Licenses and permits to open a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia

Opening a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia takes 11 filings with 8 agencies, starting with the Articles of Organization (California LLC) and ending with the LLC annual tax ($800). The fixed government fees add up to about $890, 3 fees are set by the space or the business and 5 filings are free. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

Updated October 21, 202611 filingsSources: the agencies' own sitesSources checked October 21, 2026

Fees and timelines at a glance

A warehouse adds occupancy and fire rules for storage, and customs filings when it handles imports.

Filing	Agency	Government fee	How long	Renews
Articles of Organization (California LLC)	California Secretary of State	$70	Online filings are currently reviewed about 3 days after receipt (mail about 8 days), per the Oct 8, 2026 queue.	Statement of Information (LLC-12, $20) within 90 days, then every two years.
Statement of Information (California LLC)	California Secretary of State	$20	Not listed	Every two years, in the anniversary month of formation and the five months before it.
Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)	Internal Revenue Service	Free	Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.	Not listed
Seller's permit	California Department of Tax and Fee Administration	Free	Often issued the same day.	Does not expire.
Create/Update Importer Identity Form	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Free	Up to 5 business days.	Not listed
Customs Bond	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Varies	At least 5 business days for review.	Continuous bonds renew yearly.
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Free	Not listed	Not listed
City of Arcadia business license	City of Arcadia Development Services, Business License Division	Varies	Not listed	Every 12 months.
Hazardous materials registration	Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT)	Varies	Not listed	Every year by June 30.
Registration Form for Commercial Employers	California Employment Development Department	Free	Mail-in registration takes about 10 to 14 days; online is faster.	Not listed
LLC annual tax ($800)	California Franchise Tax Board	$800	Paying the $800 LLC tax online through Web Pay is immediate; it's due by the 15th day of the 4th month of the LLC's tax year.	Every year, by the 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year.

Articles of Organization (California LLC)

California Secretary of StateCalifornia

Filed online in bizfile Online.

Fee
$70
Filed
Filed online
Takes
Online filings are currently reviewed about 3 days after receipt (mail about 8 days), per the Oct 8, 2026 queue.
Renews
Statement of Information (LLC-12, $20) within 90 days, then every two years.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Statement of Information (California LLC)

California Secretary of StateCalifornia

Due within 90 days of forming or registering the LLC in California, then every two years. Filed in bizfile Online, or on the paper form by mail.

Fee
$20
Filed
Filed online
Renews
Every two years, in the anniversary month of formation and the five months before it.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Internal Revenue ServiceUS federal

Owners with an SSN or ITIN apply online. A company whose responsible party has neither (most China-based owners) faxes or mails Form SS-4, or calls the IRS international line.

Fee
Free
Filed
Paper form, faxed or mailed
Takes
Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Seller's permit

California Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationCalifornia

Register online before your first sale; one permit for each location.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online
Takes
Often issued the same day.
Renews
Does not expire.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Create/Update Importer Identity Form

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Sent to CBP (usually through your customs broker), or created in the ACE portal. Needed before your first entry as importer of record.

Fee
Free
Filed
Paper form, mailed
Takes
Up to 5 business days.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Customs Bond

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Bought from a CBP-approved surety, usually through your customs broker, who files it electronically. A continuous bond covers a year of entries.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed on the agency's portal
Takes
At least 5 business days for review.
Renews
Continuous bonds renew yearly.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Applied for online in ACE. Lets you see your entries, duties and bond.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it
City of Arcadia business license

City of Arcadia Development Services, Business License DivisionArcadia

Every business in Arcadia gets one; check the zoning with Planning before signing a lease. Applying after opening adds a late charge.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Paper form, mailed
Renews
Every 12 months.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Hazardous materials registration

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT)US federal

Filed online when you ship or offer certain hazardous materials in bulk, such as large lithium battery shipments.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed online
Renews
Every year by June 30.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Registration Form for Commercial Employers

California Employment Development DepartmentCalifornia

Register in e-Services for Business within 15 days of paying over $100 in wages.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online
Takes
Mail-in registration takes about 10 to 14 days; online is faster.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
LLC annual tax ($800)

California Franchise Tax BoardCalifornia

Paid every year by every LLC registered or doing business in California.

Fee
$800
Filed
Filed online
Takes
Paying the $800 LLC tax online through Web Pay is immediate; it's due by the 15th day of the 4th month of the LLC's tax year.
Renews
Every year, by the 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year.

File on the agency's site How to fill it

Questions and answers

How much do the permits cost to open a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia?

The fixed government fees add up to about $890, 3 fees are set by the space or the business and 5 filings are free. The largest fixed fee is the LLC annual tax ($800), at $800. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

How long do the permits take for a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia?

The times the agencies give. Articles of Organization (California LLC): Online filings are currently reviewed about 3 days after receipt (mail about 8 days), per the Oct 8, 2026 queue. Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN): Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call. Seller's permit: Often issued the same day. Create/Update Importer Identity Form: Up to 5 business days. Customs Bond: At least 5 business days for review. Registration Form for Commercial Employers: Mail-in registration takes about 10 to 14 days; online is faster. LLC annual tax ($800): Paying the $800 LLC tax online through Web Pay is immediate; it's due by the 15th day of the 4th month of the LLC's tax year.

Which agencies issue the permits for a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia?

The 11 filings go to 8 agencies: California Secretary of State, Internal Revenue Service, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, City of Arcadia Development Services, Business License Division, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT), California Employment Development Department and California Franchise Tax Board.

What is the first filing to open a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia?

The Articles of Organization (California LLC), with the California Secretary of State. Filed online in bizfile Online.

Use this checklist on your site

Copy this into your site or article. It credits the source.

<div class="placetta-checklist"><p><strong>Licenses and permits to open a warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia</strong></p><ol><li>Articles of Organization (California LLC) (California Secretary of State)</li><li>Statement of Information (California LLC) (California Secretary of State)</li><li>Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN) (Internal Revenue Service)</li><li>Seller's permit (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration)</li><li>Create/Update Importer Identity Form (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)</li><li>Customs Bond (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)</li><li>ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)</li><li>City of Arcadia business license (City of Arcadia Development Services, Business License Division)</li><li>Hazardous materials registration (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT))</li><li>Registration Form for Commercial Employers (California Employment Development Department)</li><li>LLC annual tax ($800) (California Franchise Tax Board)</li></ol><p>Source: <a href="https://www.placetta.com/guides/arcadia/warehouse-3pl.html">Placetta license guide</a></p></div>

Questions people ask

Other businesses in Arcadia

Every filing links to the agency's own page, and every fact comes from an official form or agency page. Agency requirements change; check the agency's page before you file. How we source and check these guides

Get the plan for your warehouse or 3PL in Arcadia

This guide covers the city. Your exact address decides the county, the health district and the zoning. Placetta maps every filing for it, fills the official forms from your details, adds the deadlines and puts them up for your approval.

The full list for your address, in filing order
The official forms, filled line by line
Renewal and inspection reminders