City business license guide
Last updated: April 30, 2026
Richmond, VA Business License Guide
Starting a business in Richmond usually means checking more than one office. The city license is only one layer. You may also need zoning approval, a certificate of occupancy, state tax registration, a trade name filing, a health permit, a fire permit, a sign permit, or a federal tax step.
This guide explains the main city, state, county, and federal checks for a business located in the City of Richmond, Virginia. It uses the city’s own terms, including Business, Professional and Occupational License tax, often called BPOL.
Bottom line
Yes. The City of Richmond says owners of businesses in the city must obtain a Richmond business license each year. The city handles this through the BPOL Tax process, and the City of Richmond Department of Finance Business Unit is the office to check.
Do not stop there. Richmond also says a business often needs zoning or occupancy approval before the local license can be issued. Home, storefront, restaurant, short-term rental, and mobile food businesses can have different steps.
Quick start: what to check first
- Make sure the address is inside the City of Richmond, not Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Richmond County, or another nearby locality.
- Check zoning before you sign a lease. Start with Richmond Zoning Administration and the city’s Online Permit Portal.
- Register or renew the city business account through the RVA Business Portal when the city process applies.
- Check state tax registration through Virginia Tax, especially if you sell taxable goods or services, hire workers, or owe other state taxes.
- Check whether your legal entity, fictitious name, or trade name needs a filing with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
Richmond business license facts box
| Local government | City of Richmond, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Main local requirement | Richmond business license tied to Business, Professional and Occupational License tax, or BPOL |
| City office | City of Richmond Department of Finance Business Unit |
| Portal | RVA Business Portal for BPOL and business tangible personal property filings |
| New business timing | The city says new businesses must obtain a license within 30 days of opening. |
| Zoning check | A Certificate of Zoning Compliance is typically needed for a business license, while some assembly uses use a Certificate of Occupancy path. |
| Good first question | “Is my exact use allowed at this exact address, and what city approval do I need before Finance issues the business license?” |
What does this mean for me?
If you are opening in Richmond, do not think of the license as one simple form. Think of it as a stack. The city wants to know who is operating, where the business is located, what the business does, and whether the location can legally be used for that activity.
A home-based online seller may have a lighter city path than a restaurant. A salon, contractor, food truck, short-term rental, or daycare may need more checks. A business with workers has more state and federal steps than a one-person service business.
Start with the address and activity.
City, county, state, and federal layers
Richmond business licensing is layered. One filing usually does not replace the others.
| Layer | What it may cover | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| City | Richmond business license, BPOL tax, business tangible personal property, zoning, occupancy, building, fire, signs, meals tax, transient occupancy tax | City of Richmond Finance, Planning and Development Review, Permits and Inspections, Fire, and RVA 311 |
| County or nearby locality | Only applies if your business address or activity is outside the City of Richmond | The county or city where the business is actually located |
| State | Virginia tax accounts, entity filings, fictitious names, employer accounts, professional licenses, food permits | Virginia Tax, Virginia SCC, Virginia Employment Commission, state boards, Virginia Department of Health |
| Federal | EIN, federal taxes, federal permits for regulated activities, certain ownership-reporting rules | IRS, SBA agency list, FinCEN, and any federal regulator for your activity |
| Private platform | Marketplace, delivery app, payment processor, lease, insurance, or lender rules | Your platform, landlord, insurer, bank, or processor |
For a plain-English state overview, use our Virginia business license guide. For the difference between legal entities, DBAs, seller’s permits, and local licenses, see business license vs LLC vs DBA vs seller’s permit.
Richmond business license and BPOL
The City of Richmond calls the local tax process BPOL, which stands for Business, Professional and Occupational License. Its BPOL Tax page says city business owners must obtain a Richmond business license annually.
The city’s 2026 update says Richmond doubled the BPOL tax threshold from $250,000 to $500,000 starting January 1, 2026. It also says businesses with gross receipts between $5,000 and $500,000 pay a $30 flat license fee for 2026. Some older city page text may still show the older $250,000 threshold, so confirm the current rule before filing.
The city also says new businesses must obtain a license within 30 days of opening. Richmond posts March 1 as the BPOL filing deadline in its 2026 portal notice, and its BPOL information states business licenses expire on December 31. Check the current portal before relying on any deadline.
