May 21, 2020
Community Development Department
Business Update
Dine-In Restaurants and In-Store Retail Permitted to Reopen in Ventura County





The state has approved Ventura County for the next stage of reopening, which allows the following businesses to open if they meet county and state health and safety compliance protocols, and register at  www.vcreopens.com :

  • Dine-in restaurants, and
  • All retail businesses with exterior facing entrances are permitted to have customers inside of their stores including shopping malls, destination shopping centers, strip and outlet malls, and swap meets

Please note that internal stores that are only accessible by entering the common areas of an indoor shopping mall are not allowed at this time.

Restaurants and retail must register at www.vcreopens.com and follow the guidance. Dine-in and in-store shopping will be permitted effective Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Read the County of Ventura press release in English here .
Read the County of Ventura press release in Spanish here .
Read the Stay Well VC Order - Safely Opening Ventura County (Amended May 20, 2020) here .
Dine-In Restaurants

Read the Guidance for Dine-In Restaurants here , and the checklist here .

All restaurants (takeout/delivery and dine-in service) in the County of Ventura can now register at www.vcreopens.com.
In-Store Retail

Please note, a ll retail businesses with exterior facing entrances are permitted to have customers inside of their stores including shopping malls, destination shopping centers, strip and outlet malls, and swap meets.

Read the Guidance for shopping malls, destination shopping centers, strip and outlet malls, and swap meets here , and the checklist here .

Read the Guidance for Retail here , and the checklist here .

More than 2,700 businesses in Ventura County have registered their business at www.vcreopens.com . Residents are encouraged to support Oxnard businesses if you can.

Every business should take steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and create a safer environment for workers and customers. 

Business owners with no internet access can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 844-VC-OPENS , to schedule an appointment and complete their registration over the phone.

If your business was already permitted to be open and in operation, you must register and complete the County of Ventura Business Attestation Form at www.vcreopens.com to confirm you have met certain health and safety requirements. All businesses (including essential ones) are required to register at www.vcreopens.com .

If you have questions, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 844-VC-OPENS.
Read about California's Resilience Roadmap Stages here .

Get ready to open your business now by reviewing the safety protocols and compliance measures in the statewide industry-specific guidance here.
County of Ventura COVID-19 Hotline Flyer
Every business is required to post the COVID-19 Hotline flyer at their business so that it is visible to customers and employees.

Any business that posted the previous Hotline number, (805) 202-1805, does not have to post the new phone number (the original Hotline number will automatically re-route to the new number).

The Hotline can be used for COVID-19 compliance, complaints/issues or questions about interpretations of the local order and how to register.

Download the COVID-19 Hotline flyer in English and Spanish her e .
City of Oxnard Assists Businesses with Emergency Director Order
The City of Oxnard has issued an Emergency Director Order that:

  • Allows restaurants with limited indoor seating capacity to establish and expand outdoor dining areas
  • Allows outdoor dining areas to include converted parking areas
  • Allows Farmer's Markets on private property
  • Allows manufacturers to convert existing on-site parking spaces to accommodate food services and restrooms for employees
  • Allows additional restaurant operational standards
  • Allows limited sidewalk or outdoor displays
  • Allows extension of dance permit renewals

Read the Director Order here .
Alcoholic Beverage Control Fourth Notice of Regulatory Relief




The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control previously provided temporary relief measures which remain in place, and the Department has now added two new measures to this list.

The following relief has been issued to enable licensees with on-sale privileges to reopen their businesses for on-site consumption that is consistent with the Governor’s declarations and orders as well as other State and local health and safety guidelines:

  • Expansion of Licensed Footprint
  • Extension of Regulatory Relief for Club Licenses: Type 50, 51, 52

The Notice of Regulatory Relief is designed to support the alcoholic beverage industry in its efforts to assist California in slowing the spread of the virus while assisting the industry in dealing with the economic challenges it is facing as a result. 

Read the Fourth Notice of Regulatory Relief here .
Register Your Business at vcreopens.com
Are you a business looking to register and reopen? Are you a business that was already open, but needs to register for the first time?

1. Begin by reviewing the guidance published by the State of California here .

2. Complete a detailed risk assessment of your business in accordance with the state guidelines. ( The process of reviewing the guidance and creating a written Prevention Plan will satisfy the state requirement of conducting a risk assessment .)

3. Complete a written worksite-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plan and post it at your business. ( Prevention Plan templates and a sample completed Prevention Plan available at www.vcreopens.com )

4. Implement the prevention measures identified in your worksite-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plan.

5. Designate an on-duty employee responsible for monitoring compliance with your plan.

6. Complete the attestation form here.

7. Post the COVID-19 Hotline flyer form at your business so that it is visible to customers and employees.

In order to assist your business with opening safely, County and City ambassadors will be making a site visit that focuses on education and support. Businesses do not need to wait for an in-person visit before they open.

Questions? Contact City of Oxnard staff by email at communitydevelopment@oxnard.org, or by phone at (805) 616-6862. Hablamos español.
Learn about Federal, State and Local Relief Packages here .

Free business assistance is available :
Economic Development Collaborative, visit EDC online here .

Find a SCORE Mentor here .

Women's Economic Ventures, 805.456.2342 | Visit WEV online here .
Contact Our Staff
Our Economic Development staff is available to assist you.

Contact us by email at communitydevelopment@oxnard.org , or phone at (805) 616-6862. H ablamos español.

The Community Development Department continues to be open remotely for business; visit us online .
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
Questions regarding business compliance? Contact Ventura County COVID-19 Business Compliance by email at CovidCompliance@Ventura.org  or call the COVID-19 Hotline at 844-VC-OPENS between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday. Se habla español .