Guide to the Cities

Rent Controlled Cities

East Palo Alto
Annual rent increases limited to CPI, on fourplexes or larger. Vacancy decontrol. Just-cause eviction rules for all rental units. Fee - Annual, determined by Rent Stabilization Board (currently $96.00), half of which can be passed on to tenant.

Los Gatos
Annual increase limited to 5% per year or 70% of CPI. 10% increase o.k. if rent hasn't been raised for 24 months. Applies to triplexes or larger. Vacancy decontrol. Pass-through increases o.k. provided owner justifies increase through specific formula. Fee - Annual, $22.00 per unit, $11.00 for duplexes.

San Jose
Applies to units built before Sept. 1979, 8% annual rent cap, 21% if no increase for over 24 months. Vacancy decontrol. Increase on or after anniversary only. Pass-through increases o.k. provided owner justifies increase through specific formula. Fee - Annual, $9.06 per unit for triplexes or more built before 1979. Units built after 1979, 50 cents per unit for mediation and arbitration services.

Business License Taxes/Fees

San Mateo County: Unincorporated Areas
No business license required.

Atherton
Business License Applications: Contact city for application. Renewed on the fiscal year. Required for doing business in the city. Requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN and description of business.
Fees: $250. Prorated after Jan. 1st.

East Palo Alto
Business License application: Contact city for application. Renewed on calendar year. Required for doing business in the city. Requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: Based on gross receipts plus a $35 processing fee.

Menlo Park
Business License Application: Available online. Renewed on calendar year. Required for doing business in the city. Requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: Based on gross receipts.

Portola Valley
Business License Application: Available online. Renewed on fiscal year. Required for doing business in the city. Requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: Located in the city: $100 per year plus $20 for full time employees and $10 for part-time employees. Located outside the city: $100 per year.

Woodside
Business License Application: Available online
New businesses: requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business. Required for doing business in the city. Requires affirmation of possession of worker's compensation insurance. Also requires contractors to provide copies of contractor's license.

Existing businesses: Must be renewed one year after issue of license. Required for doing business in the city. Requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business. Requires affirmation of possession of worker's compensation insurance. Also requires contractors to provide copies of contractor's license.

Fees: $120 per professional with minimum of $120 and max of $480. Contractors pay $250.

Santa Clara County: Unincorporated Areas
No business license required.

Campbell
Business License Applications: Required for doing business in town. May be picked up at City Hall

Fees: 1 employee $35, 2-3 employees $52, 4-10 employees $70 11 or more $87.

Cupertino
Business License Applications: Available online. Renewed one year after license is issued. Required of all people doing business in the city. Requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business. Apartment owners must state number of units. All businesses must declare size of office.
Fees: Based on square footage for offices located inside the city, and flat $100 fee for doing business inside Cupertino.

Los Altos
Business License Application: Contact city for application. Renewal one year after license is issued. Offices located in the city must also complete a commercial zoning application. Zoning application requires contact information, description of business and office square footage. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: $180 annually for up to five salaried employees. Additional brokers: $75 additional employees $10. Zoning application: processing fee of $23.

Los Altos Hills
Business License Application: Contact city for application. Required for doing business in the city. Renewal is on calendar year. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: First Broker $140 next two brokers and salespersons- $30 each; each additional broker or saleperson-$30.

Los Gatos
Business License Application: Available online. Renewal on the calendar year. Required for doing business in the city. Renewal on the calendar year. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Business Fees: $200 per Professional at beginning of year. Sliding scale after January. $15 per support staff.

Monte Sereno
Business License Application: Available online. Renewal on the fiscal year. Required for doing business in the city. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: $55 per year.

Mountain View
Business License Application: Available online. Renewal on the calendar year. Required for doing business in the city. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
License Fee: $30 annually.

Palo Alto
Business License Application: There is no application, however, registration requirements exist for setting up business inside the city. Fees: no business license tax.

Saratoga
Business License Application: Available online. Required for doing business in the city. Renew one year from issue of license. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, description of business and workman's compensation insurance declaration. Fees: $100 per business plus $10 per employee. $100 only for businesses located outside the city.

San Jose
Business License Tax Application: Available on-line. Application requires name, address of business, type of business, and state and federal tax identification numbers. Required for doing business in the city.
Fees: $150.00 for up to 8 employees and an additional $18 per employee for businesses with more than 8 employees.

Sunnyvale
Business License Application: Contact city for application. Required for doing business in the city. Renew on the calendar year. Business license requires contact information, state employer ID, SSN, and description of business.
Fees: Based on number of employees plus a $27 processing fee. Different rates exist for businesses located outside the city limits.

Board and Commission Vacancies

Santa Clara County District 1

Santa Clara County District 3

Santa Clara County District 5