additional requirements not represented here. This is unintentional and does not exempt any individual or institution from complying with the laws and regulations of the State of California and the federal government. Inclusion of links to other websites is not an endorsement of those sites by the California Secretary of State, the State of California or the federal government.