If you open a second BSIS location less than 1 mile from the first, do you need a branch office license for it?

If you open a second BSIS location less than 1 mile from the first, do you need a branch office license for it?

• A. Yes, mileage doesn't matter
• B. No, distance matters
• C. Only if there are more than two employees
• D. Only if the second location shares staff

Answer: (A)

In California BSIS licensing, each physical location where you operate or store equipment and where staff works is treated as its own branch. The need for a branch office license isn’t based on how far apart the locations are; it’s about having a separate site for operations. So opening a second BSIS location, even if it’s less than a mile from the first, creates another site that must be licensed as a branch. This ensures proper supervision, recordkeeping, and regulatory oversight at each site. If you run two locations, both need their own branch licenses and must be listed with BSIS.

In California BSIS licensing, each physical location where you operate or store equipment and where staff works is treated as its own branch. The need for a branch office license isn’t based on how far apart the locations are; it’s about having a separate site for operations. So opening a second BSIS location, even if it’s less than a mile from the first, creates another site that must be licensed as a branch.

This ensures proper supervision, recordkeeping, and regulatory oversight at each site. If you run two locations, both need their own branch licenses and must be listed with BSIS.