General Information and Instructions
STEP 1: STATE REGISTRATIONS
BUSINESS NAME REGISTRATION
All businesses in Utah are required to register with the Utah Department of Commerce. This is required so that a comprehensive state registry of all businesses and corporate information is available for public reference and to maintain an orderly legal system and marketplace. Please visit the Utah State Department of Commerce website to register your business or you can call their office at 801-530-6701. This process can take 4 to 6 weeks by mail or can be done immediately in person or online. Please do this before applying to the city for a city license.
SALES TAX
In Utah, sales tax is generally charged on sales of tangibles, or services to tangible, personal property items. If your business will be collecting sales tax (selling or reselling products to consumers) you will need to get a sales tax number from the Utah State Tax Commission. For more information, call 801-297-2200. If you need a temporary sales tax number (for a temporary businesses) you can call the Department of Commerce Special Events Collection Division at 801-297-6303. Please do this before applying to the city for a license. If you have another STC number with a different City, please contact the Tax Commission to have them add Farmington to your account (Location code: 06017).
STEP 2: BUSINESS LICENSE APPLICATION
COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES
If locating in a commercial space, fill out a General Commercial License Application and pay the appropriate fees (determined by square footage on the application itself) to obtain a license. All business licenses expire December 31st of every year.
If you are selling beer or alcohol, please note that the license will not be issued until the State of Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) has reviewed and completed their review. If you need a local consent, please send the document to Carly Rowe via your application portal.
MOBILE BUSINESSES
Any Mobile Business such as mobile Food Trucks, CPR training, vehicle detailing, etc., must fill out a Mobile Business Application, pay the fee and have a current health inspection and fire inspection. Not having this information will delay the issuance of your license.
Note: If you are a MOBILE FOOD TRUCK from another city, please fill out the same Mobile Business Application above. There is no fee, please upload your current City business license, health inspection & fire inspection to your application portal.
SOLICITORS – BUSINESSES/INDIVIDUALS
Door-to-door salespeople, or solicitors, must have a “Solicitors License” in order to sell door-to-door. The Solicitor License Application shall be applied for the business itself and each solicitor associated in the area.
Each applicant must upload the following, when applying:
- Proof of Valid Identification (driver’s license, passport or valid US uniformed service identification card)
- Proof of registration with the Utah State Department of Commerce (if applicable)
- BCI background check
- Digital photograph taken within the last year (please note that this photo will be on your badge)
No application will be reviewed if the above is not received. Applications and badges can take up to 7 business days to review and issue. The Business License Official will call you to come pick up the badge from City Hall when it is complete.
Solicitors must wear their badge at them at all times and may not knock on doors of those with signs that read “no soliciting” per Farmington City Municipal Code. Soliciting hours are listed in the City Municipal Code for reference as well.
TEMPORARY BUSINESSES
A Temporary Business Application is required for businesses who will operate in the City for no longer than 6 months, this can include but is not limited to seasonal shops (Halloween stores), trade show vendors, snow cone shacks, etc. For this license, a temporary sales tax number is required, you can call the Department of Commerce Special Events Collection Division at 801-297-6303. Please do this before applying to the city for a license.
HOME OCCUPATIONS
Most Home Occupation businesses are currently not required to obtain a Farmington City business license. However, a business license certificate can be obtained as long as a processing fee is paid with the business license application.
A Home Occupation must be conducted entirely within your home and should not change the residential nature of the property. The owner of the home business must reside in the dwelling and may not have employees who do not live with them. No more than 25% of the floor area of a dwelling may be devoted to a home occupation and/or storage of materials, equipment, stock, etc.
Those who desire to operate at more than 25% of the dwelling for a Home Occupation or may require outside storage, use of an accessory building, or exclusive use of an attached garage must fill out a “Conditional Use Permit Application” as part of the business license application to be placed on the agenda for Planning Commission consideration.
If you are unsure if you would need a Conditional Use Permit or not, please contact our Business License Official. (Note: All in-home daycares and preschools require a license. This use has a separate application and additional guidelines that must be followed).
*There are some benefits to obtaining a home business license from the city. Some companies, wholesale dealers, or banks require that a license be obtained. A licensed business may also be separate from your personal taxes and as such business taxes are filed separately. This gives you the opportunity to deduct certain things for your business (including the processing fee) that you would not be able to through your personal tax return. Licensing your business also gives you the opportunity to participate in associations where networking can be of benefit to building professional relationships, however many require that you be licensed; including the Better Business Bureau.
New Business Applications
Renewal Information
RENEWAL INFORMATION
All renewals are sent via Civic Review approximately 45 days before the expiration. Please contact our office if you have not received your renewal information or if you are wishing to close your business.
Door-to-door Soliciting in Farmington City
SOLICITORS MUST have a badge on their person (not left in the car) with their picture ID and Farmington City Logo. If they do not have or cannot produce this badge, then they are in violation and you can call the police at 801-451-5453.
Here are excerpts from the governing code for Farmington City:
SOLICIT, SOLICITED, SOLICITING OR SOLICITATION: Any of the following activities engaged in with a resident at his or her place of residence:
- Seeking to obtain orders for the sale or exchange of services, goods, wares, merchandise or perishables of any kind, for any kind of remuneration or consideration, regardless of whether advance payment is sought;
- Seeking to obtain prospective customers to apply for or to purchase insurance, financial services, subscriptions to publications, or publications;
- Seeking to obtain contributions of money, services or anything of value for the benefit of any person, association, organization, corporation or program;
- Seeking to obtain orders or prospective customers for goods or services; and
- Seeking to obtain appointments or other opportunities to engage in any of the activities listed in subsections 1 through 5 of this definition.
H. Certain Solicitations Prohibited:
1. Attracting Attention When Signposted: It is a violation of this section for any solicitor to knock on the door, ring the doorbell, or in any other manner attempt to attract the attention of an occupant of a residence that bears a “No Soliciting” or similar sign or placard. It is a violation of this section for any solicitor through ruse, deception or concealment of a purpose to solicit, to take action calculated to secure an audience with the occupant of a residence that has posted a “No Soliciting” or similar sign or placard.
3. Failure To Depart: It is a violation of this section for any solicitor who is at any time asked by the resident to leave, to fail to immediately and peacefully depart. (Ord. 2014-38, 12-2-2014)
I. Time Of Day: It shall be unlawful for any person, whether a registered solicitor or not, to solicit any person at a residence before eight o’clock (8:00) A.M. or after nine o’clock (9:00) P.M. Mountain time on business days, or before nine o’clock (9:00) A.M. or after nine o’clock (9:00) P.M. Mountain time, on Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays, unless the solicitor has express prior permission from the resident to do so. (Ord. 2014-38, 12-2-2014; amd. 2016 Code)
Additional Information
Carly Rowe
Planning/Zoning, Recording and Code Enforcement Secretary
Business License Official
801-939-9215
crowe@farmington.utah.gov