Get Quotes from Top Contractors in Santa Maria, CA

How to Verify a Professional's License in Santa Maria?

The activities of professionals in Santa Maria are regulated by the California Department of Consumer Affairs through its 39 regulatory boards and bureaus. These boards and bureaus collectively administer licenses to over 200 categories of professionals, and it is important to verify that your intended professional possesses one of these licenses before retaining their services. You can do this by utilizing the online license search tool that the Department of Consumer Affairs maintains and makes accessible to interested members of the public for this purpose.

Once you have verified that your professionals possess valid licenses, it is equally important to ensure that you obtain any necessary permits that your project may require. Permits are typically required for a wide range of business, construction, and development activities and projects that take place in Santa Maria. These include home improvement, repair, and modification projects, new building constructions, alarm installations, and several others. Permitting in Santa Maria is generally handled by the city's Community Development Department, and inquires related to permit issuance and requirements can be directed to this department at:

• 110 S. Pine Street
• No. 101
• Santa Maria, CA 93458
• Phone: (805) 925-0951, ext. 2240

Queries related to building and construction projects in Santa Maria can also be directed to this department's Building Division at (805) 925-0951, ext. 2241.

Do Santa Maria Neighborhood Councils
Issue Permits?

Neighborhood and community organizations in Santa Maria are not authorized to issue any types of permits to residents, businesses, or other interested parties in the city. However, these organizations facilitate community safety and livability by engaging with city officials to provide residents with avenues for channeling their concerns and also providing community-based resources for their respective neighborhoods. An example of this is the Santa Maria Neighborhood Action Plan, which is a series of outreach efforts aimed at identifying and understanding local community needs and providing resources to meet these specific needs. In October 2021, it was reported that the city council had agreed to prioritize pedestrian safety repairs as part of its public works projects, with a proposed renovation of Perlman Park being moved to an unspecified date. Earlier in April 2021, the city council had passed an ordinance prohibiting mobile car washing and detailing on public streets, despite protests from affected local businesses. Per this law, vehicle washers will also be required to obtain permits and dispose wastewater at the city's treatment facility.

How to File an Unfair Business
Complaint in Santa Maria?

The Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office's Consumer Protection Unit is responsible for protecting residents of Santa Maria from unfair, fraudulent, and dishonest business practices. This unit performs its duties by investigating and prosecuting, both criminally and civilly, these types of practices, and affected consumers can file complaints by downloading, completing, and mailing a Consumer Complaint Form to:

• Santa Barbara County District Attorney
• Consumer Protection Unit
• 1112 Santa Barbara Street
• Santa Barbara, CA 93101

The completed form must be signed and dated before being submitted. Submissions can also be made via email or fax to (805) 560-1077, and complaint-related queries can be directed to this unit via phone number (805) 568-2300.

It is important to note that the Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office does not represent private citizens that wish to obtain monetary compensation or any other forms of personal remedies from an erring business. If this is your aim, then you should consider consulting with a private attorney to determine your best course of legal action. For example, if the monetary compensation that you wish to obtain is not more than $10,000, then your best course of action may be filing a small claims case at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court located at:

• 312 East Cook Street
• Building E
• Santa Maria, CA 93454

You can find qualified private attorneys near you by contacting the Santa Barbara County Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service online, via email, or by calling (805) 569-9400. You can also get information and assistance on filing your small claims case by utilizing the resources provided by the Santa Barbara County Legal Resource Center.