Important: An LLC or corporation filing with the state does not replace the Richmond business license. A Virginia seller’s permit or sales tax account also does not replace the Richmond BPOL process. If sales tax is your main question, our seller’s permit vs business license guide explains the difference.
Business tangible personal property
Many Richmond businesses also need to report business tangible personal property, such as furniture, fixtures, computer equipment, and other taxable business property. The city’s Business Tangible Personal Property Tax page says the BTPP filing is due March 1 and payment is due June 5. If you have no tangible personal property, the city still tells businesses to file and enter “NONE” with an explanation.
Zoning, home occupation, and occupancy
Before you focus on tax forms, check whether Richmond allows your business use at the address. Richmond Zoning Administration reviews Certificates of Zoning Compliance, zoning confirmation letters, home occupation requests, short-term rental permits, sign issues, and other land-use questions.
The city says its Online Permit Portal is used for Certificates of Zoning Compliance. Richmond also explains that assembly uses, including restaurants, day nurseries, and similar gathering uses, generally do not use the CZC path for business licensing and instead need a Certificate of Occupancy request.
The city’s permit FAQ says a Certificate of Zoning Compliance is required for many uses and is not transferable. A new tenant or owner should expect to obtain an updated approval.
Home-based businesses
For a Richmond home occupation, the city’s current residential CZC instructions say the CZC is typically needed to obtain a city business license. The home occupation filing fee shown on the city’s December 2025 zoning fee schedule is $50. The city form asks about online sales, customers, vehicles, parking, and the square footage used for the business. If you rent, it also asks for owner permission.
Storefronts and tenant spaces
For a storefront, office, salon, shop, studio, warehouse, or similar space, ask whether the existing Certificate of Occupancy matches your use. Richmond’s Permits and Inspections office reviews building permits, construction documents, inspections, and life-safety items. A change of use, build-out, sign, hood system, fire alarm, sprinkler, or tent may trigger a permit before opening.
Costs you can plan for
The table below lists common costs posted by official sources. Do not treat it as a final bill. Your cost depends on business type, location, receipts, property, build-out, and permits.
| Item | Posted amount or rule | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond BPOL, gross receipts $5,000 or less | City BPOL page shows $0 license fee plus flat fees where applicable | Richmond Finance and RVA Business Portal |
| Richmond BPOL, gross receipts $5,001 to $500,000 | City 2026 update says $30 flat license fee | Richmond 2026 BPOL portal update |
| Richmond BPOL above threshold | Tax is based on business type and gross receipts or purchases; posted rates differ for professional, personal service, retail, wholesale, contractor, repair, and restaurant businesses | Richmond BPOL Tax page |
| Business tangible personal property | City page shows $3.70 per $100 of assessed value for listed business property types | Richmond BTPP page |
| Home occupation zoning filing | City zoning fee schedule shows $50 | Richmond zoning fee schedule |
| Short-term rental permit | City short-term rental page and zoning fee schedule show $600, valid for two years | Richmond Short-Term Rentals page |
| VDH annual foodservice permit | VDH application shows $40 annual permit fee | Virginia Department of Health and Richmond City Health District |
| Virginia fictitious name filing | SCC page shows $10 filing fee | Virginia State Corporation Commission |
Practical note: If a cost is not shown on an official page or form, do not guess. Ask the office to confirm the current fee before you file or budget.
County requirements near Richmond
This page is for the City of Richmond. Richmond is not the same place as Richmond County. If your business address is inside the City of Richmond, start with city offices.
If your business address is in Henrico County, Chesterfield County, Hanover County, Richmond County, or another nearby locality, do not use Richmond city forms as your main local license path. Check the local government where the business is physically located.
If you work across local lines, such as a contractor, caterer, cleaner, landscaper, or mobile vendor, ask each locality where you work whether a local license, contractor certification, meals tax account, vending permit, or event permit applies.
Virginia state requirements
Virginia does not use one single state “business license” for every business. The state layer may include tax registration, entity filings, fictitious name filings, employer accounts, professional licenses, health permits, or other permits.
Virginia Tax. The Virginia Tax business registration page says Business One Stop can help register a business with several state and local agencies. A Virginia Tax registration may be needed for sales and use tax, withholding, meals or lodging-related taxes, or other tax accounts.
State Corporation Commission. Corporations, LLCs, and some other entities file with the SCC. The SCC also handles fictitious names, often called trade names, assumed names, or DBA names. The SCC page says the fictitious name filing fee is $10.
