List of Frequently asked questions for an officiant to be listed on our site.
Business conducted in a city
CITY OF BAKERSFIELD
BUSINESS TAX CERTIFICATE APPLICATION INFORMATION
Any business located within the City limits or coming into the City to conduct business is
required to have a City Business Tax Certificate. The Business Tax Certificate is valid until June 30th each year. Taxes are due each year on July 1st and must be paid before July 31st to avoid penalties. Businesses are responsible for payment of the tax before the due date and should not rely on courtesy reminders. A Business Tax Certificate Application may be obtained from the Treasury Division counter in City Hall North located at 1600 Truxtun Avenue or by calling the Treasury Division, (661) 326- 3762 or (661) 326-3763.
Items required to complete the application are:
1. Business name – Fictitious Name filing – if required.
2. Business address and telephone number.
3. All owners names, home addresses, and telephone numbers.
4. Type of business.
5. Federal I.D. number or Social Security number of one of the owners.
6. Business start date in Bakersfield.
7. Contractors License number – if required.
8. State of California Resale Number (seller’s permit) – if required.
9. Estimate of gross receipts for the first twelve months of business.
Fees for regulatory permit(s) may be required depending on the type of business.
If you are opening a new business, here is some supplemental information you may find helpful:
Prior to operating a business from your home within the city limits, a Home Occupation Permit (H.O.P.) must be obtained from the City Planning Department. The H.O.P. fee is a one-time charge of $30.00. The permit is valid for as long as you reside at the residence. The permit is not transferable.
Costs to obtain a Business Tax Certificate depend on the information included on the application. The minimum tax is $30.00.
Prior to committing to occupy or construct any building space from which to operate a business, you should verify your particular use conforms to City zoning requirements by contacting the City Planning Department (661) 326-3733.
If you are going to change the use of a building or remodel it, you should verify building code requirements by contacting the City Building Department (661) 326-3720.
Fictitious Name information may be obtained from the County Clerk’s Office (661) 868-3588.
Business conducted only in the County
19.94.020 PERMITTED HOME OCCUPATIONS County Permit
The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards for home occupations. In general, a home occupation is a residential accessory use so located and conducted that the average neighbor, under normal circumstances, would not be aware of its existence. The standards for home occupations in this chapter are intended to ensure compatibility with other permitted uses and with the residential character of the neighborhood.
19.04.156 CONDITIONAL USE
“Conditional use” means a use permitted in a particular zoning district only upon showing that such use in a specified district will comply with all the conditions and standards for the location or operation of such use as specified in this title and authorized by the Planning Commission through the issuance of a conditional use permit.
19.04.159 CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
“Conditional use permit” means a permit issued by the Planning Commission or other decision-making authority stating that the conditional use meets all conditions set forth in this title and all others established by the Planning Commission or other decision-making authority.