2006 – 2007 Occupational License Renewal Period Ends.
Penalty period begins February 15.
By Robert C. Solera, Community Development Director

The 2006-2007 occupational license renewal period is ending. Unfortunately several businesses within our community have failed to renew their License. Unlicensed businesses are in violation of a number of laws and are thereby subject to enforcement action as necessary to bring said businesses into compliance with the law.

Section 205.053 of State statute 205 states:

“ (1) All Licenses shall be sold by the appropriate tax collector beginning August 1 of each year, are due and payable on or before September 30 of each year, and expire on September 30 of the succeeding year.”…

…“Licenses that are not renewed when due are delinquent and subject to a delinquency penalty…”

“(3) Any person who engages in any business, occupation, or profession covered by this chapter, who does not pay the required Occupational License tax within 150 days after the initial notice of tax due, and who does not obtain the required Occupational License tax is subject to civil actions and penalties, including, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, additional administrative costs incurred as a result of collection efforts, and a penalty of up to $250.00.”

All existing businesses were mailed courtesy renewal notices on or before August 1 st, 2006. Past Due Notices were mailed to all delinquent businesses in November.

Business Non-renewal Penalty Fees

Code Enforcement Warning Notices of Violation will be issued starting on February 15, 2007 to all businesses that have not paid the required tax and obtained their Occupational License. The warning notice will give those delinquent businesses until March 1, 2007 to comply. Businesses that do not respond to the warning notice will be issued Civil Violation Notices with a $100.00 civil penalty for failure to renew the occupational license and $250.00 civil penalty for failure to renew the required certificate of use. The Civil Violation Notice will require the delinquent business owners’ to comply within seven (7) calendar days of their receipt of the citation. The violator also has the right to appeal the notice before the City Special Master.

The Department strives for compliance prior to issuance of warnings or civil violations, but will insure that all businesses are in compliance prior to becoming operational. Operating a business without a license is a violation of the State Statute indicated above.

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