Business Information Change is the City of Sacramento form, printed on the PDF as the Cannabis Business Ownership Change Form, that a cannabis business uses to update the names and ownership tied to its business structure. It applies to businesses holding a Business Operating Permit (BOP), so it is a cannabis permit form and not a general Sacramento business license application. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the City publishes the original and receives it by email.
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What is Business Information Change – Sacramento, CA?
Business Information Change, printed on the PDF as the Cannabis Business Ownership Change Form, is the City of Sacramento form a cannabis business uses to report changes in the names and ownership associated with its business structure.
The form is published by the City of Sacramento Finance Department with its cannabis permit forms. It lists three groups of people: the current owners, officers, LLC managers or members before the change; those who will relinquish ownership; and those who will assume it. Each entry carries a name, a title and an ownership percentage. Ownership is defined by Sacramento City Code (SCC) sections 5.150.020 and 5.150.070, and the percentages relinquished must equal the percentages assumed.
The form exists because a cannabis business permit cannot be transferred. SCC 5.150.050, quoted on the City's cannabis forms page, says permits may not be transferred, sold, assigned or bequeathed, and that any attempt to do so is unlawful and void and automatically revokes the permit. Changes in ownership are therefore reported on this form, which the City's instructions also call the BIC form.
The form applies to one Business Operating Permit (BOP) number. A separate form is submitted for each BOP number. It does not apply for a new permit.
Who needs to file Business Information Change – Sacramento, CA?
The main users are cannabis businesses in the City of Sacramento whose ownership changes. The form may be signed only by the permit holder/applicant on file or by a legal representative who has written authorization from that permit holder/applicant to sign.
Use it when:
- a person or entity will assume an ownership interest in the business;
- an owner, officer, LLC manager or member will relinquish all or part of an ownership interest;
- a holding company has an ownership interest. List its percentage and the individuals who own the holding company.
Continuity is required. Once a BOP has been issued, owners holding the entirety (100%) of the ownership interest, including individuals and holding companies, may not relinquish the entirety of their ownership. Continuity is not required if a BOP has not been issued. The form's example: if A and B each own 50%, A can transfer her 50% to C and signs the form, because she is divesting 100% of her own interest.
The City's instructions say new owners must complete Live Scan as required by SCC section 5.150.070. Do not use one form for several permits: submit one for each BOP number.
When to file Business Information Change – Sacramento, CA
The City's instructions on the form say it must be submitted within 30 calendar days of any ownership change to the cannabis business. The City's cannabis FAQ, answering whether a permit is transferable, gives a different timing: the owners on the application must complete and sign a Business Information Change Form and submit it no later than 30 days before the change occurs. Because the two statements differ, confirm the timing with the City at [email protected] before you set the date of the change.
Have the supporting documents ready when you file, because they must accompany the form. The form carries no other deadline, and no processing time is printed on it. After the City reviews it, a staff block at the end records the date received and approval of the changes.
Documents you need
- Proof of filing with the Secretary of State showing the new ownership.
- Bylaws, executed operating agreement or partnership agreement documenting the change.
- Corporate meeting minutes documenting the change.
- Completion of Live Scan for new owners, as required by Sacramento City Code (SCC) section 5.150.070.
- An updated Interested Parties List form with the new owners and their ownership percentages.
- Written authorization from the permit holder/applicant on file, when a legal representative signs the form on their behalf.
How to fill out Business Information Change – Sacramento, CA
Enter the business name and DBA
Write the Legal Business Name of the cannabis business and, if applicable, its DBA.
Enter the BOP number
Enter the Business Operating Permit (BOP) Number, the application number received when the application was submitted in the permitting portal. Use one form for each BOP number.
Enter premises and mailing addresses
Write the physical street address as the Business Premises Address. Under Mailing Address, write the address where notices will be mailed.
