CITY - NEW Business License Application

                                                   What you need to know to get started.

Assembly Bill 3002 went into effect on January 1, 2019, which provides information regarding disability access requirements and resources to business owners. 
To read the full notice, click here.

1. Business licenses are renewed annually. The license period is from October 1 through September 30 for most licenses. Businesses in the Central 
Vista Business Improvement District and some other speciality licenses have license periods from July 1 through June 30.

2.  The business start date is the first date your business started in the City of Vista. 

3. A government-issued photo ID is required.  Sole owner or partnerships are required to provide social security numbers or ITIN for all owners/partners. 
Corporations, LLC, Limited Partnership, or Trusts are required to provide a FEIN or SEIN for the business. 

4. If the business is not located in a commercial location, a Home Occupancy Permit (HOP) is required.  Please complete the fillable HOP application form, 
which can be found here. A Spanish version is available here. You must attach and submit the completed form with your 
business license application (see the file attach option on the next page).

5. Contractors based outside the City but conducting jobs in the City are only required to report the value of jobs located inside Vista.

6. Payment will not be required until your application has been accepted. You will receive an email verifying 
the receipt of application. Within 10 days, you will receive an email containing the amount due and instructions how to make payment online. 

7. Per AB 2184, you may protect your residential address by providing a different Service of Process address in accordance with Sections 16000.1(a)(2) 
and 16100.1(a)(2) of the Business and Professions Code. To do so, please attach a document that clearly shows your actual business location address and 
the address you with to use as your Service of Process address.  This can be the same as your mailing address.

We wish you much success in your business ventures.