Business Licenses & Fees

There are three types of business licensing in the City of Maysville -- occupational license, employer's quarterly license fee withheld, and alcoholic beverage licensing. See the FAQs below for more information.

Business Licensing FAQs

How do I apply for a business license or payroll withholding?
Who should I contact if I have questions regarding licensing?
For questions regarding business license applications, gross receipts license fee returns, and employer's quarterly license fee withheld, contact either: 

For questions regarding alcoholic beverage licensing contact:
Is an occupational license the same thing as a business license?
The term "occupational license" can be confusing because it is used to refer to two different things under Kentucky statute. One refers to a fee that a business pays for the privilege of operating in a jurisdiction. The other is a fee paid by employees to the jurisdiction.

For the sake of clarity, we will use occupational license and business license interchangeably, and the other we will refer to as employers quarterly license fee withheld.
What do I need to know about occupational licenses?
Any individual or enterprise operating for profit within the city limits of Maysville is required to obtain an Occupational License. A license must be obtained prior to starting a new business, when a change of ownership occurs, and at renewal annually.

New and change of ownership applicants are requested to complete an Occupational License and Payroll Tax Application Form to be submitted with the initial fee of $75.

A Gross Receipts License Fee Tax Return must be submitted with all annual business license renewals in compliance with Occupational Tax Ordinance.
When is a occupational license due for renewal?
Renewals are due on the 15th day of the fourth month after the close of a business' fiscal year. 

For businesses whose fiscal year ends in December, that means that the Gross Receipts License Fee Return is due on April 15th. For this reason, many businesses have their tax preparer do their Gross Receipt License Fee Return along with state and federal returns.
What do I need to know about the employer's quarterly license fee withheld?
Any individual working as an employee within the city limits of Maysville has assessed a license fee of 1.99% of gross wages. License fees are to be withheld from the employee by the employer and remitted to the City of Maysville on a quarterly basis. Quarterly fee payments are due within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter.

Federal agencies like the Social Security Administration and US Postal Service do not withhold quarterly fees from employee wages. Employees of these agencies are responsible for setting up and account with the City and submitting those fees themselves.
Where can I find information on alcoholic beverage licensing?
What is transient room tax and how do I pay it?
Any business with short-term rentals of rooms, cabins, suites, camping sites or other accomodations are required to submit transient room taxes. For more information, click here.

To pay transient room tax online, click here.