Update a business license

Change of business name, address, or corporate officers or directors

Licensees must notify BAR within 14 days of a change of business name, address, or corporate officers.

To report a change, complete a Change of Name/Address/Corporate Officers or Directors form.

  • When submitting your completed form, be sure to attach the original registration and all associated licenses. Post photocopies of the original registration/license(s) in the shop until the new registration/license(s) are received.
  • An onsite inspection by BAR of any new location is required before a station may perform any inspections.
  • Limited Liability Company Member Changes:
    • If your LLC operating agreement permits a change of members, submit a copy of your updated operating agreement with your completed form.
    • If your LLC operating agreement does not permit a change of members, you must submit a new automotive repair dealer application and station application(s), if applicable, with the applicable fee(s). For more information, see Change of Ownership.

Attention mobile businesses: The motor vehicle license plate number is included as part of a mobile automotive repair dealer’s business name and must be shown on all invoices and advertisements. Mobile automotive repair dealers should use the Change of Name/Address/Corporate Officers or Directors form to report a change of motor vehicle license plate number.

Name and gender change notification and request for confidentiality (SB 372)

Effective January 1, 2024, under Business and Professions Code section 27.5, licensees may notify a licensing board or bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) of a name and/or gender change and request confidentiality of the previous name or gender information, when meeting certain specified requirements. Learn more

Change of business service types

Primary and secondary business service type information (e.g., general repair, auto body, air conditioning, transmission repair, etc.) is provided by automotive repair dealers upon licensure. This information is also tied to the service category options displayed on BAR’s Auto Shop Locator. To update business service type information, complete a Change of Name/Address/Corporate Officers or Directors form.

Change of educational certification information

Pursuant to AB 471 (Low, Chapter 372, Statutes of 2021), automotive repair dealers may provide educational certification information for the business and its employees to BAR. The information, including applicable nationally recognized and industry accepted educational certifications and Bureau-approved educational certifications, will soon be accessible to the public through the Auto Shop Locator. For more information, visit Training for Applicants and Licensees.

To update educational certification information, complete the Change of Educational Certification Information form.

Change of ownership

An ownership change consists of any change in legal ownership of a business, including the purchase of an existing business, addition or deletion of a partner, the transfer of any ownership interest between members of family, change of the business entity by incorporation of the business, or any other change in the corporate status that requires a new corporate number as issued by the Secretary of State.

Registrations and licenses are not transferable to new owners. When a change of ownership takes place, the new owner must submit a new automotive repair dealer registration application and station license application(s), if applicable, with the applicable fee(s). The business must cease operating until a new registration/license(s) is issued. BAR’s Licensing Program will work with the new ownership to ensure a timely registration/license transition. Start a new application >

BAR’s license print feature provides licensees the convenience of self-service license printing, eliminating the need to wait for the license mailed by BAR’s print vendor or request a duplicate/replacement license.

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Cancel a license

To cancel a license, complete a Cancellation Request Form.