Cathedral City, CA Local Taxes & Fees: Business Tax Classification (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee basis
- Annual gross receipts, in printed brackets
- Lowest bracket
- $15.00 Class A, $18.00 Class B, $21.00 Class C
- Highest bracket
- $1,500.00, $1,875.00 or $2,250.00 above 10,000,001
- Unlisted business
- Charged as the most comparable listed business
- Late penalty
- Ten percent per month, capped at fifty percent
- Taxicab flat fee
- $200 per year
Summary
In Cathedral City, California, a business with a fixed place of business pays an annual license fee based on gross receipts, in one of three classes. Class A covers retail, wholesale and manufacturing, Class B covers services such as beauty shops and landlords, and Class C covers professionals.
Every person who engages in business at a fixed place of business within the city shall pay a license fee based upon gross receipts at the following rates and in the following classifications: Gross Receipts Range Class A Class B Class C $ 0 — 25,000 $ 15.00 $ 18.00 $ 21.00 ... Classifications — Class A Automobile repair and service Laundry, dry cleaning, and garment services Manufacturing Retail trade Wholesale trade Class B Amusement and recreation services, including motion pictures Architectural services Beauty shops Engineering services Landscape and horticultural services Operators, renters, and lessors of commercial property Services to buildings All other persons engaged in business not specifically listed elsewhere in this chapter Class C Accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services Barbers and hairstylists Financial services Insurance brokers and services Legal services Management and public relations services Medical and health services Real estate agents, brokers, managers, and services
Full Breakdown
Cathedral City Municipal Code § 3.28.200 sorts every business with a fixed place in Cathedral City into Class A, B or C and prices the annual fee from a gross receipts schedule. The first bracket, gross receipts of $0 to 25,000, costs $15.00 in Class A, $18.00 in Class B and $21.00 in Class C. The top bracket, 10,000,001 and up, costs $1,500.00, $1,875.00 and $2,250.00. Brackets in between include $5,000,001 to 10,000,000 at $1,000.00, $1,250.00 and $1,500.00.
Class A is automobile repair and service, laundry and garment services, manufacturing, retail trade and wholesale trade. Class B holds amusement and recreation services, architectural and engineering services, beauty shops, landscape services, operators, renters and lessors of commercial property, services to buildings, and all other persons not listed elsewhere in the chapter. Class C holds accounting and bookkeeping, barbers and hairstylists, financial services, insurance, legal, management and public relations, medical and health services, and real estate agents, brokers and managers.
A business the chapter does not name pays the fee of the listed business the collector finds most nearly comparable (§ 3.28.480). Each branch, location or separate type of business at the same site needs its own license (§ 3.28.140). An owner running several types of business on one integrated set of books can pay once at the highest schedule, plus three dollars for each additional location or type. Applicants for fees measured by gross receipts file a sworn statement (§ 3.28.120).
Some trades skip the schedule. Section 3.28.400 sets flat fees: taxicabs $200 per year, peddlers or solicitors $250 per year, and living accommodations $20 for the first dwelling unit plus $2 for each additional unit. Section 3.28.300 charges vehicle-based businesses without a fixed place by capacity, from $15.00 to $150.00 per vehicle. Annual fees are due in advance on the first day of the licensing year (§ 3.28.500).
Violations & Fines
Operating without a license is unlawful under § 3.28.020. An unpaid annual fee gains a ten percent penalty on the first day of the month after the due date and another ten percent each month, capped at fifty percent of the fee. An unpaid flat-rate fee gains twenty-five percent after five p.m. on the due day. Violating the chapter or lying to procure a license is a misdemeanor (§ 3.28.600).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which class is a retail store in Cathedral City?
What if my business is not listed in the Cathedral City code?
Do I need a separate license for a second Cathedral City location?
When is the Cathedral City business license fee due?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cathedral City
California rules heatmap·Compare Cathedral City to another location·View the California local taxes & fees overview
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How other cities in Riverside County handle business tax classification.