The City of Irvine requires all organizations operating within the City to have a business license (Code of Ordinances Section 4-6-201 and Section 4-6-207) prior to conducting business. Before starting a business contact the City of Irvine Planning Team at planning@cityofirvine.org or 949-724-6308 to confirm your business activity meets the land use requirements of the City's Zoning Code.
In accordance with City Council Resolution 21-33, as of August 1, 2023, there is a $95.59 fee to obtain a business license for companies with 5 or more employees. The fee for companies with fewer than 5 employees is $68.57. An annual renewal fee of $68.57 will be applied to all businesses.
$4.00 Fee Required by the State of California:
On October 11, 2017, Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 1379, mandating cities to charge a State Fee of $4.00 to any business license application or renewal, effective January 1, 2018. This fee will provide a funding source for increased education on disability access and compliance with construction-related accessibility requirements to facilitate compliance with the federal and state disability laws.
For questions about this fee, visit the Division of the State Architect website.
The business license requirement enables the City to maintain a database of businesses that operate within the City that is used for police emergency responses, sales tax purposes, and a multitude of demographic studies. City of Irvine Business License representatives can be reached by email or at 949-724-7128. The Business License desk is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.