25

May

Local “Delinquent” Businesses That Have Avoided Registrations & Fees Get Lucky

Small businesses in Spokane, Washington catch a break, as they’re granted amnesty period for business registrations and fees.

About 3,000 businesses operating within city limits haven’t registered with Spokane’s Tax and Licensing Department, which is required annually, officials said. Businesses that are not properly registered can be fined up to $536 per day.

This article does provide a helpful link for information on the business license process in Spokane,  which is a rarity. You can still use a service to file for the licenses on your behalf and determining your exact requirements.

For business license and permit requirements in Spokane, WA, start here:

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Zach Kfare

23

May

California Town Looks to Raise Revenues, at the Expense of Small Business Owners

Atherton, California City Council considers raising business license tax as a way to “increase town revenues”.

Any changes in the tax would have to go before the voters in an election during which council members are scheduled to be elected, which won’t be until November 2018. To pass, the tax would have to be favored by at least a simple majority (just one vote over 50 percent) of voters.

The current business license tax, applying to anyone who does business in Atherton, from pool cleaning companies to real estate companies, ranges from $25 to $250 a year. It raises about $228,000 a year.

No matter how much it costs you or the reason for a tax increase, business licenses are required. Small businesses in Atherton, CA can start here.

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Sol Meyer

22

May

Debate is On Over Business Licenses Fees in Isle of Wight

Come 2018, the business license fee structure in Isle of Wight, Virginia​ can change. Officials are in debate about the reason for the change and whether or not it’s necessary.

Assistant County Administrator Don Robertson said that before debating specific fees and rates, it would help him and county staff to know what the board’s intention is for potentially changing the county’s business license fees.

“If the intent is to help small businesses, we can develop a rate structure that can do that; if your intent is to have accountability of those businesses [earning less than $4,000] then we need to look at whether this is the best mechanism to get them to come through the door and file for a business license,” Robertson said.

No matter how much it costs or how much your business is earning, business licenses are a must.
Start here for Isle of Wight, VA.

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Alan Ruttenberg

18

May

Market Vendors in Hanford, CA Need Business Permits

In addition to market vendors, mobile food trucks and roadside stands are included, as well. Sixteen years have gone by that vendors weren’t required to pay fees.

Hanford City Manager Darrel Pyle said Hanford’s municipal code requires business licenses for anybody operating a for-profit enterprise in city limits.

Pyle said it was an oversight that the code wasn’t being enforced for Market Place vendors.

He estimated that most vendors would end up paying less than $50 a year.

Lucky for those vendors who got a free ride for so many years, but now it’s time to pay up.
Find your business license and permit requirements for Hanford, CA here.

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Zach Kfare

18

May

Pelham, AL Introduces Amended Business License Moratorium

Each year the city has opted to extend the moratorium and along the way it was amended the state that the ‘City Council may approve the issuance of a business license for an existing business which is subject to the moratorium on a case-by-case basis upon application to the City Council.’

Find out your license and permit requirements in Pelham here.

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Sol Meyer

11

May

Uber Partakes in Recent Trend of Tech Companies Protecting Privacy of Users from the Government

Uber joins the fight in protecting privacy as it refuses to give its drivers’ personal info over to the city of San Francisco in order to contact them regarding business licenses.

Uber is going to court seeking to block San Francisco from forcing it to provide the names and addresses of its drivers.

The city wants the information so it can notify drivers that they are required to get business licenses, just like all other small enterprises in the city, from nail salons to freelance writers. But Uber, which previously has provided the information for city audits, says it wants to protect its drivers’ privacy.

Certainly an important debate whether or not Uber is required to give this information over to the city. Uber drivers still need a business license to operate legally in San Francisco and other cities. Busines Licenses, LLC can help with exactly that. Specific services special for Uber drivers.

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Alan Ruttenberg

09

May

San Juan Island Town Issues Warning to Tardy Businesses

Town of Friday Harbor, WA warns small businesses who have yet to renew business licenses to take action and avoid penalty.

Town is currently inactivating all accounts that were not renewed for the 2017/2018 license year. This week, the Town Code Enforcement Officer will be issuing citations to those businesses who are known to be conducting business without a license.

Unlicensed businesses are urged to avoid this unpleasant action by renewing their license or contacting the Town to make arrangements.

It seems like a nice gesture for the city to warn businesses before its crackdown. Not all towns get so lucky. Hopefully small businesses in Friday Harbor take advantage of that. You should take advantage of services that can tell you all your requirements to start your business like LicenseSuite and services to file for the license on your behalf and get all the work done for you.

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Zach Kfare

08

May

The Price is Too High: Concerns Over Business License Fee Come to Forefront in Idaho

In a small business friendly move, City Council member attempts to significantly lower business license fee in Payette, ID.

For Jensen, whose personal focus area within the city’s long-running strategic planning project involves ferreting out all “nuisance fees” from the city’s policies and procedures affecting business and initiating the fees’ reduction or extinction, is certain that the business license policy so qualifies.

“My first concern is the cost,” Jensen said. “Since we’re trying to act like we’re a business-friendly community, … we’re a little expensive and a little hard to deal with.”

No matter what the price of the business license fee is, they’re a hassle to obtain. Knowing who to call, where to apply, and what you need. LicenseSuite can give you a report of all your requirements. There are also services to file for the license on your behalf and get all the work done for you.

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Sol Meyer