Turlock, CA Local Taxes & Fees: Business Tax Classification (2026)
Key Facts
- Retail tax cap
- $20,000/year
- Retail High Value Equip. cap
- $6,000/year
- Industrial tax cap
- $4,000/year
- Gross-receipts rate
- $0.50 per $1,000
- Enforced by
- Finance Department
Summary
Turlock classifies every licensed business as Retail, Retail High Value Equipment, or Industrial, capping the annual license tax at $20,000, $6,000, and $4,000 respectively under Municipal Code § 3-1-132.
The annual tax on any business classified as "Retail" shall not exceed Twenty Thousand and no/100ths ($20,000.00) Dollars. The annual tax on any business classified as "Retail High Value Equipment" shall not exceed Six Thousand and no/100ths ($6,000.00) Dollars. The annual tax on any business classified as "Industrial" shall not exceed Four Thousand and no/100ths ($4,000.00) Dollars. Each July 1st the annual maximum tax set forth in this subsection shall be adjusted for inflation on the basis of the Consumer Price Index as determined by the All Urban Consumers (California) Index published by the State of California Department of Industrial Relations. The adjustment shall be based upon the twelve (12) month period ending March 30th of the prior year. The adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest 1/10 percent.
(c) Any business subject to this tax and reporting actual gross receipts will pay a minimum tax of Sixty and no/100ths ($60.00) Dollars annually.
(d) In the event a person is carrying on a business at both wholesale and retail, that portion of the business which is retail shall be subject to the retail rate and that portion of the business which is wholesale shall be subject to the wholesale rate; provided that each is reported separately.
(e)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4937289; v6 updated 2026-06-25).
Full Breakdown
Every business operating in Turlock pays a license tax under TMC § 3-1-132: either 50 cents per $1,000 of gross receipts or a flat fee from an annual schedule ranging from $80 to $940-plus. Subsection (b) then caps the total annual tax by classification: Retail businesses cap out at $20,000, Retail High Value Equipment at $6,000, and Industrial businesses at $4,000. Finance adjusts these caps every July 1st for inflation using the state's All Urban Consumers CPI.
Violations & Fines
Businesses that misreport gross receipts or fail to display a license certificate on demand face misdemeanor charges under TMC § 3-1-108, and each day of unlicensed operation is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Turlock classify a business for license tax purposes?
Is there a minimum Turlock business license tax?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Turlock
California rules heatmap·Compare Turlock to another location·View the California local taxes & fees overview
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Business Tax Classification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle business tax classification.