The City of Douglas Mayor and Commission has approved an extension for business owners to file for business license renewal until May 31, 2021. If not paid by June 1, 2021, business owners can expect to pay a 10% late fee penalty. The city is allowing this grace period to assist some business owners and/or landowners with making arrangements to pay their past due balances on delinquent taxes or other debts owed to the City of Douglas or Coffee County.
According to City of Douglas Ordinance Chapter 10, Article II, Sec. 10-46. – Additional requirements for issuance:
Except as limited by other provisions of this chapter, upon application or renewal for an occupational tax certificate, license, or any permit issued by the city, the city marshal shall not issue the same if the applicant or landowner of the property where the business is located has not paid any delinquent occupation taxes, property taxes, ad valorem taxes or debts owed to the city or the county board of commissioners. Taxes are considered delinquent after June 1 of each of the year taxes are owed. Any person aggrieved by the denial of a license may, upon written appeal filed with the board of commissioners of the city within ten days, have such denial reviewed by the board of commissioners.
To settle delinquent taxes, the business or landowner will need to visit the Tax Commissioner’s Office at the Coffee County Courthouse. This debt, along with the fees for your Occupational Taxes must be paid by May 31, 2021, to avoid a 10% penalty, which will begin on June 1, 2021. Business owners who are operating their business without a City of Douglas Occupational Tax license, may also face a separate fine, per day, not to exceed $1,000. To pay business license fees, customers should go to the Community Development Department – Code Enforcement office which is located at the Ashley-Slater House, 211 S. Gaskin Avenue.
For more information concerning renewal of business licenses or operating a business within the City of Douglas, please call the Code Enforcement Division, (912)383-0277.