The permits and licenses you need depend on the type of business you plan to operate. This list provides a quick reference to the new-business permits required within the City of Ridgecrest. If your business is outside the city limits or if you will be operating outside the city, other permits may be required by the county you are in.
Kern County Air Pollution Control District
2700 M St., Suite 290
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(661) 862-5250
State of California Dept of Alcoholic Beverage Control
4800 Stockdale Hwy # 213
Bakersfield, CA 93309
(661) 395-2731
City of Ridgecrest Building Dept.
100 W. California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5072
City of Ridgecrest Finance Dept. (Upstairs)
100 W. California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5026
If your business is outside the City limits, in Kern County, contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office to find out if you need a County license (661) 391-7690.
Other licensing requirements also pertain to certain businesses. To find out if your type of business requires either a state license or certification, contact the State Board of Consumer Affairs, (800) 952-5210 or (916) 445-1254 (TDD: (916) 322-1700.
You must fill out an I-9 form (verification of an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States) within three days of the employee’s hire date. If you have access to the World Wide Web, you can download the form from the Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service, http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis.
City of Ridgecrest Community and Economic Development Dept.
100 W. California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5062
Fictitious Business Filing Division
1115 Truxtun Ave., 2nd floor
Bakersfield CA 93301
(800) 552-5376
County Clerk of Kern County
1115 Truxtun Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93301-4639
661-868-3588
Kern County Environmental Health Services Dept. (661) 862-8700
2700 M. St., Ste. 300
Bakersfield CA 93301
(800) 862-8700
400 N. China Lake Blvd.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 384-5838 (Tues., Wed., Thurs. mornings)
City of Ridgecrest Community and Economic Development Dept.
100 W. California Ave
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5062
Secretary of State’s Office
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-6814
Press 1 for info on corporations; press 3 for info on partnerships, limited-liability corporations, or trade and service marks
Secretary of State's Office, Trademark Unit
1500 11th Street, Room 345
Sacramento, CA 98581
(916) 653-4984
City of Ridgecrest Building Dept.
100 W. California Ave
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5071
City of Ridgecrest Community and Economic Development Dept.
100 W. California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5062
Income Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Internal Revenue Service
4330 Watt Avenue
Sacramento, 95814
fax (703) 368-9694
Tax Questions: (800) 829-1040 or (800) 829-4059 for TTY/TDD users
Forms and Publications: (800) 829-3676 or (800) 829-4059, TTY/TDD
State Income Tax
Franchise Tax Board
8745 Folsom Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95814
(800) 852-5711
Payroll Taxes
Federal Payroll Taxes
Internal Revenue Service
4330 Watt Avenue
Sacramento, 95814
fax (703) 368-9694
www.irs.gov
Business Tax Questions including new Employer ID: 800-829-4933
General Tax Questions: (800) 829-1040 or (800) 829-4059 for TTY/TDD users
Forms and Publications: (800) 829-3676 or (800) 829-4059, TTY/TDD
State Payroll Taxes
State of California, EDD Employment Tax Office
1800 30th Street, Suite 390
Bakersfield, CA 93301
http://www.edd.ca.gov/
Tax Info, address changes, Forms 888-745-3886
Register for EDD Employer Account Number
(916) 654-7041
Sales Tax
Seller’s Permit/Sales and Use Tax Permit
State Board of Equalization
PO Box 942879
(800) 400-7115
Sacramento, CA 94279-0001 www.boe.ca.gov
State Environmental Protection Agency, Dept. of Toxic Substances Control
8800 Cal Center Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916) 255-3545
Kern County Environmental Health Dept., Hazmat Div.
2700 M Street, Suite 300
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(800) 552-5376
(661) 862-8700
Indian Wells Valley Water District
500 W. Ridgecrest Blvd.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 375-5086
Kern County Weights & Measures Dept.
1116 E. California Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93307
fax 661-324-0668
(661) 868-6300
State Division of Worker’s Compensation
Information and Assistance Unit
1800 30th St., Suite 100
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(661) 395-2723
(661) 395-2514
City of Ridgecrest Community and Economic Development Dept.
100 W. California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5062
Local Assistance
The Ridgecrest Community and Economic Development Department is responsible for developing programs and policies to support small businesses and to retain and recruit major employers. The staff can provide information about demographics, site location and permit assistance, and financial and technical resources.
100 W. California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-5062
The Weill Institute, located in the Ridgecrest Business Development Center, is an excellent first stop for anyone starting a small business. The center, which also helps existing small businesses, provides business counseling, publications, and education. The center can help with development of a business plan, preparation of loan applications, market analysis, and more. The center provides client counseling services at no charge, as well as publications and workshops, which are either free or at low cost.
Call the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce to setup an appointment
(760) 375-8331
128 B East California Ave
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
The Chamber is a membership organization that works to create a positive business environment in Ridgecrest and in California. Many of the forms and applications needed by business are available at the Chamber office and Chamber members help each other to work out issues affecting the business community. We often co-sponsor workshops and business seminars, and we offer many opportunities to network and get to know other people in business.
128 B East California Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 375-8331
(760) 375-0365 (fax)
www.ridgecrestchamber.com
chamber1@ridgenet.net
Several state and county agencies have Websites designed to help people starting new businesses. Because information found on the Web may be confusing or outdated, the best way to use online resources is as a pointer to more direct information. In some cases, you can download forms you need.
Pertinent Websites include the following:
California State Board of Equalization, www.boe.ca.gov. This site includes information on taxes, laws, and regulations of direct interest to businesses. Because the level of detail given on the site makes many of the topics confusing for the average user, this is a good site to use mainly to locate further sources of information.
California Business Portal, www.sos.ca.gov/business/. This Website of the California Secretary of State contains easily navigable links to help you start and file a business entity in the State of California. In addition, information is available on statutorily required filings, trademarks, service marks, types of business entities, and more.
California Permit Assistance, www.calgold.ca.gov. Online permit assistance is available, but unless you know the specific information you are looking for, phone calls to the various permitting agencies given above are likely to be more useful.
Kern County Business, www.co.kern.ca.us/business.asp. Kern County’s official site contains information on several aspects of doing business with the county.
Resources of the U.S. Government
Many publications on business management and other related topics are available from the Government Printing Office (GPO). The nearest GPO bookstore is at the address given below. The hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday except federal holidays. You can request a “Subject Bibliography" by writing to Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402-9328.
Government Printing Office
Arco Plaza, Level C, 505 S. Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071-2181
(213) 239-9844
losangelesbks@gpo.gov
The SBA offers an extensive selection of information on most business management topics, from starting a business to exporting your products. The 78-page Handbook for Small Business is a good place to get started. You can download the handbook or any of the other SBA publications from here. If you don’t have access to the World Wide Web, call or write SBA’s Fresno Office (address information given above) to ask for the handbook or to obtain other assistance.
SBA offers training and educational programs, counseling services, financial programs and contract assistance. Ask about Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a national organization sponsored by SBA of over 13,000 volunteer business executives who provide free counseling, workshops and seminars to prospective and existing owners and managers of small businesses.
For more information about SBA business development programs and services, contact:
2719 North Air Fresno Drive, Suite 200
Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 487-5791
You can also call the SBA Small Business Answer Desk at (800) U-ASK-SBA (827-5722).
Many other federal agencies offer free or inexpensive publications of interest to small businesses. Below is a selected list of government agencies that offer publications and other services to small businesses.
Depending on the goods or services you offer, each of these entities might also be a potential customer. Other federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Education, the Social Security Administration, the Veterans Administration, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of Defense, are major players in the business world.
P.O. Box 100
Pueblo, CO 81002
Offers a consumer information catalog of federal publications.
Publications Request
Washington, DC 20207
Offers guidelines for product safety requirements
(800) 729-6686
Provides pamphlets and resource materials on substance abuse.
(800) 662-4357
Provides information on preventing substance abuse in the workplace.
12th Street and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250
Publications on selling to the USDA. Publications and programs on entrepreneurship available through county extension offices nationwide.
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Room 5898C
Washington, DC 20230
Through the Business Assistance Center, provides listings of business opportunities available in the federal government. Also refers businesses to programs and services within the department or in other federal agencies.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Public Health Service
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Drug-Free Workplace Helpline: (800) 843-4971
Provides information on employee assistance programs.
U.S. Department of Labor -Employment Standards Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
Offers publications on compliance with labor laws.
U.S. Department of the Treasury -Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
P.O. Box 25866
Richmond, VA 23260
(800) 424-3676
Offers information on tax requirements for small businesses.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
(800) 368-5888 or 202-260-1211
Offers more than 100 publications designed to help small businesses understand how to comply with EPA regulations.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
200 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20204
Packaging and labeling requirements for food and food-related products.
