San Diego City Resources

Bid & Contract Opportunities

If you are a consultant, service provider, contractor, vendor, or supplier, this is a convenient place for you to find out about current bidding and contract opportunities.

Clerk’s Office: Documents

Now available: the City’s Municipal Code, Council Policies and City Charter on CD-ROM - updated monthly. For subscription information, please contact us at Click Here.

Small Business Liason

The City of San Diego Development Services Department wants your small business to succeed and recognizes the challenges you face as an entrepreneur. Before you sign a lease, purchase property or expand your business, contact Small Business Liaison Ron Halbritter by phone at (619) 446-5211 or E-mail Click Here. Ron has extensive experience with the permitting process and will help get you off to the right start. Contact Ron before your proceed!

San Diego Public Library

Your link to the past and gateway to the future.

Community & Economic Development Dept.: Business Finance Section

Several financial resources exist for small businesses in San Diego. However, loans are generally not available to start-ups. Most loan programs require that businesses have at least one year of history. It doesn’t hurt to ask though!

Seed Capital Grant Program

The City of San Diego’s Seed Capital Grant Program is designed to help foster the development of innovative approaches to serving the needs of the more than 60,000 registered small businesses in the City.

San Diego Municipal Code

The Municipal Code contains all ordinances for the City of San Diego. Search by subject matter or specific sections.

City Treasurer’s Office

Several types of taxes may be levied on businesses including income tax, employment tax and the City’s Business Tax.

Office of the City Treasurer

Mission: To enrich our community by responsibly managing the public’s money and creating an atmosphere of pride through enthusiasm, mutual support, and outstanding service.

Technology and Development

The San Diego region has one of the highest concentrations of high-tech companies in the United States, and the third highest concentration of biotech companies in the nation to continue those successes, several organizations have been formed to assist these companies with various issues. Some of the programs or agencies listed were jump-started by the City, and the City works closely with all the organizations

10 steps to starting a small business

City of San Diego Services Directory

The City of San Diego delivers the very best municipal services through a partnership of residents and employees. This page is a partial list of City-provided services, in blue, with links on the website. Also, links in green to several services offered by other jurisdictions are provided as a convenience to citizens.

SCORE (San Diego)

SCORE (stands for Service Corp of Retired Executives) provides free business counseling, classes, and workshops for small businesses.

Business Improvement Districts

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are a type of assessment district in which business owners choose to be assessed a fee, which is collected on their behalf by the City, for use in promoting and improving the business area.

California Government: On-line

The CalGOLD database provides detailed information on the business permit, license and registration requirements from all levels of government. The information includes a description of the requirement, the name, address, and telephone number of the agency, and frequently even a direct link to that agency’s Internet web pages. The information identified is specific to the type of business and its location in California.

San Diego County Business Licenses

This web page is to confirm that business certificates (licenses) are no longer required for businesses in the unincorporated portions of the County of San Diego. The Board of Supervisors deleted this requirement in August 1998.

San Diego County Ficticious Business Names

This section will tell you how a Fictitious Business Name is defined, as well as who should file a Fictitious Business Name Statement.

State Board of Equalization

Businesses selling tangible personal property in the state of California must apply for seller’s permit/resale number

Assessor, Recorder, County Clerk

The primary responsibilities of the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk include: ASSESSOR - locate, identify and appraise all vacant land, improved real estate, business property, and certain mobile homes, boats and aircraft for property tax purposes. RECORDER - duties include the accepting and recording of legal instruments (documents) required by law upon payment of proper fees and taxes. Functions include the maintenance of birth, marriage and death records and indexes for San Diego County. COUNTY CLERK - functions include issuing marriage licenses and performing civil marriage ceremonies; registering Fictitious Business Name Statements, notaries public, process servers and professional photocopiers.

County - Agricultural, Weights and Measures Department

Businesses engaged in selling goods by weight or volume must register the devices with the County Agriculture, Weights and Measures Office. Permits must usually be obtained by: import/export businesses, agricultural-related production, and businesses using pesticides.

County - Environmental Health

Business engaged in: selling or handling food products, operating a pool or spa, handling hazardous materials, underground storage tanks, medical wastes, x-ray equipment, or waste handling must contact the Department of Environmental Health at the County.