Congratulations! You have a brilliant business idea and want to do business in La Verne. This guide will provide a blueprint to help you get started!

01 Developing A Business Plan

• Create a plan to determine your concept’s viability (SCORE is a free service funded by the SBA that provides mentors and business education to help small business owners achieve their goals ).

• Study community demographics and data on the City of La Verne’s Economic Development data web page and understand how this information might affect your business.

02 Tackling The Basics

• Consult and seek an Accountant and/or Attorney to set up your entity type – (LLC, S-Corp, B-Corp, Sole Proprietor).

• Determine if you need a Fictitious Business Name  If so, post a legal notice in a local publication.

• Make sure you have the necessary licenses and permits in place.

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). Depending on your entity type, can be your Social Security Number for Sole Proprietor or Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) for other entities.

• Register your business with the California Secretary of State, you can establish a sole proprietorship without registering

• Employment Development Department, if you have employees

• California Resale License, if applicable.

• California Franchise Tax Board

• Other agency approvals may apply such as:

• • • Los Angeles County Public Health 

    • Alcohol Beverage Control 

    • Many occupations, such as physician, attorney, construction contractor, etc., require a State license. You may be required to show proof of this license before a City registration certificate is issued. Contact State Department of Consumer Affairs at (800) 344-9940 for more info.

  • City of La Verne Business License

  • City of La Verne Alarm Permit

• Bank Account Open a separate business bank account (a business license and tax ID will be needed).

• Secure Financing (SBDC)

• Get Insured Secure an Insurance Agent/ Broker to obtain appropriate business insurance such as worker’s compensation, unemployment, and disability insurance (if you plan to have employees and if applicable).

03 Find A Location

• Very Important! Before you sign a lease, call the Community Development Department at (909) 596-8706 or send an email to planning@cityoflaverne.org to find out if the zoning for the property allows for your planned use or if it requires a Conditional Use Permit or is even allowed at all.

• Consult with a Commercial Real Estate Broker for potential locations for your business.

• Do you plan on doing any Tenant Improvements or construction?

        Discuss potential plans with the City. Submit a Building Permit Application. Contact the Community Development Department at (909) 5968706 or building@cityoflaverne.org.

04 Start Marketing

• Brand Recognition and messaging is essential for business. Create a marketing plan that gets results. Contact the La Verne Chamber of Commerce who can refer credible experts to assist with your website and marketing needs.

• Establish the Following

  • Business email

  • Internet domain name. Website Presence is critical for business. Google is looking for you and social media presence is not enough.

• Join The Chamber! Opening a new business can be exciting and overwhelming. Join the La Verne Chamber of Commerce to meet a network of local business professionals who have gone through the startup process and can offer support.

05 Open Your Doors For Business

Schedule a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting with the La Verne Chamber of Commerce

It’s Time to Celebrate!

Open Your Doors.

Customers are waiting.

City of La Verne Important Telephone Numbers

City Hall
3660 “D” Street
La Verne, CA 91750
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 8AM to 6PM
Fridays and Weekends Closed
1st & 3rd Mondays 8AM to 6:30PM

Administration: (909)596-8726

Community Development: (909)596-8706

Building: (909)596-8713

Public Works: (909)596-8741

Water Billing: (909)596-8744

Community Services: (909)596-8700

Community Center: (909)596-8776

Finance: (909)596-8716

Police Non-Emergency: 596-1913

FireNon-Emergency: (909)596-5991

After Hours Emergency
Water Service: (909)282-7184

University of La Verne Small Business Development Center (909)448-1572

Waste Management (800) 266-7551

Southern California Edison (800) 655-4555

So Cal Gas (909) 469-2268

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