(A) Requirement established. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a business within the city without having first obtained a certificate of registration, unless the business is already licensed pursuant to Chapter 29 of the City Code.
(B) Registration form. In order to register, the owner or operator of a business shall submit registration information on a form prepared by the City Clerk which may require that full identification information be provided for owners and operators, including dates of birth and driver license numbers. The information on the registration form shall be true and accurate. The business and the person signing the form shall be responsible for the accuracy of the information.
(C) Fees. Fees for registration shall be set by the City Council in the annual appropriations ordinance. There shall be no fee for renewal of registration.
(D) Prohibition. No certificate of registration shall be issued by the City Clerk until a certificate of occupancy has been issued, nor shall a certificate be issued if the existing or proposed business is illegal or not permitted under any law or ordinance.
(E) Issuance. After the filing of a fully completed registration form, the City Clerk shall issue a certificate of registration.
(F) Duration. The certificate of registration shall be effective until the following April 30.
(G) Renewals. By April 1 of each year, the City Clerk shall send each holder of a certificate of registration a copy of the filled in registration form for the previous year, and each business shall return it by April 30 of each year with a signed statement the information has not changed and is correct as of that date or with the addition of any information necessary to correct the registration form.
(1) Issuance of a sticker. Upon receipt of the form, and upon determining compliance with the requirements of this article, the City Clerk shall issue a sticker indicating registration for the current year, which shall be affixed to the certificate of registration by the business.
(2) Issuance of a new certificate. If there is a necessity of the issuance of a new certificate due to a name change or other reason, the City Clerk shall issue a new certificate of registration.
(H) Transfer. No certificate of registration may be transferred by the holder to any other person or entity.
(I) Inspection. The City Clerk or his or her agent shall have the right of inspection of the premises to assure compliance with this article, either before or after the issuance of a certificate of registration.
(J) Display. The certificate of registration shall be prominently displayed in the place of business.
(1978 Code, § 8.2-4; Ord. No. 270, § 1, 7-19-88; Ord. No. 270-A, § 1, 10-4-88; Ord. No. 270-B, § 1, 10-19-93; Ord. No. 388, § 6, 1-3-07; Ord. No. 471, § 3, 8-5-20)
Penalty, see § 1-9