Business Licenses and Permits

Business license procedure in Ringgold, Georgia has failed to protect customers from being swindled.

As background checks are not required for those trying to obtain a business licenses in Ringgold, Greg Ratliff, who had previously been convicted of theft, was allowed to possess a license for a computer repair store in the city, the Times Free Press reported.

Customers at Fast Fix Computer Repair started complaining about the business in February 2011, leading to an investigation that caused Mr. Ratliff to leave town after trying to sell the business.

Police in the town believe that he was keeping thousands of dollars in computer equipment and not repairing it as he had been paid to do.

Mr. Ratliff now faces several theft-by-conversion charges, with more incidents being reported every day. A warrant has since been issued by the Ringgold police for his arrest.

Having a comprehensive business license procedure in place is vital to allow officials to keep track of local companies and entrepreneurs, in addition to vetting their suitability to operate within the city.

Tags: business license, business licenses, Georgia