Chino Hills · the Inland Empire
Bookkeeping for Chino Hills businesses
The Chino Hills business license in plain words
In Chino Hills, a business inside the city starts with land use approval. A retail or commercial site applies for a Land Use Clearance. A home business applies for a Home Occupation Permit. You do this through the city's Virtual Development Services portal.
After you pay and the city approves, you get a Land Use Clearance certificate by email. You need that certificate to apply for the business license. The city says applications without it will not be accepted.
Businesses outside the city can apply online through the city's license vendor. Renewals can be done online, and online renewal needs the PIN on your renewal notice. Certificates come by email, so check your spam folder. Start on the City of Chino Hills business license page.
Records to keep for your Chino Hills license
| Record | What to keep | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Land Use Clearance or Home Occupation Permit | A copy of the certificate | You need it before you can apply for the license |
| Business license and renewal date | A copy and the renewal notice PIN | Online renewal needs the PIN |
| Certificate emails from the city | Save them in one folder | They can land in spam |
| City fees you paid | Receipts for each fee | We record them as license and permit expense |
How we work with Chino Hills businesses
We do monthly bookkeeping and payroll. We work in QuickBooks Online and Xero. We close your books by day 10 and send a profit and loss statement, a balance sheet and a cash summary.
We are not the city and we are not lawyers. Rules, costs and forms change, so always check with the city before you apply or renew. This guide is based on the city's own business license information.
Questions people ask
- What comes first in Chino Hills, the license or the land use approval?
- The land use approval comes first. The city says a business license application without the Land Use Clearance certificate will not be accepted. Check the city's business license page for the current steps.
- Do you apply for or renew my Chino Hills license for me?
- No. You apply and renew with the city. We record what you paid in your books.
- Do you do payroll for my staff?
- Yes. Payroll is one of our two services, along with monthly bookkeeping.
Details checked in October 2026 from the City of Chino Hills' business license information. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the city.