Business License Information
The Thomas Dorsey Building
9250 Bendix Road
Columbia, MD 21045
Telephone: 410-313-5850
The license year runs from May 1st through the following April 30th.
Business License Requirements
The License Department at the Circuit Court for Howard County issues State of Maryland Traders Licenses for businesses located in Howard County. The hours to obtain a license from the Clerk of Court is 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Applicants must register with the Central Registration Division of the Comptroller’s Office before they apply for a business license at www.marylandtaxes.com. After accessing the web site, Applicants then click on the Combined Registration Application link.
The first step is applying for your license at the Office of the Clerk, License Department. It is no longer necessary to visit other offices, i.e., Assessments & Taxation, Finance Office and Planning & Zoning after the business application is made as approvals are given over the telephone unless the Clerk’s Office cannot contact these offices or any of these offices need to speak with the Applicant directly. The other offices are located within 5 miles of the Thomas Dorsey Building.
To complete the business license application, in addition to the Sales & Use Tax number and the amount of inventory in dollars (see chart below), the Applicant will need the following information: (1) full name of corporation or sole proprietor; (2) full location address and mailing address, if different; (3) EIN # (Federal Identification number) [if corporation] or Social Security number; (4) telephone number; and (5) workers’ compensation number (for those who are employers).
If the Applicant has a REGISTERED Trade Name (or fictitious name), this information must be on the application as well and the Applicant must have registered the trade name (or ficticious name) with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation http://www.dat.state.md.us or (410-767-1340).
Type of Payment
The Clerk’s Office can only accept cash or checks.
 On-Line Business Applications
A new on-line public access web site http://www.courts.state.md.us/license allows a search of the licensing system of the Maryland Judiciary for issued licenses as well as provide you with the ability to apply for a Maryland business license.
After registering with the Central Registration Division of the Comptroller’s Office, Applicants can then apply on-line to obtain the business license at http://www.courts.state.md.us/license. To apply on-line, Applicants must provide an e-mail address on the application so that the Clerk’s Office may contact the Applicant for approvals or denials. This does not include renewals as applications for renewals must be done in person or by mail.
The exact use for the business license is required on the application under the field entitled “Type of Business” for approval by the Planning & Zoning Office.
Any missing information on the business license application will delay the approval process.
Licenses available are:
Traders
Construction
Restaurant
Plumber & Gas Fitter
Billiard
Vending Machines
Cigarette and Special Retail Cigarette
Cleaning, Dying, Pressing & Laundry
Music Box
Storage Warehouse
If you have more than one business location, you are considered a chain store.
Traders license fee is based on the wholesale value of your retail inventory. Please refer to the following chart for the fees. All licenses include a $2.00 issuing fee for each type of license.
Trader's
License Fees -
All Counties Excluding Baltimore City |
| INVENTORY
AMOUNT |
FEE |
| 0 |
to |
1,000 |
15 |
| 1,001 |
to |
1,500 |
18 |
| 1,501 |
to |
2,500 |
20 |
| 2,501 |
to |
4,000 |
25 |
| 4,001 |
to |
6,000 |
30 |
| 6,001 |
to |
8,000 |
40 |
| 8,001 |
to |
10,000 |
50 |
| 10,001 |
to |
15,000 |
65 |
| 15,001 |
to |
20,000 |
80 |
| 20,001 |
to |
30,000 |
100 |
| 30,001 |
to |
40,000 |
125 |
| 40,001 |
to |
50,000 |
150 |
| 50,001 |
to |
75,000 |
200 |
| 75,001 |
to |
100,000 |
250 |
| 100,001 |
to |
150,000 |
300 |
| 150,001 |
to |
200,000 |
350 |
| 200,001 |
to |
300,000 |
400 |
| 300,001 |
to |
400,000 |
500 |
| 400,001 |
to |
500,000 |
600 |
| 500,001 |
to |
750,000 |
750 |
| 750,001 and over |
800 |
A contractor
or subcontractor who holds a license under the Maryland Home Improvement
Law is not required to hold a construction license issued by the Clerk
of the Circuit Court.
The
following web sites offer additional information on business licenses
and opening a Maryland business:
Business
License Information System (BLIS) - includes startup information
and an alphabetized list of all State licenses and permits.
Comptroller
of Maryland - Business Information Services - includes tax information,
business license information, and a Business Owner's Toolkit
|
