Licenses and permits to open an importer or e-commerce seller, city by city
Importers and online sellers file 3 to 13 filings to open, depending on the city, across the 64 cities Placetta covers. Selling imported goods online means customs registration and import paperwork before the first shipment lands. The table lists each city's filings and fixed government fees.
Every city at a glance
| City | Country | Filings | Fixed government fees | Fees that vary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | United States | 8 | $250 | 1 |
| Los Angeles | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Houston | United States | 9 | $325 | 1 |
| Beijing | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Shanghai | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Shenzhen | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Guangzhou | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Hangzhou | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Chengdu | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Chongqing | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Wuhan | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Nanjing | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Suzhou | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Tianjin | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| Xi'an | China | 4 | None fixed | 0 |
| London | United Kingdom | 3 | None fixed | 1 |
| Manchester | United Kingdom | 3 | None fixed | 1 |
| Paris | France | 3 | None fixed | 1 |
| Berlin | Germany | 5 | None fixed | 3 |
| Munich | Germany | 5 | None fixed | 3 |
| Hamburg | Germany | 5 | None fixed | 3 |
| Frankfurt | Germany | 5 | None fixed | 3 |
| Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 3 | None fixed | 2 |
| Riyadh | Saudi Arabia | 3 | None fixed | 2 |
| Jeddah | Saudi Arabia | 3 | None fixed | 2 |
| Dammam | Saudi Arabia | 3 | None fixed | 2 |
| San Francisco | United States | 12 | $945 | 2 |
| San Jose | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Chicago | United States | 7 | $150 | 2 |
| Seattle | United States | 8 | $73 | 3 |
| Boston | United States | 8 | $565 | 1 |
| Miami | United States | 11 | $175 | 5 |
| Dallas | United States | 9 | $325 | 1 |
| Austin | United States | 9 | $325 | 1 |
| Washington, DC | United States | 8 | None fixed | 4 |
| Atlanta | United States | 8 | None fixed | 3 |
| Philadelphia | United States | 9 | $125 | 3 |
| Las Vegas | United States | 9 | $15 | 4 |
| San Antonio | United States | 9 | $325 | 1 |
| Tampa | United States | 10 | $175 | 4 |
| San Diego | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Irvine | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Orlando | United States | 10 | $175 | 4 |
| Fort Worth | United States | 9 | $325 | 1 |
| Phoenix | United States | 7 | None fixed | 3 |
| Oakland | United States | 13 | $890 | 4 |
| Sacramento | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Portland | United States | 6 | None fixed | 2 |
| Plano | United States | 9 | $325 | 1 |
| Arlington | United States | 8 | None fixed | 4 |
| Fairfax County | United States | 8 | None fixed | 4 |
| Edison | United States | 7 | None fixed | 3 |
| Jersey City | United States | 7 | None fixed | 3 |
| Denver | United States | 8 | $16 | 2 |
| Minneapolis | United States | 6 | None fixed | 2 |
| Columbus | United States | 6 | $50 | 1 |
| Cupertino | United States | 12 | $1,075 | 2 |
| Milpitas | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Daly City | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Arcadia | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Alhambra | United States | 12 | $890 | 3 |
| Fort Lee | United States | 7 | None fixed | 3 |
| Bellevue | United States | 8 | $119 | 3 |
| Rockville | United States | 8 | $100 | 2 |
Other kinds of business
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
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Get the plan for your exact address
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