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Chapter II — LICENSES, PERMITS, BUSINESS REGULATIONSArticle 1

SEC. 21.188. CONTRACTORS.

Los Angeles Business Tax & Permits — LAMC Chapter II · 2026-08 edition · updated 2026-09-09 · Los Angeles

(Amended by Ord. No. 178,101, Eff. 1/9/07.)

For every person engaged in business as a contractor, the tax shall be $165.60 per year or fractional part for the first $60,000.00 or less of gross receipts, plus $1.09 per year for each additional $1,000.00 of gross receipts or fractional part in excess of $60,000.00; provided that every contractor having a fixed place of business in the City of Los Angeles shall pay, in addition to the tax computed in the manner set forth above, a further tax of $2.76 per year for each $1,000.00 or fractional part of all salaries, wages, fees and other compensation paid to the contractor’s employees

or consultants, other than legal or accounting consultants, for services rendered by the employees and consultants in the City of Los Angeles in connection with jobs and projects located outside the City.

  1. The term “contractor” as used here means any person, except an owner who contracts for a project with another person who is licensed by the State of California as a contractor or architect or registered civil engineer acting solely in their professional capacity, who in any capacity other than as an employee of another with wages as the sole compensation, undertakes to, or offers to undertake to, or purports to have the capacity to undertake to, or submits a bid to, or does themselves or by or through others construct, alter, repair, add to, subtract from, improve, move, wreck or demolish any building, highway, road, railroad, excavation, or other structure, project, development or improvement, or to do any part of those actions, including the erection of scaffolding, or other structures or works in connection with that work.

  2. The meaning of the term “gross receipts,” as used here, shall be that set forth in Section 21.00(a) and shall also include the total cost of the job or project covered by the contract to which the contractor is a party, without deduction for subcontracts, and irrespective of whether the contract is one on a fixed price or on a cost plus basis or one under the terms of which the contractor acts as agent for the owner. The term “gross receipts,” however, shall include only receipts from jobs or projects located within the City limits of the City of Los Angeles.

