Riverside Contractor Business License
Everything contractors need to know about the Riverside business license — renewal dates, fees, and how to apply.
License Details
January 31 (calendar year, renewal notices mailed in November)
Engineering/General Contractor: $323 base tax (one owner) + $6 per additional employee/owner/partner. General Services: $150.25 base + $6 per additional person.
Fee Structure
Classification-based annual tax. Engineering/General Contractor has a flat base tax plus per-employee charge. Rates auto-adjust November 1 each year per CPI.
Notes
Contractors must provide copy of current CA State Contractor's License. Late penalty is 25% of tax due after January 31. New businesses must register within 30 days of starting operations.
Statewide Obligations
Beyond city requirements, all California contractors must meet these state obligations.
| Obligation | Agency | Cycle | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor License Bond | Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | continuous | $25,000 |
| Bond of Qualifying Individual | Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | continuous | $25,000 |
| LLC Employee/Worker Bond | Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | continuous | $100,000 |
| Seller's Permit | California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) | Quarterly (default); Monthly if >$100K annual tax; Annual if <$1K annual tax | No fee for permit; sales tax rate varies by location (7.25%-10.75%) |
| Personal Income Tax Return (Form 540) | Franchise Tax Board (FTB) | Annual | Progressive tax rate: 1%-13.3% on taxable income |
| LLC Annual Tax & Fee | Franchise Tax Board (FTB) | Annual | $800 minimum + LLC fee tiers: $0 (<$250K), $900 ($250K-$499K), $2,500 ($500K-$999K), $6,000 ($1M-$4.99M), $11,790 ($5M+) |
| S-Corporation Tax Return (Form 100S) | Franchise Tax Board (FTB) | Annual | $800 minimum franchise tax or 1.5% of net income, whichever is greater |
| C-Corporation Tax Return (Form 100) | Franchise Tax Board (FTB) | Annual | $800 minimum franchise tax or 8.84% of net income, whichever is greater |
| Estimated Tax Payments | Franchise Tax Board (FTB) | Quarterly | Based on estimated annual tax liability |
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