California: The Golden State. Home to the Golden Gate Bridge and the Hollywood that helped native Californians Marilyn Monroe, Robert Redford and Shirley Temple shine. California fostered Julie Child to revolutionize the way American kitchens run, Joe DiMaggio to become a baseball great and Robert Frost to become one of our most beloved American poets. Thanks, California.
California is also a state of diverse culture and business opportunity. In this article you'll find clear step-by-step advice on how to legally create your escort service within the state of California. For more information on why it's vitally important to register your business, refer to our article Don't get busted for tax evasion: Why registering your escort business is the only option.
You can do a basic name search on your county clerk's website, which you can find at California Association of Counties.
In California you'll also have to publish the approved DBA name form in your local paper within 30 days of registration, and the ad will have to run each day for one week, so keep this in mind if you don't want to go too public with what your service provides. Also know that you shouldn't do business with a DBA name until the registration has been approved.
Step four: Register your business / business name
Sole Proprietorship:
In California you are not required to register your name or a DBA name if it is your name and service: "Jane Doe's Escort Service". However, if you take on any other form of a DBA name, you have to register it with your county clerk's office. For more information on if taking on a DBA is a good choice for your business, refer to our article Do I want to be a sole proprietor?.
To register your DBA name (also called a trade name) in California, you'll have to find the appropriate file for your county under Business on your county's website. You can find these listed on California Association of Counties. This costs an average of $30-$50 and usually registers the name for about five years. Most county websites also have a search engine that you can run to find out if the name has already been registered in your area.
Partnership:
In California you are not required to register your name or a DBA name if it is the name of the partners in the partnership agreement and the service you provide. However, if you take on any other form of a DBA name, you have to register it with your county clerk's office.
To register your DBA name (also called a trade name) in California, you'll have to find the appropriate file for your county under Business on your county's website. You can find these listed on California Association of Counties. This costs an average of $30-$50 and usually registers the name for about five years. Most county websites also have a search engine that you can run to find out if the name has already been registered in your area.
Corporation:
To register your corporation in California, you'll need to have your board of directors at the ready. Then you'll need to fill out an Articles of Incorporation form and submit it with a $100 handling fee to the Secretary of State. You can find the Articles of Incorporation form at SOS.ca.gov/business.
Once this has been filed you'll need to fill out a Statement of Information formand send by mail or complete the form online within 90 days and file it with the Secretary of State. A $20 filing fee is required.
You'll then have to register your corporation's name with the state—the forms are here.
LLC:
In California, you need to file Articles of Organization, an LLC-1 form and send it to your Secretary of State along with a $70 filing fee. This form contains basic information about the members and managers of the company, what it does and where it runs. You can select the form here or download LLC-1 form directly.
You'll the have to register your business name. Make sure the name is available and reserve it.
Step six: Register for your California state and local city taxes
There are a few basic types of taxes small businesses in California may register for:
- Individual Income Tax: The state collects income tax on each person making a profit in California. If you're a sole proprietor, partnership or LLC, you'll file your business profits/losses along with your personal income tax. For more information on each of these models and the forms you'll have to file, go to Taxes.ca.gov.
- Taxes on Corporations: Corporations must pay taxes pending the amount of profit they make through a Form 100. More information on when and how to file this form.
- If you have employees: If you have paid employees that are not members or owners of your company, you'll have to pay unemployment insurance through a quarterly payment and wage report as well as Employee Withholding Tax. You can find the appropriate forms here.
- Self-Employment Taxes: If you own and operate your business and are not paid as an employee, you'll need to file your own self-employment taxes for social security and Medicaid. This is particularly true for sole proprietorships, general partnerships and LLCs. Download form 1040 or get more information.
- County Taxes: Some counties in California require other taxes specific to the region. To find more about your county's taxes, search on California Association of Counties.
More information on business taxes in California can be found at Taxes.ca.gov.
Forms and publications can be found at Employment Development Department.
Step seven: Get necessary licenses and permits
There is no one basic "business license" in California, and chances are you won't have to register any for your escort service, so you're probably good to go. However, you can search on your county's website to see if there are local permits you may need to conduct business.
Search for license and permit information in California at The Governor's Office of Economic Development.
More information
Find out how to register an escort business in each state of the USA.
Related resources:
Please note: Dating.com is not a legal service, nor are we tax advisors or accountants. We do offer you what we consider our best advice, but if at all in doubt, please consult a professional.
