Kentucky Business License

General Business License Requirements for Kentucky.
Business licenses are often required of business entities, regardless of their products and services. This page provides an overview of business license requirements in Kentucky.
Kentucky General Business Licenses
Kentucky Business License
Not required
General Business License licensure is not required on the State level in Kentucky.
Kentucky does not have a general business license at the state level, but local licenses are often required.
Local General Business Licenses
Ashland Business Privilege License
Agency: | City of Ashland Department of Finance (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $100 if applying in January, February, or March; $75 if applying in April, May, or June; $50 if applying in July, August, or September; and $25 if applying in October, November, or December. |
Notes: | The license fee can be paid online. |
Registration Renewal
Agency Fee: | $100 |
Due: | Annually by January 31. |
Notes: | The renewal fee can be paid online. |
Boone County Occupational License
Agency: | Boone County Occupational Licensing Department (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 application fee + license fee |
Registration Renewal
Due: | Annually by December 31. |
Campbell County Occupational License
Agency: | Campbell County Occupational License Office (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 for only Campbell County. There are additional fees for businesses operating in any of the cities listed on the application. |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | Varies by net profits. The minimum fee is $25 and the maximum is $610. |
Due: | Annually by April 15. |
City of Bowling Green Business Registration
Agency: | City of Bowling Green Office of Occupational License (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $50 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | No renewal application - file for a business certificate with the Worchester City Clerk. |
Agency Fee: | Fees depend on gross annual receipts |
Due: | Annually by April 15. |
City of Frankfort Business License
Agency: | City of Frankfort License Fee Division (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $60 |
Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Due: | Annually by February 28. |
Due Date Extension: | No longer than 6 months. |
Penalties: | If the time for filing a return is extended, the business entity or person shall pay, as part of the tax, an amount equal to 12% per annum simple interest on the tax shown due on the return, but not previously paid, from the time the tax was due until the return is actually filed and the tax paid to the city. A fraction of a month is counted as an entire month |
Notes: | The license is renewed once the the business files its taxes for the year. |
Required Attachments: |
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City of Murray Business License
Agency: | City of Murray Planning and Engineering Division (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | Fee determined by business type. See rate schedule. |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | Fee determined by business type. See rate schedule. |
Due: | Annually by May 31. |
City of Richmond Business License
Agency: | City of Richmond Finance Department (KY) |
Law: | Every person or business entity engaged in any business for profit and any person or business entity that is required to make a filing with the Internal Revenue Service or the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet shall be required to file and pay to the city an occupational license tax for the privilege of engaging in such activities within the city. See § 110.03 for more details. |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $50 |
Turnaround: | 3-5 business days |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
There is no renewal for this license; however, taxes have to be paid each year in full for the license to stay active and in good standing.
Danville Occupational License
Agency: | Danville Codes Enforcement Department - Business Licensing Section (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | 1.75% of annual net profits. |
Due: | Annually by April 15 or within 105 days of the end of your fiscal year. |
Franklin County Business License
Agency: | Franklin County Occupational Tax Office (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $40 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | 1% of annual net profit |
Due: | Annually by April 15 if the licensee has a December 31 fiscal year end. Otherwise renewal is due 105 days following the end of the fiscal year, sale, liquidation or transfer. |
Supplemental Reporting
Form: | |
Due: | By the last day of the month following the close of the calendar quarter. |
Georgetown/Scott County Occupational License
Initial Registration
Form: | BQ100 Business Registration Form/BQ100 Questionnaire for Occupational License |
Filing Method: | Mail, in-person, fax, or email to info@gscrevenue.com |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
Occupational licenses are automatically renewed each year when an entity files its taxes.
Hancock County Business License
Agency: | Hancock County Occupational Tax Office (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $10 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | 1.6% of annual net profits |
Due: | Annually by April 15, or within 105 days of fiscal year end if not using calendar year. |
Supplemental Reporting
Form: | |
Due: | By the last day of month following the quarterly period for which the withholding is made. |
Henderson County Occupational Tax License
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 |
Before you Apply: |
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Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 |
Due: | Annually by the end of each fiscal year. |
Henderson Occupational License Tax
Agency: | City of Henderson Occupational License Tax Division (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | Varies by net profit. Minimum fee are as follows:
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Due: | Annually by April 15. |
Jeffersontown Business License
Agency: | Jeffersontown Revenue Department (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $75 license fee + $1.95 convenience fee |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $75 license fee + $1.95 convenience fee |
Due: | Annually |
Kenton County Occupational License
Agency: | Kenton County Treasury's Office (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $225 for county wide or $25 per city |
Registration Renewal
Agency Fee: | $225 for county wide or $25 per city |
Due: | Annually by April 15. |
Laurel County General Business License
Agency: | Laurel County Occupational Tax Office (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
The business license is renewed automatically with the filing of the annual net profits license fee return.
Lexington Occupational License
Agency: | City of Lexington Revenue (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $25 occupancy fee + $100 license fee |
Registration Renewal
Agency Fee: | $100 |
Due: | Annually by April 15. |
Louisville Occupational License
Agency: | Louisville Revenue Commission (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | Varies by annual gross receipts. |
Due: | Annually by the 15th day of the 4th month following the entity's fiscal year-end. |
Mayfield Net Profit License
Agency: | City of Mayfield City Clerk (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | The fee depends on business income but there is a minimum fee of $100. |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | The fee depends on business income but there is a minimum fee of $100. |
Due: | Within 105 days after the close of the entity's fiscal year. For entities with a December 31 fiscal year-end, the due date is April 15. |
Paducah Business License
Agency: | City of Paducah Finance Department (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $35 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | Varies by annual gross receipts. The minimum fee is $35. |
Due: | Annually by April 15. Businesses with a fiscal year that is not based on the calendar year may file on the 15th day of the 4th month following their fiscal year end. |
Princeton Business License
Agency: | City of Princeton Finance Office (KY) |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $50 |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
Business licenses do not need to be renewed, however, net profit returns must be filed every year.
Supplemental Reporting
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | Vary by gross receipts. See form for details. |
Due: | Annually within 105 days after the end of the entity's fiscal year. |
Learn about general business licensing requirements in other states:
