(A) Fees charged for business licenses and classification of various classes of businesses shall be set in accordance with the following fee schedule: a fee of $50 for a standard business license and $15 for a home-based business license. Home-based business licenses are not required, however, if a business would like to obtain a license there is a fee in place to cover administrative costs. Any changes in classification or fee as applicable to a currently licensed business shall not be in force until the current license expires.
(B) Every person, firm or corporation before engaging in any business, or profession hereinafter listed in this section shall obtain a license therefore and make payment to the County Clerk/Auditor in advance as follows:
(1) Large scale wholesale and retail sales. Any person, firm or corporation dealing directly or indirectly in any manner in motor vehicles, petroleum, mining machinery and equipment and all other types of machinery and equipment, steel distribution or supply, appliances of any kind, hardware, chemicals, milk, food, permanent fruit and vegetables sales, restaurants, fast food sales, coffee houses, bakery products, groceries, meat, fish, poultry, dry goods, clothing, sporting goods, notions, drugs, jewelry, soft drinks, nurseries, flowers, furniture and real estate or any other goods, wares or merchandise of any kind or description, and any other type of heavy industrial or commercial sales of any type or description and not otherwise specifically licensed by this chapter for each place of business operated;
(2) Small scale wholesale and retail sales. Any person, firm or corporation dealing directly or indirectly in any manner in appliances of any kind, hardware, chemicals, milk, food, permanent fruit and vegetables sales, restaurants, fast food sales, coffee houses, bakery products, groceries, meat, fish, poultry, dry goods, clothing, sporting goods, notions, drugs, jewelry, soft drinks, nurseries, flowers, furniture and real estate or any other goods, wares or merchandise of any kind or description and not otherwise specifically licensed by this chapter, for each place of business operated;
(3) Large scale industrial business. All businesses dealing with the manufacturing, processing, fabrication of goods, electrical generating plants, coal loading and washing and storage facilities, refineries and other similar industries;
(4) Small scale industrial business. All rendering and packing plants, wrecking and salvage, and other smaller scale industrial businesses;
(5) Professional businesses. All attorneys, auctioneers, insurance brokers, physicians, dentists, veterinarians, accountants, engineers, surveyors, morticians and all other professions not herein stated;
(6) Hospitals and medical clinics. All hospitals and medical clinics offering medical services;
(7) Recreational businesses. All billiard halls, bowling alleys, dance halls and studios, resorts, skating rinks, swimming pools, theaters, amusement centers, recreation centers, spas, hunting lodges, fishing camps and all other recreational businesses not herein stated;
(8) Rental storage business. All rental storage businesses including warehouses, storage buildings and cold storage units. The fee shall include a base fee, plus an assessment for each separate rental unit;
(9) Motels, hotels, mobile home parks and recreational vehicle courts. All motels, hotels, mobile home parks and recreational vehicle courts. The fee shall include a base fee plus an assessment for each separate rental unit;
(10) Apartment and board houses. All apartment houses (three apartments or more) and office buildings which rent or lease space;
(11) Equipment rental. All equipment rental businesses;
(12) Financial businesses. All banks, savings and loan, credit unions and the like and all other financial businesses not herein stated;
(13) Service related businesses and trades. All repair and service facilities, dry cleaning, delivery, dog kennels, printing, junk collecting, laundry supply, barbers, beauty parlors, taxis, welding, upholstery, vulcanizing, garbage collection and all other services;
(14) Contractors. All general contractors and contractors for plumbing, heating and air conditioning, electrical, carpentry, painting, cement, road surfacing, grading and all other contractors not herein stated;
(15) Trucking businesses. All trucking businesses related to oil hauling, motor freight and other trucking not herein listed. The fee shall include a base fee, plus an assessment for each separate transport vehicle;
(16) Mining and oil and gas. All mining, oil and gas exploration, drilling projects and other mines not herein stated;
(17) Small scale mining operations. Small scale sand and gravel operations;
(18) Home businesses. All businesses conducted solely within the confines of the home of the operator. Home businesses shall consist of craft assembly, seamstress and alterations, book-keeping, word processing, proofreading, scrap booking, genealogical research, pet grooming, custom cake decoration, dance instruction, gift baskets, medical transcription and all other similar services not herein stated; and
(19) Itinerant merchant. An itinerant merchant shall be identified as any person, whether a resident of the county or not, who engages in a temporary business activity located within the unincorporated limits of the county selling and/or delivering goods, wares or services or who conducts meetings open to the general public where franchises, distributorships, contracts or business opportunities, goods, wares or services are offered to the public during the course of, or any time within, six months after a lecture or public meeting pertaining to such items. Each person obtaining a license shall first show proof of landowner permission for the use of the site on which the temporary use will be undertaken.
(C) Whenever more than one business, trade, profession, calling or occupation is being carried on by one licensee under one roof, the licensee is required to apply for a business license for each business, trade, profession, calling or occupation. Multiple business activities will be defined and delineated by the entity numbers issued by the state’s Department of Commerce.
(D) Any person whose only business activity in the county is the delivery in the county of a service or merchandise sold or provided by him or her and whose regular place of business is maintained by him or her outside of the unincorporated county limits shall procure a business license based upon the category corresponding to his or her principle business activity.
(E) It is unlawful for any person to engage in the business of an itinerant merchant without first having procured a license from the county’s Licensing Department. All itinerant merchant licenses shall expire 120 days after the date of issuance thereof.
(F) No license fee shall be required by the county for any business that already has a current and valid license issued by a city or municipality within the county.
(Ord. 2020-10-A, passed 12-15-2020) Penalty, see § 110.999