Name the primary application contact
Give the authorized representative and/or applicant: first name, last name and title, email address and phone number. If you are not the applicant listed on the permit, fill out two points of contact.
List the current owners and officers
Under Current Business Owners/Officers/LLC Managers/Members (Prior to Change), list each person or holding company with ownership, with title and ownership percentage. For corporations list directors, officers and shareholders; for LLCs list members and managers.
List who is relinquishing ownership
In the RELINQUISHING section, enter the name, title and ownership percentage of each person or holding company giving up an interest. Include the individuals who own any holding company.
Sign the 100% relinquishing certification
Sign this certification only if an owner is relinquishing the entirety (100%) of their ownership to a new person or entity. Enter name, title, signature and date; the permit holder/applicant on file signs it under penalty of perjury.
List who is assuming ownership
In the ASSUMING section, enter the name, title and ownership percentage of each new person or entity. Make sure the total percentage assumed equals the total relinquished.
Add pages if you need more room
Where the form says to include additional pages as necessary, attach them for any section that runs past the lines provided.
Sign the final certification
Enter the name, title, signature and date. The permit holder/applicant on file signs, or a legal representative with written authorization from them.
Review, download and assemble the package
Check names, titles and that percentages relinquished equal percentages assumed. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and gather the supporting documents to send as described under How to submit.
How to submit Business Information Change – Sacramento, CA
Submit the completed form by email to [email protected], attaching the required supporting documents. The City's instructions name no other channel.
- Email: send the signed form and all supporting documents to [email protected]. Submit one form for each BOP number.
- Additional pages: where the form says "Please include additional pages, as necessary," attach them to the same submission.
- Signature: the certification must be signed by the permit holder/applicant on file or a legal representative with written authorization from them. A representative should have that authorization ready.
- Retention: an approved copy of the form must be kept and made available on request of City officials.
The City's staff-use block at the end of the form records the date received and approval of the changes. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Listing several permits on one form; the instructions say to submit one form for each BOP number.
- Entering relinquished and assumed percentages that do not match; the instructions require them to be equal.
- Listing a holding company without its own ownership percentage and the individuals who own it.
- Having an owner of 100% relinquish the entirety of their interest after a BOP has been issued, when continuity is required.
- Leaving out the 100% relinquishing certification when an owner is giving up their whole interest to one or more new owners.
- Having someone other than the permit holder/applicant on file sign without written authorization to sign.
- Sending the form without the supporting documents, such as the Secretary of State filing or Live Scan completion for new owners.
- Providing one contact when you are not the applicant listed on the permit; the form asks for two points of contact.
Frequently asked questions
Is this form a Sacramento business license application?
No. This form does not apply for a license or permit. It updates names and ownership for a cannabis business that holds a City of Sacramento Business Operating Permit (BOP). A new permit is applied for through the City's separate cannabis application process.
When do I have to submit the Cannabis Business Ownership Change Form?
The form's instructions say within 30 calendar days of any ownership change. The City's cannabis FAQ says to submit it no later than 30 days before the change occurs. Since the two differ, confirm with [email protected].
Who can sign the ownership change form?
The permit holder/applicant on file, or a legal representative who has written authorization from that person to sign the form. The certification is made under penalty of perjury under California law.
Where do I send the Business Information Change Form?
Email it to [email protected] with the required supporting documents. Submit one form for each BOP number. The City's instructions name no other channel.
What documents go with the ownership change form?
Proof of Secretary of State filing with the new ownership, the bylaws, operating agreement or partnership agreement documenting the change, corporate meeting minutes, Live Scan completion for new owners, and an updated Interested Parties List form.
Can an owner give up 100% of their ownership?
Yes, if continuity is kept. After a BOP is issued, owners holding the entirety (100%) of the interest may not relinquish all of it. An owner who holds only part may transfer their entire share, and signs the 100% relinquishing certification.
Can I fill out the cannabis ownership change form online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the City and does not submit the form; you email it to the City yourself.
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