City business licenses
Whether the largest US cities require a general business license — and where to apply. More cities coming.
| City | General license? | Base fee | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific permits by activity |
| Boston, MA | No | Varies | No general city business license; Business Certificate (DBA) required if operating under a name other than your legal name |
| Charlotte, NC | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific permits by activity |
| Chicago, IL | Yes | Varies | Limited Business License (most general retail sales and services); Regulated Business License for certain activities |
| Columbus, OH | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific licenses by activity from the License Section |
| Dallas, TX | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific permits by activity |
| Denver, CO | No | Varies | No general city business license; Denver sales/use tax license if making taxable sales, plus activity-specific licenses from Licensing and Consumer Protection |
| El Paso, TX | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific licenses by activity |
| Fort Worth, TX | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific permits by activity |
| Houston, TX | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific permits by activity |
| Indianapolis, IN | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific licenses by activity from Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) |
| Jacksonville, FL | Yes | Varies | Local Business Tax Receipt (LBTR) |
| Las Vegas, NV | Yes | Varies | City of Las Vegas Business License (general business; privilege licenses for certain activities) |
| Los Angeles, CA | Yes | Varies | Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC) |
| Nashville, TN | Yes | $30 | Business Tax License or Minimal Activity License (Davidson County Clerk) |
| New York, NY | No | Varies | No general city business license; industry-specific licenses from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and other city agencies |
| Oklahoma City, OK | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific licenses by activity |
| Philadelphia, PA | Yes | $0 | Commercial Activity License (CAL) |
| Phoenix, AZ | No | Varies | No general city business license; Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license if you have privilege (sales) or use tax liability, plus regulatory licenses for certain activities |
| San Antonio, TX | No | Varies | No general city business license; specific permits by activity |
| San Diego, CA | Yes | $34 | Business Tax Certificate |
| San Francisco, CA | Yes | $55 | Business Registration Certificate |
| San Jose, CA | Yes | Varies | Business Tax Certificate |
| Seattle, WA | Yes | $73 | Seattle Business License Tax Certificate |
| Washington, DC | Yes | $99 | Basic Business License (BBL) – General Business license category for most consulting, services, and general merchandise sales |