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4. Local Licensing Requirements

business owner and welder inspecting large specialized machinery.

City Business Licensing Requirements

You are required to obtain a business license if your business is located or doing business in the nine cities of Sonoma County. Contact information for each city is below.

If your business is located or operating in unincorporated Sonoma County (outside a city boundary), the County of Sonoma does not require a business license or tax certificate. During this application process, it’s always a good idea to check with city staff about any additional business permits, licenses, or requirements.  

Authority Phone Number Website
Cloverdale (707) 894-1701 cloverdale.hdlgov.com
Cotati (707) 665-3637 cotaticity.org/35/Business-Services
Healdsburg (707) 431-3300 healdsburg.gov/155/Business-Licenses
Petaluma (707) 778-4301 cityofpetaluma.org/special-business-types-licensing
Rohnert Park (707) 588-2236 ci.rohnert-park.ca.us
Santa Rosa (707) 543-3200 srcity.org/2579/Business-Tax-Certificate-Sellers-Permit
Sebastopol (707) 823-6167 ci.sebastopol.ca.us/city-services/business-licenses-2
Sonoma (707) 938-3681 sonomacity.org/business-licenses
Windsor (707) 838-1021 townofwindsor.com/425/Business-License

Sonoma County Fictitious Name Statement 

If your new entity will conduct business under a name that does not contain the surname of any and all owners, or is a corporation that will do business under a different name than is registered with the State, you will need to file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the County of Sonoma Clerk-Recorder-Assessor’s Office. This application must be filed within 40 days of the business start date.

The Clerk’s Office can be reached at:

Sonoma County Clerks' Office

585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 565-3800
sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Clerk-Recorder