In brief
Apply online through the city’s Business Portal if your business type is on the city’s eligible list, or in person at the Business License Division, 411 W. Ocean Blvd., 2nd Floor; out-of-city businesses may mail or email instead. “In most cases a license can be issued upon receipt of the application and payment”; where inspections are needed, “this takes two weeks or less” for most businesses, longer for some.
- Online: “Eligible business types may apply through the Business Portal”; the city’s eligibility list includes auto repair, barber and beauty shops, catering, cottage food, contracting trades, handyman, cleaning, internet sales and mobile repair12.
- In person: Monday and Tuesday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m.; phone (562) 570-621134.
- First-year tax and fees are charged before the license is issued, and the form states “DO NOT OPERATE UNTIL A VALID LICENSE HAS BEEN ISSUED”68.
- After issue: the license is valid one year, is displayed, cannot be transferred, and renews by paying a bill, not by reapplying79.
- All businesses must also complete the stormwater (NPDES / SB 205) form before a new or renewed license3.
The application is short; what takes time is everything that has to be true before it is submitted: the zoning at the address, the state licenses, and for some businesses a building, fire or health sign-off. This page walks the application itself, the fees that ride along with it, the wait, and what you have to do once the license is in hand. Whether you need a license at all is in Do You Need a Long Beach Business License?, the tax amounts are in What a Long Beach Business License Costs, and the order of every other step is in the pillar, How to Start a Business in Long Beach. Everything below is as of October 2026.
The short answer
| If you are… | Do this |
|---|---|
| In a business type on the city’s online list | Apply through the Business Portal, linked from the General Business License page12 |
| Not on the list, or want the counter | Apply in person at 411 W. Ocean Blvd., 2nd Floor3 |
| Based outside the city | Mail or email the application to [email protected]3 |
| Moving to a new Long Beach address | File a new “Change of Address” application in person9 |
| Renewing | Pay the bill the city mails; no new application9 |
| Closing | Send the Out of Business Notification Form before the license expires9 |
Step 1. Choose the channel
The city’s General Business License page says “Eligible business types may apply through the Business Portal”1. The city’s published eligibility list is long and includes auto repair, barber and beauty shop owners, catering, cottage food, the contracting trades, handyman work, cleaning agencies, internet sales and mobile repair2. A business not on it applies on paper.
In person, the Business License Division is at “411 W. Ocean Blvd., 2nd Floor, Long Beach, CA 90802”. Counter hours are Monday and Tuesday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursday and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., “Closed 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.” Phone hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., on (562) 570-62113. The application “may be completed by the owner or an authorized agent, but all the information must be complete and accurate before a license is issued”4.
Step 2. Gather the state papers
The city’s required-forms list tells applicants to bring the state or professional credentials that apply to their business: a seller’s permit, an ABC license and its conditions, a state contractor license, CAMTC massage certification, Barbering and Cosmetology licenses, other professional licenses, and, for parks, beaches and marinas, prior approval from Parks, Recreation and Marine. Names and addresses on those papers must match the applicant5. The contractor rule is stated bluntly: “To do any work in the City of Long Beach, you must obtain a state contractor’s license in addition to the city business license”5.
The state steps that come before the city license (entity, fictitious business name, seller’s permit, EIN, employer registration) are in the pillar, How to Start a Business in Long Beach.
Step 3. Complete the form
The application form asks about food seats, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, amusement machines, music and dancing, massage, hazardous materials, medical waste and remodel plans. A box on the form for city staff lists the departments that may inspect, “Bldg Fire Health HazMat PD Other”, and a line for “Zoning Review”6. The form’s staff box lists the inspections that may apply.
The form defines the employee count that sets the per-employee charge: “every person engaged in the operation or conduct of any business in Long Beach, whether as owner, member of the owner’s family, partner, associate, agent, manager or solicitor”, except that “the owner of a sole proprietorship shall not be deemed to be an ’employee'”6. Every business must also complete the stormwater form: “All businesses will be required to complete the Supplemental National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) /Senate Bill 205 form prior to receiving a new or renewed business license”. Help is at (562) 570-6691 or [email protected]3.
Step 4. The charges that go with a license
“Taxes and fees for the first year of operation will be charged prior to receiving your business license”68. The charges are:
| Charge | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Business license tax | $299.54 to $488.81 base, plus per-employee charge | 2026-27 rate table10 |
| State accessibility (ADA) fee | $4 on the table; see callout under Step 6 | 2026-27 rate table footer10 |
| Planning zoning review | $191.00; $213.92 with surcharge | Charged by Planning for the zoning check of a license, as of October 202611 |
| Planning zoning review, home occupation in a residence | $52.00; $58.24 with surcharge | Charged by Planning for the zoning check of a home-occupation license, as of October 202611 |
The city’s fee page says Council approved updates on September 8, 2026 and that “the new fees will be posted and take effect Oct. 1, 2026”13. The Planning figures in the table are from the schedule revised October 1, 202611.
Step 5. Wait for review, if there is one
Most licenses issue at the counter or on submission: “In most cases a license can be issued upon receipt of the application and payment of the applicable tax and permit fees”4. Where the form triggers inspections, “For most businesses, this takes two weeks or less. However, for some types of businesses this may take longer and may require approval by the City Council”4.
The code allows a conditional license, valid up to “one hundred eighty (180) days”, while departments finish their review. A denied applicant may appeal to the City Council “within ten (10) days”7. The form’s own warning sits at the bottom: “NOTE: THIS IS NOT A BUSINESS LICENSE: DO NOT OPERATE UNTIL A VALID LICENSE HAS BEEN ISSUED”6.
Step 6. After the license is issued
The license is “valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance” and must be renewed each year6. Under the code it is not transferable and must be displayed, and a vehicle-based business needs a city decal. Revocation requires a hearing on “ten (10) days’ notice”7.
Renewal has no form: “Each year, the business will receive a bill for the business license taxes and fees. Once the bill is paid, the business license is renewed for the upcoming year”9.
Official pages disagree The city’s taxes-and-fees page says the renewal bill is mailed “15 days prior to the license expiration date”, while the application form says “ten (10) days prior to the due date”68. The same is true of the state accessibility fee: the rate table says $4, the FAQ says the fee reverts to $1 from January 1, 2024910. The license runs one year from issue; the two pages name different reference dates (due date, expiration date).
A new application, rather than a renewal, is required for a change of entity type, a change of 50 percent or more of the owners, a move, or an added activity1. Moving inside the city “requires many different departments at the Permit Center to review the application”9.
Looking a license up
The city’s license page links “Look Up a Business License”, “Check License Status”, “Bizmaps License Look Up” and “Recent Business Licenses”3. The recent-licenses page posts weekly files covering December 2023 forward12. The division’s line is (562) 570-62113.
The site earns a commission on some links to business services, which does not affect what is recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for a Long Beach business license online?
How long does it take to get a Long Beach business license?
In most cases a license can be issued when the application and payment are received. If inspections are required, the city says most take two weeks or less, and some take longer and may need City Council approval4.
Can I operate while my application is pending?
Where do I apply in person?
The Business License Division, 411 W. Ocean Blvd., 2nd Floor, Long Beach, CA 90802, on the counter hours above3.
How do I renew?
You do not reapply; the city mails a bill, and paying it renews the license9.
Do I need to file anything for the stormwater form?
Yes, the Supplemental NPDES / SB 205 form, before a new or renewed license; regulated industrial businesses also give their stormwater permit number3.
What if I am moving my business within Long Beach?
File a new Change of Address application in person9.
Related Articles
Sources
- General Business License — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Eligible Online License Types — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Business Licenses — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Business License Application Instructions — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Required Forms and Permits — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Business License Application (form, revised June 2025) — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Long Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 3.80 Business License Tax — Municode. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Business License Taxes & Fees — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Business License Frequently Asked Questions — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Business License Rates Effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 — City of Long Beach, Financial Management. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Planning Bureau Fee Schedule, revised October 1, 2026 (FY27 fees version) — City of Long Beach, Community Development. Accessed 2026-09-30.
- Recent Business Licenses — City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
- Fee Schedules — City of Long Beach, Community Development. Accessed 2026-10-01.