Business
Start here: How to Start a Business in Long Beach, California: The Sequence
Closing a Business in Long Beach: The City License, the Seller’s Permit, the Fictitious Name and the State Accounts
Closing a Long Beach business takes a City form plus CDTFA and EDD close-outs and, for an LLC, state steps; an ordinary…
Business
What the City and Port of Long Beach Are Buying: Open Bids, the Forecast and the FY27 Capital Plan, as of October 2026
On Oct. 2, 2026 the City had 23 open bids and the Port 3 advertised solicitations; the City's proposed FY27 capital plan…
Business
Selling to Long Beach Transit, LBUSD, Long Beach City College, Long Beach Utilities and the Airport: Where Each Posts Bids
Transit, the school district and the college each post on their own PlanetBids portal; Utilities and the Airport post on Long Beach…
Contracts
Insurance and Bonds for City of Long Beach Contracts: AR 8-27 Limits, Additional Insured Wording and the Small-Business Program
AR 8-27 sets the city's insurance rules: A-rated insurers, a fixed additional-insured wording, 20 days' cancellation notice and $1,000,000 basic limits.
Business
Project Labor Agreements, Prevailing Wage and the Living Wage in Long Beach: Which Contracts They Cover
The city PLA covers contracts over $750,000 ($1,000,000 for street work); the Port-Wide PLA runs 2023 to 2033; living wage steps start…
Contracts
LBSBE, Port SBE and DBE: Which Long Beach Certification Counts Where, What Each Costs and How Long It Lasts
City goals count only an LBSBE; the Port's SBE is free, lasts 3 years and carries no bid preference; state and federal…
Contracts
Port of Long Beach Vendor Registration: PlanetBids, the $100,000 Line, Subcontractor Listing and the Harbor Development Permit
The Port advertises work over $100,000 on PlanetBids, where registration is free; construction subs paid over $10,000 or 0.5% of the bid…
Contracts
How City of Long Beach Bidding Works: Thresholds, Pre-Bid Meetings, Bonds, Protests and Council Approval
Under $40,000 the city buys on quotes; a purchase order needs an ITB or RFP with three bids from $100,000 to $200,000;…
Contracts
Long Beach Buys: How to Register as a City Vendor, Pick Commodity Codes and Get Bid Notices
Register free on Long Beach Buys with a tax ID, company name and email, then add NIGP codes to get bid notices.…
Business
Fire Permits and Inspections for Long Beach Businesses: What the FY27 Fire Fee Schedule Charges, Hoods, Assembly and Annual Inspections
Long Beach's Fire pages print no operational fire permit list. The FY27 fee schedule, effective October 1, 2026, prices plan review and…
Business
BizCare and Long Beach’s Business Programs: What the City Offers, the SBDC at Long Beach City College, Loans and Grants as of October 2026
Long Beach offers the BizCare hotline, a no-cost SBDC at Long Beach City College, loans of $10,000 to $5 million and grants,…
Business
Special Event, Occasional Event and Film Permits in Long Beach: Tiers, Fees and Lead Times
A Long Beach special event permit needs a $102 to $410 application 60 days ahead; an occasional event permit is $150 and…
Business
Short-Term Rental Rules in Long Beach: Registration, the 275-Day Primary-Residence Test, the 90 Un-Hosted Nights, the Caps and the $1,000 Fine
A Long Beach short-term rental needs a registration, 275 days of residence for a primary home, no more than 90 un-hosted nights,…
Business
Long Beach Cannabis Business Rules: License Types, the Dispensary Count, Application Fees, the September 2026 Tax Change and the Equity Program
Long Beach licenses cannabis through Chapter 5.92: eight equity dispensaries allowed in 2022 and an 8 percent adult-use retail tax since September…
Business
Selling Alcohol in Long Beach: The City’s Three Planning Tracks on Top of the ABC License, the Police Role and the 2026 ABC Fees
Alcohol in Long Beach needs city approval before an ABC license: $1,694.56 for the exemption or $17,330.88 for a CUP as of…
Contracts
A Contractor Based in Long Beach: CSLB License, the City License Tax, the Vehicle Decal and Out-of-Town Licenses
A Long Beach contractor needs a state CSLB license and a city license: $488.81 plus $25.36 per employee in 2026-27, with 3-,…
Business
How to Open a Daycare in Long Beach: State Family Child Care Licensing, the City’s Zoning Rules and the Business License
A Long Beach daycare needs a state license and city zoning; state-licensed homes of 14 or fewer children are exempt from the…
Business
How to Open a Retail Store in Long Beach: Zoning, Seller’s Permit, Signs, Certificate of Occupancy and the License
A Long Beach retail store takes six steps; the city license is $488.81 plus $12.66 per employee and a first sign permit…
Business
How to Open a Salon or Barbershop in Long Beach: State Establishment License, Zoning, Build-Out and the City License
A Long Beach salon needs a state establishment license ($50 application fee) and a city license; barber and beauty shops are permitted…
Business
Long Beach Business Improvement Districts: What Each Assesses, the Count Question and How to Know If You Are Inside One
The city's BID table has ten rows (its text says nine), each with its own assessment; a business inside a BID pays…
Contracts
Selling to the City of Long Beach and the Port: Registration, Certification, Where Small Firms Win
Register with each buyer, then match the sale to its dollar line: quotes under $40,000 at the City, bids over $100,000 at…
Business
The Zoning Check Before You Sign a Long Beach Lease: Map Layers, Letters and What They Cost
Check the zoning map, read Title 21's use table, then ask Planning. A written zoning letter costs $1,142.40 as of October 2026.
Food
Sidewalk Vending in Long Beach: Permits, the Health Rules for Carts and Where Vending Is Allowed
Sidewalk vendors in Long Beach need a license and vending permit, plus a health permit for food. Distances, hours and cart rules…
Business
Questions to Settle Before Leasing a Long Beach Storefront
The city's own brochures say to confirm zoning and building permits before you sign. Six questions, with the fees and rules each…