Carmel-by-the-Sea compliance requirements

Businesses that pay $600 or more to a non-employee (independent contractor, freelancer, etc.) during the year must file Form 1099-NEC with the IRS and provide a copy to the recipient by January 31. Th...

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses that are places of public accommodation (restaurants, retail stores, hotels, theaters, medical offices, professional offices,...

Businesses that manufacture, import, deal in, or use explosive materials must obtain a federal explosives license or permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Licenses...

All Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) must complete and retain ATF Form 4473 (Firearms Transaction Record) for every firearm transaction conducted through the licensee. Per the Bipartisan Safer Commun...

Businesses exporting goods, software, or technology from the United States must comply with the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Expor...

The Corporate Transparency Act requires certain companies to report their beneficial ownership information (BOI) to FinCEN. As of March 2025, FinCEN issued a rule exempting all domestic companies from...

Under the Corporate Transparency Act, reporting companies must file an updated Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with FinCEN within 30 calendar days of any change to previously reported in...

The CAN-SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) applies to all businesses that send commercial email messages — any electronic mail message whose primary purp...

Businesses importing goods into the United States with a value exceeding $2,500 must file an entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Formal entries require a customs bond and use of a lic...

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires employers with 20 or more employees who sponsor group health plans to offer continuation coverage to employees and their dependents ...

Under the Air Toxics Hot Spots Information and Assessment Act (AB 2588), facilities emitting 10 or more tons per year of criteria air pollutants must submit an emissions inventory report to their loca...

Catering businesses serving alcohol at client locations must obtain a Type 58 Caterer's Permit from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Requires a commissary (licensed premises) and allows s...

California ABC Type 04 Distilled Spirits Manufacturer license authorizes the distillation and rectification of spirits, and the sale of distilled spirits to wholesalers and on the licensed premises. D...

California ABC Type 20 Off-Sale Beer and Wine license authorizes a retail establishment (grocery store, convenience store, drug store) to sell beer and wine in sealed containers for off-premises consu...

California ABC Type 21 Off-Sale General license authorizes a retail store (package store, liquor store) to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits in sealed containers for off-premises consumption. Req...

California ABC Type 41 On-Sale Beer and Wine license authorizes a bona fide eating place (restaurant) to sell beer and wine (no distilled spirits) for on-premises consumption. Lower cost alternative t...

Annual renewal of the California ABC Type 47 On-Sale General license for restaurants. Renewal must be completed before the license anniversary date to avoid late penalties. Renewal fee varies by count...

California ABC Type 47 On-Sale General license authorizes a bona fide eating place (restaurant) to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption on the premises. Required before selling any a...

Bars and taverns where alcohol is the primary revenue source (50%+ of revenue from alcohol sales, not food) must obtain a Type 48 Public Premises license from ABC. Different from Type 47 (restaurant) ...

California ABC Type 23 Small Beer Manufacturer license authorizes the manufacture of beer (under 60,000 barrels per year) and sale to wholesalers, retailers, and on the licensed premises. Breweries an...

Any business performing new construction, additions, alterations, or tenant improvements on commercial property in unincorporated Monterey County must obtain a building/construction permit from the Mo...

All businesses located in Monterey County with aggregate business personal property costing $100,000 or more must file an annual Business Property Statement (Form 571-L) with the Monterey County Asses...

Any business proposing development (construction, grading, or change of use) within the designated Coastal Zone of Monterey County must obtain a Coastal Development Permit. Monterey County's Local Coa...

Any business in Monterey County that uses weighing or measuring devices for commercial purposes must register those devices with the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner's Weights & Measures Divi...

Businesses operating a cottage food operation from a home kitchen in Monterey County must register (Class A) or obtain a permit (Class B) from the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau. Class A ...

Any business performing construction activities within Monterey County road rights-of-way in unincorporated areas must obtain an encroachment permit from the Monterey County Housing and Community Deve...

Any business operating in Monterey County under a name other than the owner's legal name must file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the Monterey County Clerk. This includes sole proprietors, ...

Any business operating a retail food facility in Monterey County must obtain an annual health permit from the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau (EHB). This includes restaurants, cafes, baker...

Any business in Monterey County performing grading, excavation, earthwork, road construction, fills, or embankments that disturbs 100 cubic yards or more of soil must obtain a grading permit from the ...

Any business in Monterey County that handles, stores, or uses hazardous materials at or above reportable quantities must submit a Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) to the Monterey County Certif...

Any new construction, structural alteration, tenant improvement, or change in occupancy within Carmel-by-the-Sea requires a building permit from the Building Safety Division. This includes interior re...

Every business in Carmel-by-the-Sea must have exactly one business sign (placement of the business name on windows or awnings counts as the sign). Additional signs require Planning Commission approval...

Every business operating at a fixed location within the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea must obtain a business license before opening. The initial application fee covers a planning/zoning review. Annual ren...

Businesses operated from a residential dwelling within Carmel-by-the-Sea require a Home Occupation Business License. Permitted uses include home offices, studios for artists/writers/musicians, and lim...

Businesses or contractors that operate within Carmel-by-the-Sea but whose principal business address is located outside the city limits must obtain an In-and-About Business License. This applies to mo...

Certain business uses in Carmel-by-the-Sea require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) before commencing operations, even if the business has a general business license. Uses designated with a 'C' in the z...

Carmel-by-the-Sea requires a Design Study or Design Review approval before any exterior alteration, new construction, signage change, or structural modification visible from a public right-of-way. The...

Any business activity, construction, equipment, signage, outdoor seating, or merchandise display placed in the City's right-of-way, City-owned land, or within a City easement requires an Encroachment ...

Commercial motion picture filming, television production, or professional still photography conducted in public areas of Carmel-by-the-Sea requires a Film Permit from the Community Activities Departme...

If a property is listed on or eligible for listing on the City's Inventory of Historic Resources, any alteration (interior or exterior), new construction, or demolition requires a Determination of Con...