Unless specifically exempt by the Windsor Town Code, no person shall engage in, operate or conduct a business within the Town, unless under and by the authority of a valid, unexpired and unrevoked business license issued by the Town (Code Section 3-6-120).

“Engaged in business” is defined in the Windsor Town Code as: Commencing, conducting, operating, managing or carrying on a business enterprise, whether done as owner, or by means of an officer, agent, manager, employee, servant or otherwise, whether operating from a fixed location in the Town or coming into the Town from an outside location to engage in such activities (Code Section 3-5-105).

The following businesses are required to have a Town business license:

o Business enterprises located in the Town

o Construction contractors and development companies that are issued Town permits

o Vendors that do business directly with the Town when a written contractual agreement requires the vendor to have a Town business license

o Persons who practice massage as a business

Out-of-town distributors or service providers are not required to have a Town business license in order to sell products or services to a business in Windsor, unless business is coming into the Town from an outside location to engage in business.

Non-profit, charitable, religious, benevolent, and congressional chartered veterans organizations and fraternal organizations are not required to have a Town business license.

The Business License Program replaces the Town’s business registration program. The fees remain the same. The initial application fee is $71 and the annual renewal fee is $26. All business licenses are valid until December 31 of each year. At least 60 days prior to expiration of a business license, an application of renewal will be mailed to all current business license holders.

Existing businesses that are not currently registered with the Town have ten (10) days from the date of the letter sent to obtain the required business license. If a complete application is not received by the end of the ten-day period, the unregistered business will be subject to a penalty of 50 percent of the application fee. If the unregistered business continues to operate beyond the ten-day period, the business may also be subject to other penalties authorized by the 

Senate Bill 205 Requirements - Stormwater Discharge Compliance

Senate Bill 205 (2019) was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 2, 2019 and became effective January 1, 2020. This Senate Bill added sections 16000.3 and 16100.3 to the Business and Professions Code and section 13383.10 to the Water Code, and requires a person applying to a city or county for a new or renewed business license to demonstrate enrollment in a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permit, if such a permit is required. Prior to the issuance or renewal of a business license, the city or county must determine whether the applicant is required to enroll in the NPDES General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities (Industrial General Permit) and, if so, ensure such enrollment has occurred. This will substantially increase the number of compliant industrial facilities and will reduce the spread of pollutants in storm water associated with industrial activities.

Senate Bill 205 Frequently Asked Questions 

Industrial Businesses

Cities and Counties 

Assembly Bill 1607 Requirements - Gender Tax Repeal Act of 1995 (Act)

Assembly Bill 1607 (2019) prohibits a business from discriminating based on a person's gender for prices of similar or like-kind goods and services.  Existing law prohibits a business establishment from discriminating against a person because of the person’s gender with respect to the price charged for services of similar or like kind. Existing law also requires specified business establishments to disclose in writing the pricing for each standard service, as defined, to display, in a specified manner, a sign stating that it is illegal to base pricing on gender and that a complete price list is available upon request, and to display, in a specified manner, a price list, and to provide the customer with a copy of the complete price list upon request.

 For more detailed information, as well as a full notice is available in English or other languages by going to https://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/