Business Licenses and Permits

A bill has been in the works for the past three years in Utah that would require local governments to verify the citizenship of business license applicants.  Much like similar laws in Arizona and Georgia, the bill would require local governments to use the federal E-Verify system to verify whether or not applicants are legal residents of the U.S.  The bill has passed the House, but has been put on hold by the state Senate.

As attempts for a state wide law stall, some City Council members in West Valley City, Utah are considering enacting a similar city ordinance.  Reaction to this possible ordinance has been mixed.  Some fear that such a law will drive business out of the city or cause businesses to operate without a business license.  Indeed, as citizenship verification seems to be the wave of the future, implementing laws at the local level may not be the best solution.  Local laws can vary from place to place which can cause difficulty for businesses with more than one location.  It will be interesting to see how these issues resolve in Utah.

Amy Lee, Business License Research Analyst, Corporation Service Company

Tags: business license, immigration, Utah