Employers. If you hire workers, check the Virginia Employment Commission employer pages for unemployment insurance registration and reporting. You may also need state withholding registration through Virginia Tax.
Food businesses. The Virginia Department of Health and Richmond City Health District handle many food establishment permits. VDH says a foodservice facility or mobile unit generally must go through plan review before opening, remodeling, or ownership transfer. Richmond City Health District says city food establishments need a health permit from the district.
Professional work. Contractors, health providers, cosmetology, barbering, childcare, alcohol, real estate, and many other fields may have state boards or agency licenses. Do not assume the city license lets you perform regulated work.
Federal requirements
Most small businesses check the IRS first. The IRS EIN page says you can apply for an EIN directly from the IRS for free. The IRS also has a small business tax center for federal tax basics.
Some activities need a federal permit or approval. The SBA licenses and permits page points businesses to federal agencies for regulated fields such as alcohol, agriculture, aviation, broadcasting, firearms, fish and wildlife, mining, nuclear energy, and transportation.
Federal ownership-reporting rules have changed. FinCEN’s beneficial ownership information page says that, as of March 26, 2025, entities created in the United States and their beneficial owners are exempt from BOI reporting. Foreign entities may still need to review FinCEN rules.
Special permits that may matter in Richmond
Your business type can add more local or state approvals. These can decide whether you can open, where you can operate, and what you can sell.
| Business or activity | Extra checks to make | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, cafe, caterer, bakery, food truck | Richmond City Health District, VDH food permit, zoning or CO, fire, building, meals tax, possible mobile food fire inspection | Food handling, public health, grease, fire, hood, and location rules may apply. |
| Home business | Residential Certificate of Zoning Compliance, owner permission if renting, customer visits, parking, commercial vehicles | Home occupation rules can limit how the home is used. |
| Short-term rental | Richmond short-term rental permit, zoning rules, permit number in ads, transient occupancy tax | The city posts a $600 permit valid for two years and has host, occupancy, and advertising rules. |
| Retail store or salon | BPOL, zoning, CO, build-out permits, sign permits, state professional boards where needed | The space must match the use, and regulated services may need state licenses. |
| Contractor or mobile service | Richmond BPOL, contractor classification, state contractor licensing where applicable, other localities where work is done | Working across city and county lines can create more local checks. |
| Signs, construction, tents, sprinklers, fire alarms | Richmond permit forms through Planning and Development Review forms and the Online Permit Portal | Physical work and public safety items often need review before use. |
Richmond’s Fire Permits page is the city starting point for fire permit questions. For mobile food preparation vehicles, ask Richmond Fire which office is the authority for your vehicle.
Real-world examples
Example 1: Home-based online seller
A Richmond resident sells handmade goods online from a spare room. The first checks are home occupation zoning, Richmond BPOL, possible Virginia sales tax registration, and business tangible personal property. If the seller uses a trade name, the SCC fictitious name filing may also matter.
Example 2: New cafe in a leased space
A cafe owner finds a small storefront. Before signing, the owner should ask if restaurant use is allowed and whether the space has the right Certificate of Occupancy. The stack may include BPOL, building permits, fire review, VDH food permit, meals tax, sign permit, and state tax registration.
Example 3: Contractor based in Richmond
A contractor has a Richmond office but works in several counties. The contractor should check Richmond BPOL, business tangible personal property, state contractor licensing if regulated, and local rules where jobs are performed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling every filing a “business license” and missing the real item, such as BPOL, CZC, CO, Virginia Tax registration, fictitious name, or health permit.
- Signing a lease before checking whether Richmond zoning allows the exact use.
- Assuming an old tenant’s Certificate of Occupancy or zoning approval transfers to a new owner or new business.
- Forming an LLC and thinking that replaces the Richmond business license.
- Using Richmond city forms for a business located in Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Richmond County, or another locality.
- Ignoring business tangible personal property because the business is small or home-based.
- Opening a food business before the health department, building, fire, and occupancy pieces are clear.
Phone and email scripts
Use these short scripts when you contact an agency. Have your address, business type, legal name, trade name, and start date ready.
Finance and BPOL script
Hello, I am starting a [business type] at [address] in the City of Richmond. I want to confirm whether I need a Richmond business license, BPOL filing, business tangible personal property filing, or any other city tax account before I open. What should I do first in the RVA Business Portal?
