Business Licenses

Business Professional, Occupational Licenses (BPOL)

Anyone who is conducting business within the town limits needs to obtain a business license from the Municipal Office. The first step is to fill out the Business License Application (PDF)and return it to the Municipal Office. A business license is good for one calendar year (January 1 - December 31). Business license taxes are due by March 1 of each year. The tax may be a flat tax or based upon a percentage of gross receipts. For first time applicants, a fee is paid on the initial application based on estimated gross receipts. When renewing the license the following year, a fee is paid based on the prior year's actual gross receipts. If there is a difference between the estimated gross receipts and the actual gross receipts, an adjustment will be made. All subsequent renewals will be based on the prior year's gross receipts.

Please note that if you are applying for a contractor's license, a workman's compensation form must be filled out and the town can fax that to the business. In addition, all businesses need to fill out an emergency contact information form for the Police Department to reference.

Taxes are as follows:

  • For contractors and persons constructing for their own account for sale, $0.10 per $100 of gross receipts
  • For retailers, $0.13 per $100 of gross receipts
  • For financial, real estate and professional services, $0.18 per $100 of gross receipts
  • For repair, personal and business services and all other businesses and occupations not specifically listed or exempted in this chapter or otherwise by law, $0.13 per $100 of gross receipts
  • For wholesalers, $0.05 per $100 of purchases
  • For carnivals, circuses, and speedways, $50 for each performance held in this jurisdiction, not to exceed $1,000 per year
  • For fortunetellers, clairvoyants, and practitioners of palmistry, $500 per year
  • For massage parlors, $500 per year
  • For itinerant merchants or peddlers of nonperishable goods - $250 per year plus $5 per day, not to exceed $500 per year; for itinerant merchants or peddlers of perishable goods - $50 per year
  • For photographers, $30 per year
  • For permanent coliseums, arenas or auditoriums having a maximum capacity in excess of 10,000 persons, open to the public, $1,000 per year
  • For savings and loan associations and credit unions, $50 per year
  • For direct sellers as defined in the Code of Virginia, § 58.1-3719.1 with total annual sales in excess of $4,000, $0.13 per $100 of total annual retail sales or $0.05 cents per $100 of total annual wholesale sales, whichever is applicable

Alcohol Tax

If a business engages in wholesaling or retailing beer and wine, the license tax is as follows:

  • Wholesale beer license. For each wholesale beer license, $75 per annum
  • Wholesale wine distributor's license. For each wholesale wine distributor's license, $50 per annum
  • Retail on-premises wine and beer license for hotel, etc. For each retail on-premises wine and beer license for a hotel, restaurant or club, $37.50 per annum
  • Retail off-premises wine and beer license. For each retail off-premises wine and beer license, $37.50 per annum
  • Retail on-premises beer license for hotel, etc. For each retail on-premises beer license for a hotel, restaurant or club, $25 per annum
  • Retail off-premises beer license. For retail off-premises beer license, $25 per annum

Every person holding mixed beverage restaurant or caterer's licenses for establishments located within town pays a license tax.

Persons operating restaurants, including restaurants located on premises of and operated by hotels or motels:

  • $100 per annum for each restaurant with a seating capacity at tables for 50 to 100 persons
  • $175 per annum for each restaurant with a seating capacity at tables for more than 100 but not more than 150 persons
  • $250 per annum for each restaurant with a seating capacity at tables for more than 150 persons
  • $250 per annum for each caterer
  • Mixed beverage special events licenses, $10 for each day of each event
  • A private, nonprofit club operating a restaurant located on the premises of such club, $175 per annum