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Obtain a Federal Employer
Identification Number
An
Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit number used by the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify a business entity. In
general, employer I.D. numbers are needed if a business has
employees, has a qualified retirement plan, or operates as a
corporation or partnership. This is also known as a Federal Tax
Identification Number or Federal Employer Identification Number
(FEIN).
Obtain a
Federal Employer Identification Number
(EIN) from the Fresno, California office of the Internal Revenue
Service. Fill out an SS4 form ("Application for Federal Employer
Identification Number") and have it processed by phone, fax or mail.
Check current existence
of business name
Check
to make sure that the business name(s) you wish to use for your
business is not currently registered with the City and County of San
Francisco. This can be verified online.
Registration of the
business
A "San
Francisco business" is defined as any entity (individual, sole
proprietor, independent contractor, partnership, corporation, etc.)
which is "engaged in activity or caused to be engaged in activity
within San Francisco for seven or more days in a year with the
object of gain, benefit or advantage, whether direct or indirect, to
the entity or to another or to others."
All such entities
(including non-profit organizations and individuals working from
home) based in San Francisco, or based elsewhere but conducting such
activities in San Francisco, are required to
register with the City through the Office
of the Treasurer & Tax Collector for a Business Registration
Certificate, as stated in Article 12A of the San Francisco Business
and Tax Regulations Code.
Business Registration
Certificates are issued on an annual
basis and are valid for the City's fiscal year calendar,
beginning on July 1st, and ending June
30th of the following year.
New business owners must
register for their initial certificate within 15 days of conducting
business.
Existing business owners
must renew their registration each year by the deadline of February
28 (or February 29 during leap years) for the upcoming fiscal year
starting July 1.
DBA filing and
Fictitious Name Registration
Name recognition is crucial to a
company's success. Therefore, it is important to make the
name you choose official. Name acknowledgement is achieved when the
business name is used in all transactions, from marketing and sales
to collecting money. Many business owners choose a name other than
their given personal name in order to establish name recognition and
to identify goods sold or services provided. Unless you operate a
corporation or LLC, you will not be able to receive money or hold a
business bank account under a business name until you have filed
and, when applicable, published what is commonly referred to as a
DBA.
A business that operates under any name other
than its owner's personal name, or the name that was filed with the
state, is legally required to file a DBA "doing business as"
statement. The DBA statement may also be referred to as a fictitious
business name, trade name or assumed name. In the case of
corporations or LLCs, the statement can be used to inform the public
of the previous legal company name that existed. With sole
proprietorships, a DBA statement informs the public of the owner's
personal name or the name under which they are conducting business.
Obtaining other Permits
and Licenses
Certain
types of businesses require additional permits and licenses from the
local, state or federal government (permits and/or licenses from
departments of Health, Fire and/or Police Departments, Seller's
Permit, building permits, etc.).
Special licenses
Many
businesses do not require a state license because the requirements
are very specialized. To determine whether you need one or not, call
the Small Business Help-Line at 1-800-303-6600. Please note that the
Office of Small Business is a source for licensing information only.
It does not issue licenses. There are over 50 state departments,
bureaus, and offices that issue over 500 licenses and permits, as
well as register professionals and businesses. Telephone numbers for
the relevant issuing agency should be listed in the white pages of
the telephone book under State Government Offices.
Contact the bureau in charge of licensing your
type of business and ask for an application to be sent. Fees vary
from bureau to bureau. A written or oral examination is required for
some professions before a license can be issued. Some licenses have
educational or experience requirements.
Seller’s permit
If you
intend to sell or lease goods, you'll need to obtain a Seller's
Permit before you open your business. Call or visit the State Board
of Equalization to determine if your business requires a Seller's
Permit.
To
obtain a Seller’s Permit:
• You
must operate your business from a physical location. (A mail drop is
not acceptable.)
• Be
ready to begin sales within 30 days of application.
•
Be prepared to estimate monthly sales.
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Start
your business