Applying for a New Business License

Before applying for a Business License/Occupational Tax, please check your business address on the GIS Map to make sure you are in the unincorporated area of Douglas County.  Go to the link below and Select Search, Real Property Search, enter your address, double click on your address and scroll down to check the Tax District:

GIS Map

If the Tax District reflects "County", complete the Business Location Profile form below:

Business Location Profile Form

After the form is completed you can email it to: businesslicense@co.douglas.ga.us or you can mail or bring to:  

      Douglas County Courthouse
      Occupational Tax Dept.                                                
      8700 Hospital Dr., 1st Floor
      Douglasville, GA 30134

For Commercial Businesses, the approval process can take up to 15 days or longer if new construction.  For the In home offices, it can take 3 to 7 business days and for in home businesses, it can take longer depending on the decisions from other departments.

Once you are approved, Occupational Tax will notify you via email or phone.  Below are the items required once you are approved, but please do not submit the forms mentioned below until you are notified that you are approved:




In-Home


Complete the Business Packet from Occupational Tax.


Driver's License - must match your address. If you are a resident alien, you must also bring in a valid permanent resident card/employment authorization card


Utility Bill (gas, electric, water, phone, cable) with the correct name & address - If you do not have a utility bill in your name, your roommate, spouse, landlord, partner, or significant other may provide a copy of their utility bill and a notarized letter authorizing you to have a business at the location. (We can provide a template for this letter upon request.)


Commercial


Complete the Business Packet from Occupational Tax


Driver's License - If you are a resident alien, you must also bring in a valid permanent resident card/employment authorization card.


Copy of the signed lease or proof of ownership.




 For both In-Home and Commercial: If you are not going to name your business your legal name, you will need to obtain a Trade Name/DBA or Articles of Incorporation or documents for a Limited Liability Company (LLC) registered with the Georgia Secretary of State.

Registering a Trade Name/Fictitious Name/DBA

It is State Law for any business that is not operating under their legal name, but rather a fictitious/trade name and is not registered with the Georgia Secretary of State as an Incorporation, Limited Liability Company (LLC), etc., to register with the County where it will transact a majority of its business. This allows creditors and others the opportunity to learn the identity of the actual owner, since it will be the owner who is personally liable for the debts and obligations of the business. A Trade Name/DBA can be obtained at the Douglas County Clerk of Superior Court, 2nd floor, Judicial side, Douglas County Courthouse, 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville 30134, phone 770.920.7252.