Commercial Business License
Updated January 30, 2023
Online Business License Services Now Available
The City of Cerritos is pleased to announce that City business license services are now available online. You can apply for, renew, or pay business license fees online at: permits.cerritos.us. Please see below for information on accessing City business license services online:
Current City Business License Holders
- Call the Business License Office at (562) 916‑1236 to link your current account to a new portal account that will be created for you.
When calling, ensure you have the following information:- Current Cerritos business license number
- Business name and address
- Business owner name
- A preferred online user name that will be associated with the account
- An email address that will be associated with the account
- Once your portal account has been created by the Business License Office, you will be able to log in to access online business license services at permits.cerritos.us.
New Businesses
- Create a portal account at permits.cerritos.us.
- Click “Submit an Application” to apply for a new business license. Follow the instructions and ensure you have all required supplemental documentation.
For more information, please call the Business License Office at (562) 916-1236 or email business_license@cerritos.us.
Business license applications are accepted through the City’s online portal at permits.cerritos.us. Please visit the online portal for instructions on setting up your account and applying for a City of Cerritos business license. As part of your business license application, you will need to upload the following supporting documents in the portal:
- Statement of Use Letter — See Statement of Use Letter Instructions (PDF)
- Applicant Agreement (Commercial) (PDF)
- Property Owner’s Consent (PDF)
- County of Los Angeles Fire Department — Statement of Intended Use (PDF)
- Site Plan — See Site Plan/Floor Plan Instructions (PDF)
- Floor Plan — See Site Plan/Floor Plan Instructions (PDF)
- If doing sales in Cerritos, a copy of your California Seller’s Permit
- If applicable, proof of non-profit status such as a letter of exemption from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or 501(c)(3) form
For proposed school/education uses only, you will need to submit a Schedule of Classes (PDF) in addition to the documents listed above.
Resubmit After Making Corrections
Upon submitting an application, you will be notified if corrections are required. To resubmit your application after making the required corrections, please follow the resubmittal instructions here (PDF).
Renewals
To renew your City business license, please follow the renewal instructions here (PDF).
Customer Satisfaction Survey
To help us better serve you, please take a short one-minute customer satisfaction survey to provide any feedback for improvement.