ChooseNovato.com is a one-stop shop for all your business needs, whether it's finding a commercial space for a new, or existing business, getting stats on Novato's demographics, or navigating our permit processes, you'll find everything you need to grow, expand and improve your business.

Shop Local Novato is an economic initiative designed to encourage the support of merchants and businesses located in the city of Novato. In Novato, we all share a passion for economic innovation, prosperity, work ethic and the entrepreneurial spirit to produce and sell some of the best products on earth. We can make a difference by supporting our friends, neighbors and businesses with every local purchase keeping dollars in Novato’s economy, supporting our schools, parks and vital community services. Spending locally ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested right here in Novato.

Visit shoplocalnovato.com to learn more and add your business to our directory!

Downtown Novato: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, specialty retailers and more...
Having undergone $10.5 million in streetscape improvements, Grant Avenue has a mix of specialty retailers and restaurants that have brought commercial vitality to Downtown Novato. With a 45,000 square-foot Whole Foods market that anchors the east end of Downtown's "main street," and is part of a mixed-use development which also includes 125 units of upper-story housing.

Hamilton Marketplace

The Hamilton Marketplace shopping center, proximate to the Hamilton community, is located on a 9.5 acre site east of Highway 101.  The complex is anchored by a 50,000 sq ft Safeway grocery store, complimented by neighborhood-serving restaurants.

Hamilton
The Hamilton neighborhood is located in southeast Novato, approximately four miles southeast of Downtown Novato. The former Hamilton Army Airfield is one of the most successful military base conversions in the entire nation. Over a seven-year period, more than 2,100 new homes have been constructed, providing a vibrant, well-balanced community that attracts new residents and businesses from throughout the Bay Area.

Hamilton features over 500,000 sq ft of office/technology space in renovated airplane hangers at Hamilton Landing. This stylish development features Class A state-of-the-art office buildings and it is home to various technology, entertainment, biotech, as well as traditional office tenants. 

2026 Novato Minimum Wage

Effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage within Novato city limits increased in accordance with Novato’s local minimum wage ordinance. Please note that if the State of California sets a higher minimum wage than this ordinance, the State’s minimum wage will take precedence. 

• $17.73 per hour for very large businesses with 100 or more employees (in accordance with Novato's local ordinance);
• $17.46 per hour for large businesses with 26-99 employees (in accordance with Novato's local ordinance); and
• $16.90 per hour for small businesses with 1-25 employees (in accordance with the State of California's minimum wage).

The Novato minimum wage applies to each employee who performs more than two hours of work in a particular week within city limits. An official notice of this increase is provided to Novato businesses with their business license renewals.

Additional information is available at novato.gov/MinimumWage. 

Permitting requirements are governed by City ordinances, zoning regulations and various state building code requirements. Please see the listing below for information on various permits provided by the City of Novato.