1. Check your eligibility
To get a Going Out of Business License, make sure 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.
Unsure if you owe?
- Check if you owe court fees, property taxes or parking tickets. Call the Treasurer's Office at 616-456-3020
- Check if you owe taxes to the City. Call the Income Tax Department at 616-456-3415
Check before submitting your application to avoid long delays in processing your license.
2. Gather your information
The following information for ALL owners, partners or corporate officers:
- Name
- Address
- Last 4 digits of Social Security number
- Driver's license or State ID number
- Date of birth
- E-mail address
You'll also need an inventory list that includes the following:
- Itemized list of goods to be sold. The list must be sufficient for clear identification of the goods
- Separate list of goods purchased 60 days or less immediately prior to the date of the application
- Cost price of each item, name and address of the source, date of purchase and delivery date
- No goods may be added after the application is filed or after the sale has begun.
Have questions? Give us a call at the number listed in the Contact Us section of this page.
3. Have your payment ready
There is a $50 license application fee. Your license is good for 30 days. You can renew your license up to 2 times for the same $50 fee. Application fees are non-refundable.
4. Complete the online application
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.
5. We'll review your application
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 is ready. You can either pick it up from the office or we'll mail it to you.
Your license should be prominently displayed in the store.