Business license!!

[cobra]

Today was very interesting!!! I sent a carpet tech to a neighboring town 45 minutes away to do an empty apt(as a favor to the manager). we do not typically work this area. He got there, and it was directly on main st of this small town. my tech sets up, presprays, and goes to cut the machine off, when he was approached asking for his business license????. he provided our state LLC and all other docs. he said "no I need to see your city of @@@@@ business license?? He immediately called me, and I was at a loss. I am not a business in his town? He then tells my tech to stop work and proceeds to write a $470 ticket!!!!??? Long story short, after traveling to this town, I managed to talk the cop into letting it go seeing as to how we do not service that area as a rule!
So, we started making phone calls, and this is what we found. according to all cities we do business in, (7), we have to purchase city business licenses separately for all 7. This could cost from 200-1000 each!!!!! per year.
Then when I got home(today, same day!) I received a letter from another town saying they have seen our van in the area and we need to buy a Business License!!!
Someone please tell me this is Some type of sick joke!!! Has anyone ever heard of such a thing!?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Don't let it bug you. Calculate what it totals to, then divide it among the jobs you do and raise your price accordingly. It won't be much of an effect to each client but it is necessary for you to continue to do business.

It sounds like they are in a fundraising mode and there is little you can do about it. If it makes you feel any better, all your competitors have to pay it too.

 

[cobra]

So is this normal for your area or am I the only one??

 

[mirf]

Not here that I know of.

 

[Zee]

Nothing new about this.. You supposed to have business license in almost all cities.

At least around here...

 

[Desk Jockey]

no licence here BUT the state began enforcing the DOT regs a few years ago. Even for those of us that for all practical purposes don't fit the intent of the law. Its a fund raiser, "found" money.

Nothing you can do but conform.

 

[Luis Gomez]

In our county we have: San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita, Trabuco Canyon, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Irvine, Santa Ana, Lake Forest, Tustin, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Westminster, Garden Grove, Anaheim, Orange, Villa Park, Stanton and I am sure I forgot a couple... If we get busted we will go and buy one and they will wave the fine. We usually pay for 3 of 4 every year. I personally only had been ask 2 or 3 times by a city inspector in 27 yrs.

 

[Zee]

Yeah Luis I hit a bunch of those too and in addition I do a lot of San Diego County cities as well Oceanside Carlsbad, Leucadia, Encinitas, Solana beach, Del Mar, Vista, San Marcos and on and on and on and there is another 20 we could name. It's pointless to have a license in each of those but we supposed to.

 

[Zee]

To be honest a lot of times I don't even know what city I'm in..

 

[Lee Stockwell]

4 towns in my service area of Kentucky require them, at $100-200 a pop.

Because they can.

 

[KevinL]

And the stupid politicians can't figure out why big companies don't stay in this country and why there aren't any jobs.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

And the stupid politicians can't figure out why big companies don't stay in this country and why there aren't any jobs.

After THEY left...get the little guys.

 

[rwcarpet]

Nothing here in NE Ohio, that I KNOW of. You do need a tax vendor licence for the state of Ohio, and charge the appropriate tax rate for each county, which I have to do because my WD work takes me to about 6 counties.

Some communities do have "Transiette"?? vendors licence for door to door and limited engagement selling. (fairs, events).

I have cleaned in PA a few times, and applied for a tax licence, but it was a huge hassle when I went to pay it.

 

[Shane Deubell]

That would be a nightmare here, we must serve at least 15 different little fiefdoms.

 

[rick imby]

And the sad thing is the money that we spend on city licenses does nothing but pay for the people that print out your license. Here you are suppose to have one for each of your rental properties also----uggg $125 per year

 

[Papa John]

When will they just frecken tax the rich billionaires the same as us small guys! Dont they know that weres the big money is! This biz license issue Sucks!