Business Licenses and Permits

The James City County Board of Supervisors could re-examine business license rates after receiving complaints about unfairly high taxes and because some view the existing rules as outdated.

Business owners in the Virginia county must apply for a Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL), paying the highest tax rate if they earn more than $100,000 a year in gross receipts, the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily reported.

Those earning less than $100,000 a year do not have to differentiate between types of business fees such as professional services, personal services, retail, contractors and utilities.

However, high earners must differentiate their type of business, leading one local dentist to complain that he pays too much for his license.

The tax rate limits were set in the county in 1978 and chairman of the Board of Supervisors Mary Jones suggested that the rates should be looked at again.

According to the news provider, Ms. Jones cited a recent survey that said businesses claimed one of the major disadvantages to working in the county was the cost of the business license.

Tags: business licenses, business permits, licenses, permits