Zoning or occupancy script
Hello, I am considering [address] for a [business type]. Is this exact use allowed there? Do I need a Certificate of Zoning Compliance, Certificate of Occupancy, building permit, or change-of-use review before the city business license can be issued?
Food business script
Hello, I plan to operate a [restaurant, food truck, caterer, bakery, or other food business] in Richmond. Do I need plan review, a VDH foodservice permit, an opening inspection, a commissary, or any local forms before I operate?
State registration script
Hello, I am starting a [business type] in Richmond, Virginia. I need to confirm whether I should register with Virginia Tax, file with the SCC, file a fictitious name, or register as an employer before opening.
Ask which office, form, portal, license, permit, tax account, or approval applies to your facts.
A compact compliance checklist
- Confirm the address is inside the City of Richmond.
- Write down the exact activity: online sales, home office, retail, restaurant, service, mobile, contractor, short-term rental, or regulated work.
- Check zoning and occupancy before leasing, building, or opening.
- Create or update the city business account in the RVA Business Portal.
- Check BPOL, BTPP, meals tax, transient occupancy tax, or other local tax accounts.
- Register with Virginia Tax if your activity needs a state tax account.
- File with the SCC if you form an entity or use a fictitious name.
- Check employer accounts if you hire workers.
- Check health, fire, building, sign, short-term rental, and professional rules for your business type.
- Keep copies of approvals, invoices, permits, receipts, and renewal notices.
What to do if this does not work
If the portal does not show your account, if a license cannot be renewed, or if the zoning answer is unclear, do not guess. Contact Richmond through RVA 311 or the office shown on the official page you are using.
If you are stuck between Finance and zoning, ask: “What document is missing before my Richmond business license can be issued?” For building or occupancy issues, ask Permits and Inspections what permit or inspection is needed.
If your facts are unusual, consider asking a qualified professional to review the setup.
Official resources
- Richmond BPOL Tax
- Richmond Finance for Businesses
- RVA Business Portal
- Richmond Zoning Administration
- Richmond Online Permit Portal
- Richmond Permits and Inspections
- Richmond Short-Term Rentals
- Richmond Meals Tax
- Richmond Transient Occupancy Tax
- Richmond City Health District Food Safety
- Virginia Tax business registration
- Virginia SCC business filings
- IRS EIN application
About BusinessLicenseGuide.com
BusinessLicenseGuide.com helps ordinary small-business owners understand license, permit, registration, tax, and zoning steps. We are not a government agency, law firm, CPA firm, or filing service.
FAQ
Does Richmond, VA require a city business license?
Yes. Owners of businesses in the City of Richmond are required to obtain a Richmond business license annually. The city ties this license to the Business, Professional, and Occupational License, or BPOL, tax. New businesses must obtain the license within 30 days of opening.
What office handles the Richmond business license?
The City of Richmond Department of Finance Business Unit handles BPOL business license matters. The city directs business owners to use the RVA Business Portal and RVA 311 for questions.
Do I need zoning approval before a Richmond business license?
Usually yes. Richmond says a Certificate of Zoning Compliance is typically required for a business license, while assembly uses such as restaurants, day nurseries, and similar gathering uses generally use a Certificate of Occupancy process instead.
Is Richmond in a county for business license purposes?
For this guide, Richmond means the City of Richmond. If your business address is inside the city, start with city offices. If your address is in Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Richmond County, or another nearby locality, check that local government instead.
Does an LLC replace the Richmond business license?
No. Forming an LLC or corporation with the Virginia State Corporation Commission does not replace Richmond’s local business license, BPOL tax, zoning review, state tax registrations, or industry permits.
What should I check first before signing a lease in Richmond?
Check zoning and occupancy first. Ask whether your exact use is allowed at the address, whether the space has a matching Certificate of Occupancy, and whether you need a Certificate of Zoning Compliance, building permits, fire review, health approval, or sign permits before opening.
Disclaimer
This article is informational only. It is not legal, tax, financial, insurance, employment, safety, zoning, licensing, or professional advice. Rules, fees, forms, links, deadlines, and policies can change. Confirm important details with the official agency or a qualified professional. BusinessLicenseGuide.com does not guarantee approval, eligibility, compliance, savings, income, speed, or results.
Update notes
Last updated: April 30, 2026
Next review: August 30, 2026
This update checked Richmond BPOL, zoning, occupancy, city tax, Virginia Tax, SCC, VDH, IRS, SBA, and FinCEN resources.