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Contents — Los Angeles Business Tax & Permits — LAMC Chapter II
Los Angeles Business Tax & Permits — LAMC Chapter II
  1. Chapter II
  2. Chapter II — LICENSES, PERMITS, BUSINESS REGULATIONS
    Overview
    1. Article 1
      Overview
      1. SEC. 21.01. UNLAWFUL BUSINESS NOT AUTHORIZED.
      2. SEC. 21.02. CONSTITUTIONAL EXEMPTIONS.
      3. SEC. 21.03. IMPOSITION OF TAX.
      4. SEC. 21.04. DUE DATES.
      5. SEC. 21.05. DELINQUENT DATES – INTEREST – PENALTIES.
      6. § 21.06
      7. SEC. 21.07. REFUNDS OF OVERPAYMENTS.
      8. SEC. 21.08. BUSINESS TAX REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE — FORM.
      9. SEC. 21.09. BUSINESS TAX REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES — POSTING A…
      10. SEC. 21.10. BUSINESS TAX REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES — CHARGE FO…
      11. SEC. 21.11. BUSINESS TAX REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE —TRANSFER.
      12. SEC. 21.13. NEWLY ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES – COMPUTATION OF BUSI…
      13. SEC. 21.14. WRITTEN STATEMENTS – WHEN REQUIRED – COMPUTATION O…
      14. SEC. 21.15. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE – DUTY TO ENFORCE – POWERS – R…
      15. SEC. 21.16. ASSESSMENT — ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDY.
      16. SEC. 21.17. CONFIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF INFORMATION OBTAINED – D…
      17. SEC. 21.19. DELINQUENT TAXES – SUIT FOR RECOVERY.
      18. SEC. 21.20. DELINQUENT TAXES – DEBT NOT DISCHARGED BY PENAL CO…
      19. SEC. 21.21. DELINQUENT TAXES – UNCOLLECTIBLE.
      20. SEC. 21.22. RELIGIOUS, CHARITY, ETC.; PROCEDURE FOR ISSUANCE O…
      21. SEC. 21.23. EFFECT OF REPEALS AND AMENDMENTS.
      22. SEC. 21.24. EXEMPTION FOR PERSONS HAVING EQUAL OR GREATER PAYR…
      23. SEC. 21.25. RELIEF FOR EARTHQUAKE INTERRUPTION.
      24. SEC. 21.26. EMPOWERMENT ZONE - CITY BUSINESS TAX REDUCTIONS, L…
      25. SEC. 21.27. ENTERTAINMENT AND MULTIMEDIA BUSINESS TAX LIMITATI…
      26. SEC. 21.28. FISCAL YEAR REPORTING.
      27. SEC. 21.29. SMALL BUSINESS EXEMPTION.
      28. SEC. 21.30. NEW BUSINESS EXEMPTION.
      29. SEC. 21.31. SETTLEMENT BUREAU.
      30. SEC. 21.32. REWARDS FOR INFORMATION.
      31. SEC. 21.33. [TAX RATES.]
      32. SEC. 21.41. GROSS RECEIPTS FUND CLASS 1.
      33. SEC. 21.43. GROSS RECEIPTS FUND CLASS 2.
      34. SEC. 21.46. GROSS RECEIPTS FUND CLASS 6.
      35. SEC. 21.47. GROSS RECEIPTS FUND CLASS 7.
      36. SEC. 21.48. GROSS RECEIPTS FUND CLASS 8.
      37. SEC. 21.49. GROSS RECEIPTS FUND CLASS 9.
      38. SEC. 21.50. TAXATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA COLLECTIVES.
      39. SEC. 21.51. TAXATION OF CANNABIS.
      40. SEC. 21.52. TAXATION OF MEDICAL CANNABIS.
      41. SEC. 21.53. AMUSEMENT PARK.
      42. SEC. 21.55. AUCTIONEER.
      43. SEC. 21.56. AUTO PARK
      44. SEC. 21.59. BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, ETC.
      45. SEC. 21.62. BILLIARDS, ETC.
      46. SEC. 21.64. COIN-OPERATED PHONOGRAPHS AND MUSIC MACHINES.
      47. SEC. 21.65. VENDING MACHINES.
      48. SEC. 21.70. BOWLING ALLEY, SKEE-BALL SHUFFLEBOARD, ETC.
      49. SEC. 21.74. CIRCUSES.
      50. SEC. 21.75. SIDE SHOWS, CARNIVALS, CONCESSIONS.
      51. SEC. 21.78. COLLECTION AGENCIES.
      52. SEC. 21.79. COMMISSION BROKERS.
      53. SEC. 21.80. INDEPENDENT TELEMARKETING AGENCY.
      54. SEC. 21.83. DANCE HALL.
      55. SEC. 21.85. PUBLIC DANCE.
      56. SEC. 21.94. RIDES.
      57. SEC. 21.99. RENTING ACCOMMODATIONS.
      58. SEC. 21.109. MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION AND RADIO PRODUCERS.
      59. SEC. 21.124. OIL WELLS.
      60. SEC. 21.141. WAREHOUSE – STORAGE OF GOODS.
      61. SEC. 21.142. STEVEDORES.
      62. SEC. 21.143. TUGBOAT AND BARGE OPERATORS.
      63. SEC. 21.147. THEATRE.
      64. SEC. 21.166. MERCHANDISE WHOLESALE SELLING.
      65. SEC. 21.167. MERCHANDISE – RETAIL SELLING.
      66. § 21.168
      67. SEC. 21.169. CHRISTMAS TREES.
      68. SEC. 21.170. CHRISTMAS TREE LOT CLEAN-UP DEPOSITS.
      69. SEC. 21.171. RETAILERS OF NEW PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES.
      70. SEC. 21.187. COMMON CARRIER BUS.
      71. SEC. 21.188. CONTRACTORS.
      72. § 21.189
      73. § 21.190
      74. SEC. 21.191. HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS.
      75. SEC. 21.192. PERSONAL PROPERTY RENTAL.
      76. SEC. 21.193. SALE OF REAL PROPERTY.
      77. SEC. 21.194. TRANSPORTING PERSONS FOR HIRE.
      78. SEC. 21.195. TRUCKING – HAULING
      79. SEC. 21.196. MISCELLANEOUS TRUCKING.
      80. SEC. 21.197. TELEPHONE COMPANIES.
      81. SEC. 21.199. SALES TAX.
      82. § 21.1
    2. Article 1.2
    3. Article 1.3
    4. Article 1.5
    5. Article 1.6
    6. Article 1.7
    7. Article 1.8
    8. Article 1.9
    9. Article 1.10
    10. Article 1.11
    11. Article 1.12
    12. Article 1.13
    13. Article 1.14
    14. Article 1.15
    15. Article 1.16
    16. Article 1.17
    17. Article 2
    18. Article 6
    19. Article 8
    20. Article 9

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