Business Tax Application
Before doing business in St. Petersburg, you will need a Business Tax Certificate Receipt (Formerly "Occupational License Tax"). This is an annual business tax for all businesses, professionals, independent contractors and individuals who accept compensation for merchandise or services who are located in the city limits of St. Petersburg.
A good place to start is the Business Tax Division. 727-893-7241. This office is an agency of the city of St. Petersburg's Billing and Collections Department and provides Business certificate receipts for more than 400 business classifications. These classifications have different requirements, as well as different costs.
- If you are a contractor and wish to pull permits in St. Petersburg, you will need to register your business with the Construction Services and Permitting Department 727-893-7231.
- If you do work on a structure, or any repairs, additions or alterations to a structure, Licenses/registration are first required from the State of Florida and/or Pinellas County.
Business Location
If your business is located inside the city of St. Petersburg, you are required to possess a city of St. Petersburg Business Tax Certificate Receipt .
Your first step should be to determine whether or not your business is located within the city limits of St. Petersburg, which can be done through the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's Office. You may also call them at (727) 582-7652. If the answer is "yes", then you will need a city of St. Petersburg Business Tax Certificate Receipt .
Exceptions: A St. Petersburg Business Tax Certificate Receipt is required for the following business activities regardless of the business address: mobile and temporary businesses, vehicles for hire and insurance companies.
Commercial Locations
A certificate of occupancy from the Construction and Permitting Department may be required. Please contact them at 727-893-7231.
Peddlers / Mobile Vending Vehicles
(ex. Ice Cream Trucks, Meat Trucks etc.) A permit from our police department is required if you wish to peddle by selling merchandise / products as you go door-to-door or business-to-business, you are required to obtain our Business Tax Certificate Receipt. For more details view the Solicitor / Peddler / Canvasser application that contains further instructions.
Applications and Related Forms:
- Application - Commercial Locations
- Application - Handy Person Type Service
- Application - Independent Contractor
- Application - Independent Contractor-Instructor
- Application - Home Occupation
- Application - Fortune Teller
- Application - Solicitor - Peddler - Mobile Vending - Canvasser
- Application - Private Instructor (Recreation Centers)
- Application - Apartment Rental Units (Four Or Less)
- Application - Apartment Rental Units (Five Or More)
- Affidavit of Business Tax Certificate: Lost or Unavailable
- War Veteran Exemption Form
- Exempt By Statute, Exemption Form
- Exemption Form - 65+yrs / Handicapped / Legally Blind
- Exempt by Low Income
- Inventory Affidavit Form
- New Ownership Affidavit
- Out of Business Affidavit Worksheet
- Out of Business and Re-opening Affidavit Worksheet
- Business Tax Calculator - Multi Employee Worksheet
- Business Information Sheet
- State Statute
Chapter 205 ( flsenate.gov/Statutes) - BTX City Code
Municode Chapter 17 - Article IV - Local Business Taxes
- Ordinance - Nitrogen and/or Phosphorus Fertilizers
