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Having issues finding something? Our 311 Customer Service team has you covered! Please call 311 or 616.456.3000 during this time.
You are eligible if you have a valid driver's license and don't owe money to the City. We're unable to issue you a business license if you don't meet these requirements.
Collection within the City is restricted to specific times:
Three or more verified complaints of these types of violations could lead to revocation of your license:
Storage of waste in a residential district is prohibited. Any business with a residential address listed on the application must also submit a letter verifying that they will not be storing any materials at the residence.
You'll need liability insurance for $1,000,000 combined single limit that meets these conditions:
We'll ask you to upload a copy of the certificate of insurance in the online application. Don't have a copy? Don't worry. You can check the option to have your insurance agent send the certificate. Make sure to list the City of Grand Rapids on the policy as additionally insured, as well as adding the comment, "The City of Grand Rapids is additional insured".
You'll need to attach a completed Vehicle List(PDF) to your application. Use as many copies of the list as you need. Include all of this information about each vehicle in your list:
Have questions? Give us a call at the number listed in the Contact Us section of this page. There are many things that you need to do to apply for the license. We recommend reviewing the Solid Waste Haulers License Checklist(PDF) for more details.
There is a $443 application fee for new licenses. The fee for renewal applications is $193. Application fees are non-refundable.
We use a third party system called Citizen Access for business license applications. If this is your first time using this system, it's a good idea to learn How to Create a Citizen Access Account.
Your application might take some time. That's why we recommend that you gather all the required information first.
Fill out the PDF application and return it to us by mail or in person.
Make sure you have the appropriate payment ready. Refer to step 3 for accepted payment methods.
Our office hours are 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. We are out of the office on public holidays.
You can find our number in the Contact Us section of this page. We'll get you all the information you need to apply for your business license.
Visit us on the 2nd floor of City Hall. Our address is in the Contact Us section of this page. We'll get you an application and answer all of your questions about the process. Make sure you have your payment ready. You can see our accepted payment methods in step 3 above.
It takes us 5-10 business days to process applications. Keep in mind that it may take longer to process your application if we find that you need to make changes.
We'll call or email you to let you know that your license and vehicle decals are ready. You can either pick them up from the office or we'll mail it to you. Your license is valid through the season.
Make sure to display your license openly on the property where all customers can see. Apply your decals to all vehicles.
All licenses are good for one year from when they are issued. Make sure to note your expiration date so you renew your license on time next year.
Contact Us
Phone
616-456-3016
Fax
616-456-4607
Location
City Clerk's Office
300 Monroe Ave NW Second Floor
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Online Information
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