License Department

License Department

BUSINESS LICENSE

The Clerk’s Office issues approximately 15,000 business licenses each year. These licenses include:

Trader’s (Retail Stores, Wholesale Car Dealers, and Chain Stores)
Construction (New Homes and Commercial Buildings)
Garages
Junk Dealers
Laundry/Dry Cleaners
Plumbers and Gas Fitters
Storage Warehouses
Trade Shows (3 or more)
Vending Machines
Video, Pinball Games, and Music Boxes
Cigarettes
Coin Operated Billiard Tables

Basic Steps in Obtaining or Renewing Business Licenses

Before applying for a business license

Any new business in Montgomery County must complete the following steps before its license is issued.

Register your business and establish the legal entity with the Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation (www.dat.state.md.us; phone: (410) 767-1340).
Click here for downloading instructions and forms required for creating or starting a new business in Maryland (Department of Assessments & Taxation).
Obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf).
File your combined registration form with the Comptroller of the Treasury to establish your tax accounts. Click here for filing the form on-line (Maryland Comptroller’s Office).
Register the trade name of your business with the Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation.
Click here for downloading the instructions for trade name application and the form (Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation).
Learn about state and county licenses through the Business License Information System (www.BLIS.state.md.us).

Filing a business license application in the License Department

In order to get a business license in Montgomery County, the following information must be provided in person or by mail:

Trade Name (Optional if registered)
Corporation/Owner’s Name
Type of Business
Location address and/or mailing address of the Business
Federal Tax ID or Social Security Number
Worker’s Compensation Number
Amount of Inventory

Click the links below to download a business license application form

Business License Application – English (Word, PDF)
Business License Application – Spanish (Word, PDF)

File the application in person at the License Department or mail it to:

Montgomery Court License Department
50 Maryland Avenue, Room 111
Rockville, MD 20850
Tel: 240-777-9460
Fax: 240-777-9451

Only the owner, officer, or partner can sign the business license if it is a corporation. If there are no employees, the owner also signs in the designated area. The License Department cannot process unsigned applications, and they will be returned.

License Renewal

All licenses expire on April 30th regardless of when during the year it was purchased. All renewal licenses are effective on May 1st. The license cost is prorated in most cases if you start your business at a different time of the year.

Displaying a License

Please be sure to display the license, not the application, in plain view. Failure to do so may result in fines and/or penalties.

Maryland Laws Concerning Business Licenses

Click here for Maryland laws concerning business licensing, including license fees (Maryland Codes, Title 17. Miscellaneous State Business Licenses and Title 16. Cigarette Licenses) ( Maryland State Law Library). See below for specific Maryland Codes relevant to each licensing:

Traders: Subtitle 18. Traders and Chain Stores, §17-1801–16.

Cigarettes: Title 16. Cigarette Licenses, §16-101–508

Construction (new homes and commercial construction only): Subtitle 6. Construction, §17-601–03.

Vending Machines: Subtitle 19. Vending Machines, §17-1901–07.

Dry Cleaners: Subtitle 11. Cry Cleaners, §17-1101–03.

Plumbers: Subtitle 15. Plumbers and Gas Fitters, §17-1501–04.

Storage Warehouses: Subtitle 12. Storage Warehouses, §17-1201–04.

Garages: Subtitle 8. Garages, §17-801–03.

Additional Information Regarding Business Licenses:

Maryland Business Licenses Online (Maryland Judiciary)

Montgomery County Permit and License Information (Maryland Business License Information System)

Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing (Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation)