Why Santa Barbara?

  • Our commercial footprint is large and diverse

    3.1MM sq. ft. of commercial space for retail, ecommerce, manufacturing, F&B, offices and more.

  • Our core business district offers endless potential

    Each of our unique economic zones has a distinct culture and flavor — making it easy for you to find the right home for your business.

  • Santa Barbara is invested in the business community

    From our downtown organization, to our banks, and local investment networks —Santa Barbara is committed to the success of our business community.

  • Santa Barbara is home to some of the leading companies in America

    Come join major employers like Amazon, Costco, Citrix, Raytheon, FLIR, Google and more.

Bringing your Business to Santa Barbara is as easy as 1… 2… 3…

We can help you navigate the process of bringing and building your business in Santa Barbara. We provide guidance every step of the way (at no cost to you) — from finding the right location, to working through the permit process, to opening your doors, and beyond.

  • Know the Basics

    • Read “Starting a New Business in California” brochure from the Secretary of State

    • Apply for a City of Santa Barbara business license

    – Business license FAQs

    – Questions: call (805) 564-5346 or email BusinessLicense@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

    • Apply for a California seller’s permit

    • The Small Business Development Center provides free one-on-one consulting and low-cost training (link)

    Find Your Ideal Location

    • To find out about Santa Barbara’s micro-economies and what location would best fit your business, email info@sbbettertogether.org

    • Learn about the Downtown Santa Barbara Organization and how they can help here

    • See research brokers and realtors here: SBAOR

    Tips Before Signing a Lease

    • Contact the City’s Business Liaison as the central point of contact for project approvals.

    • If you are planning to renovate and need to view archival plans, you can contact the Records and Archives office here to schedule an appointment.

    • The Community Development Property Records Database can be used to view building permit records, Planning files, and learn the history of the property. Contact the Planning Counter at 630 Garden Street, or by phone, email or virtual appointment.

    • See more tips before signing a lease here

    • Know the actions that require city approval & business and operations safety

  • State of California Quick Start Guide

    • The California Office of the Small Business Advocate has great resources for starting a business, including:

    – Business quick start guides (link)

    – Choosing a business structure and registering (link)

    – State of California Required Permits (link) and Licenses (link)

    – Finding business insurance (link)

    Downtown State Street ACCELERATE Program: Pre-Lease Building Assessment + Expedited Permitting (link)

    • The City of Santa Barbara has a program to foster economic development for State Street businesses located between Cabrillo Boulevard and Sola Street, expediting the planning and permitting process. Learn more here.

    • You can also call or email to see how this could benefit you at (805) 564-5542 or email Accelerate@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

    Open for Business

    • See the Guide to City Business Regulations and Services here

    • Check out resources for maintaining a strong business here, including

    – Responsibilities and requirements to build an effective workforce (link)

    – Training and managing employees (link)

    • The Small Business Development Center provides free one-on-one consulting and low-cost training (link)

  • Local Investment and Funding

    • Learn more about funding programs, loans and financial incentives:

    – Funding programs (link)

    – Financial incentives (link)

    – State loan programs (link)

    – Local investment network (coming soon)

    • For additional information on financing a business, visit the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development’s California Business Portal

    Business Support Organizations

    Santa Barbara has a number of organizations that offer start-up and ongoing assistance to local business owners with many of the services free of charge. (coming soon)