Business License Renewal Notice
Business Licenses
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Vendor Permit Application
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Business Information Forms
General Information on Town of Santee Business Licenses
A valid business location is required for all new businesses located in the Town of Santee. Every person engaged or intending to engage in any calling, business, occupation or profession in whole or in part within the limits of the Town of Santee is required to pay an annual license tax for the privilege of doing business and obtain a business license. A separate license is required for each kind of business and for separate locations. All new business license applicants are required to show proof of identification.
You must display your business license in a visible place so that citizens can see your license. If you are a contractor and have a mobile business, you must have a copy of your license with you while working.
If you move your business to a different location or change your business name or address, you must report changes within then (10) days to the License Official. You must also notify the SC Department of Revenue and obtain a new State Retail Tax License. You can notify them at www.scbos.com or call them at 803.896.4300.
If you close or sell your business, your Town of Santee Business License must be closed out within thirty (30) days. You will need to close out your Town of Santee Business License before the new owner opens for business. Remember, if you are planning on even relocating out of the Town Limits, this also means that you will need to close out your Town of Santee Business License. You also need to close your State Retail Tax License www.sctax.org or www.scbos.com or call them at 803.896.4300.
All licenses expire each June 30 and are up for renewal. You must renew your license by June 15th to avoid penalty of 5% per month or portion thereof. You can be fined starting at $500.00 if you do not have the appropriate and valid license(s). If you have been open for over ten days without a valid license, penalties can and will be charged. All taxes or other fees due to the Town at the time of renewal must be paid prior to renewing your Town of Santee Business License.
You may be subject to income verification on your renewal. We have the authority to request a copy of your federal income tax return at any time to verity your gross receipts. Please make sure that you accurately report your gross . If an audit is performed, this may cause a delay in processing.
If you sell food that is not pre-packaged and ready for immediate consumption you will need to submit monthly to the Town of Santee your hospitality tax that you would collect from your customers (2% extra tax added to their bills) If you have a hotel, motel, campground, or boarding home that houses transients less than 90 days at a time, you must also submit monthly your accommodations tax to us. You would collect this extra 3% tax on their bill and remit to the Town by the 20th of the following month. Penalties of 5% apply for late payments.
If you are in retail sales, you may need a South Carolina Retail Tax License; you can obtain one from the County Administration Building every Wednesday morning or you can get information online at www.scbos.com.
If you are a contractor, all subcontractors you or someone else hires, must be licensed with the Town of Santee as well. This means anyone you give a 1099 to must be licensed with the Town. You are responsible for notifying your subs of their responsibilities or notifying the Town Clerk/Treasurer of who the subs are so that they can be properly licensed to do business in the Town of Santee. Contractors can look up sub-contractors on the Internet to see if they are licensed with the State at www.llr.state.sc.us.
If you have coin-operated machines in your business and you collect the money, you must have a license for these machines. You will be given a sticker to attach to your machine(s) for licensing purposes. If you do not collect the money, please contact our office with the company name so that they can be properly licensed. All unlicensed coin operated machines are subject to penalty as well.
If you are planning on opening a car lot of any sort, you must also bring in your dealer's license before a Town of Santee license is issued.
If you are a barber or cosmetologist, you must bring in your State license from LLR before a Town of Santee license is issued.
If your business is located in a residential district or possibly otherwise commercial, you may need to be approved by Zoning and meet other requirements BEFORE you open your business, 803.854.2152 ext.204. If you hire anyone to do work in your business (remodeling, security, painting, lawn maintenance, plumbing, electrical, etc.), they must have a Town of Santee Business License as you do. You may call us to check the status of a license if you plan on hiring someone for a job at 803.854.2152 ext. 201.
A restaurant, grocery store, or business that handles food is required to obtain approval from the Health Department, 803.533.9060.
The ABC licensing department is located at 301 Gervais Street in Columbia, 803.734.0470. You will need to obtain a permit from them if you are planning to serve alcoholic beverages according to State law.
If you have any questions regarding Town of Santee Business Licenses, please call the Clerk/Treasurer at 803.854.2152 ext. 201.
All signs must be approved by the Zoning Department prior to display. Signs are not permitted in the public right of way including utility poles. Any signs in the right of way will be removed. If you have any questions, please call the Zoning Administrator at 803.854.2152 ext. 204.