Business License Information

Anyone who sells a product or service in the City of Madera needs a business license. If you do not receive a payroll check and a W-2 at the end of the year and sell a product or provide a service for a fee, you need a license. There is a $50 non-refundable application fee submitted with the application, along with a $4.00 state ADA fee. In addition, there is a business license tax fee; for most businesses, it is based on the business’s monthly gross receipts. The fee can be as low as the minimum charge of $40 per year, up to the maximum amount of $1,056 per year. Some businesses have a flat fee based on the type of business it is. These rates are specified in the Madera Municipal Code Ordinance Title VI.

Licenses are renewed automatically at the commencement of our fiscal year in July and are valid until the following June 30. If the license fee is not paid by the stipulated date on the invoice, an additional 10% penalty is charged. To terminate a license, we must receive a written request from the business owner. If the license is not terminated by written notice, the business license fee will be assessed each year.

Business license applications cannot be processed without authorization from the Planning Department. This does not apply to out-of-town contractors.
 

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

• Starting a Business in the City of Madera
• Pre-inspection Checklist for all city-based Commercial/Industrial locations

Please get in touch with the Planning Department at (559) 661-5432 or by emailing bgarcia@madera.gov before submitting any local home-based/commercial business license applications to discuss zoning and signage requirements.