Business Licenses

Any business, including a home based business, that is located in, or performs work in the City of Hardeeville is required by the Business License Ordinance Section 11-15 through 11-43 to purchase a business license each year. The annual licenses are valid from January 1^st through December 31^st each year. Renewals are due by April 15^th of each year to avoid penalties and collection procedures. Temporary one-time licenses are issued when appropriate and are valid only for the event or job for which they are issued.

2010 has brought about some changes in business licensing. The Business License Ordinance has been updated to be in accordance with the current State and Federal laws. With that also came the adoption of the 2007 National American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes. These codes are derived from National IRS statistics and determine what rate class your business falls under. We have also revised the Business License Rate/Fee Schedule. If you need assistance in determining which rate class you fall under or have any questions regarding all of these changes, please contact the Business License Department at (843) 784-2231.

Renewals – The deadline for renewals is April 15^th!

It is time to renew your City of Hardeeville Business License. We have revised the application and added a calculation table for applicants to do on their own. This will eliminate the need to invoice the applicant which will speed up the process. You will now be able to send in your payment directly with your application. All applicants will be required to provide their actual 2009 gross receipts as reported on your tax returns.

If your business has closed or you are not doing business in the City of Hardeeville, you will still need to fill out a renewal application indicating the date your business closed, your gross receipts for the previous year, as well as a letter stating that your business is closed or you no longer plan to do business within the city limits. This information is needed to close out your account or else it will remain delinquent and may be subject to penalties until resolved.

New Business Requirements

When opening a business within the City of Hardeeville, there are several approvals and forms which are required. An owner or authorized representative will be required to fill out the necessary documents and have them approved by the appropriate City of Hardeeville departments.

All applications for a Business License must be approved by the Planning, Building and Fire Department before issuance of the Business License. All buildings must meet building code and fire safety requirements. Building permits are required for any renovations or changes.

Any change in ownership or physical address requires written notification to the Business License Department. These changes will require Planning Department approval and inspections by the Building and Fire Department.

Applications must be accompanied by the following:

A. Completed business license application.

B. Copy of (current) SC State License, if applicable (803-896-4300)

C. Copy of SC retail sales tax license, if applicable (843-896-1350)

D. If this is a one-time or Project License; you will need to provide a copy of contract.

E. Sub-contractor list (if you are using any subs, they are required to have a current City of Hardeeville business license before they can begin work for you).

F. City of Hardeeville permits or inspection reports (843-784-2231)

G. DHEC approval, if applicable (843-726-7792)

Links to State resources