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New Business? Here's Your First-Year Tax Checklist for California

Published: 2/9/2026

Orange County CPA

Starting a business in California means meeting both federal and state requirements from day one. Miss a registration deadline and you face penalties. Choose the wrong entity structure and you overpay taxes for years. Skip estimated tax payments and the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) both charge penalties and interest.

The checklist below covers every tax and accounting step a new California business owner needs to complete in year one — from getting your EIN to making your first estimated tax payment.

Step 1: Get Your Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Every business needs an EIN — even if you have no employees. Banks require an EIN to open a business account. You need an EIN to file business tax returns. And if you hire contractors, you need an EIN to issue 1099 forms.

Apply for free on the IRS EIN application page

Do not pay a third-party service to obtain your EIN. The IRS provides the EIN at no cost.

Step 2: Register Your Business with California

California requires several registrations depending on your business structure and activities.

Secretary of State (SOS). LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships must file formation documents with the California Secretary of State

Franchise Tax Board (FTB). California imposes an annual minimum franchise tax of $800 on LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships. The $800 payment is due by the 15th day of the fourth month after your business forms. If you form an LLC on March 1, the first $800 payment is due by June 15.

Employment Development Department (EDD). If you hire employees, register with the California EDD

California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). If you sell physical products, you need a seller's permit. The CDTFA issues seller's permits at no cost and requires you to collect and remit sales tax.

Local business license. Most California cities and counties require a business license or business tax certificate. Contact your city's business license office for requirements and fees.

Step 3: Choose Your Entity Structure

Your entity structure determines how you pay taxes, your personal liability, and your administrative obligations. The four most common structures for California small businesses:

Choosing the wrong structure costs money every year you don't fix it. Our business advisory services

Step 4: Open a Business Bank Account

Open a dedicated business checking account and business credit card before you make your first business transaction. Every dollar that flows through your business should run through the business accounts — not your personal accounts.

Separating business and personal finances:

Most banks require your EIN, formation documents, and a government-issued ID to open a business account.

Step 5: Set Up Your Bookkeeping System

Start tracking income and expenses from day one. Reconstructing a year's worth of transactions in March is expensive, error-prone, and guaranteed to miss deductions.

Choose an accounting method:

Cash basis. Record income when you receive payment and expenses when you pay them. Simpler and more common for small businesses. Most businesses with under $29 million in average annual gross receipts can use cash basis.

Accrual basis. Record income when earned and expenses when incurred, regardless of when cash changes hands. Required for businesses with inventory (with some exceptions) and provides a more accurate picture of profitability.

Set up accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks) and establish a chart of accounts that matches your business activities. Categorize every transaction consistently from the beginning.

If bookkeeping isn't your strength, our bookkeeping services

Step 6: Understand Your Estimated Tax Obligations

New business owners are often surprised by estimated tax payments. If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal taxes for the year, the IRS requires you to pay estimated taxes quarterly. California requires estimated payments if you expect to owe $500 or more.

Federal estimated tax deadlines (Form 1040-ES):

California estimated tax deadlines (Form 540-ES):

To calculate your estimated payments, project your annual net income and apply the relevant tax rates. A new business owner expecting $100,000 in net income should plan for roughly $30,000 to $40,000 in combined federal and California income tax plus self-employment tax.

The IRS estimated tax worksheet

Step 7: Know What You Can Deduct From Day One

New businesses can deduct up to $5,000 in startup costs in the first year (the deduction phases out for startup costs exceeding $50,000). Startup costs include:

Beyond startup costs, deduct all ordinary and necessary business expenses from the date your business begins operating: office supplies, software subscriptions, professional development, business insurance, and vehicle expenses for business travel.

Track every expense from day one and keep receipts. The deductions you miss in year one are gone forever.

Step 8: Build Your Professional Team

The first year is when you make the decisions that affect your taxes for years — entity structure, accounting method, payroll setup, and compliance registrations. Getting professional help early saves money over the long run.

At minimum, a new California business owner needs:

Your First Year Sets the Foundation

Every decision you make in year one — entity structure, bookkeeping system, estimated payments, expense tracking — compounds over the life of your business. Getting the foundation right saves thousands in taxes and prevents compliance headaches down the road.