Deadline to renew business licenses coming in July | Business

MECKLENBURG COUNTY - There are more than 50,000 businesses in Mecklenburg County and most are required to have a local “privilege license,” also known as a business license. All business licenses in Mecklenburg County expire on June 30, 2011.

The Mecklenburg County Tax Collector is preparing to mail notices to these businesses to remind them to renew their privilege licenses, which are due on or before July 1, 2011 to avoid penalties.

Any business operating in Mecklenburg County may be required to obtain a business license. That includes businesses that are home-based, sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, full-time or part-time. Taxes vary depending on the type and size of the business. In most cases, the license tax is based on the amount of gross receipts from the preceding tax year.

New businesses and/or businesses that have not been in business 12 months must provide their projected gross sales for the coming year. The tax rate for businesses that pay based on gross receipts is $0.60 per $1,000 with a minimum tax of $50 and a maximum tax of $10,000.

Business taxpayers can now pay their tax via the new online payment system . Until recently, payments for privilege/business licenses, beer and wine licenses, taxi cab licenses, prepared food and beverage taxes, room occupancy taxes, vehicle rental taxes, u-drive-it taxes, heavy equipment taxes, and yard sale licenses were only payable by mail or in person.

BEER AND WINE: Businesses with beer/wine licenses are reminded that renewals were due May 1, 2011. Any business that operates without a local beer/wine license runs the risk of losing its ABC permit and may face enforced collection action.

The Tax Collector urges any business operating without a license to contact the Mecklenburg County Business Tax Collections unit immediately. New privilege license accounts must be applied for in person or through the mail. Collectors are prepared to walk business owners through the process of obtaining a license to ensure that they are compliant with all tax laws and ordinances.

For more information:

• Pay your business taxes online at paytax.charmeck.org.
• E-mail inquiries to: TaxBiz@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov
• Dial 311 if calling within Mecklenburg County and 704-336-6315 if calling outside Mecklenburg County.
• Visit the Business Tax Collections unit, Hal Marshall County Services Center, 700 North Tryon Street, Charlotte.