How do I start a business in City of Charlottesville?
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How do I start a business in City of Charlottesville?

Generated by lexflow from the state statutes (open-us-law, government publisher text) and checked by Claude: every quoted phrase was matched word for word against the statute text, and the process passed the BPMN/DMN schemas, bpmnlint and a Petri-net soundness check. Information, not legal advice.

Before or alongside opening, register any LLC, corporation, or trade name (DBA) with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Get an EIN from the IRS and, if you will make taxable sales, a Virginia retail sales tax number. Next, use the city GIS Viewer to confirm the address is inside Charlottesville city limits, because some 'Charlottesville' addresses are in Albemarle County. Apply to the Commissioner of the Revenue for a city business licence within 30 days of starting business. You can upload the application through the Commissioner's Secure Portal or mail it to PO Box 2964, Charlottesville, VA 22902. The licence costs $35 if gross receipts are under $50,000 and $50 for $50,001–$100,000. Above $100,000, you pay a tax rate based on your business classification. All city businesses must also file an itemized equipment list as of January 1. Food businesses must register for the 7% meals tax and show a Blue Ridge Health District permit or inspection. Zoning permits come from Neighborhood Development Services: a Home Occupation Permit for a home business, an Occupancy Permit for a commercial location, or a Mobile Food Unit Permit for a food truck.

Confidence 1.00: state law 1.00, local 1.00, contact 1.00. Full state model: business

What state law requires

Sign and deliver articles of organization — Organizer (founder) (§ 13.1-1010)
Collect the $100 filing fee — State Corporation Commission (§ 13.1-1005(1))
Check articles and fees — State Corporation Commission (§ 13.1-1011(D))
Issue certificate of organization — State Corporation Commission (§ 13.1-1004(A))
Admit certificate to record — State Corporation Commission (§ 13.1-1004(A))
Company files certificate of assumed name — Limited liability company, through an authorized representative (§ 59.1-69(B))
Give commissioner evidence of the filing — Limited liability company, through an authorized representative (§ 59.1-74(B))
Issue local business licence — Commissioner of the revenue (§ 59.1-74(B))

Which business structure fits, and what must be filed with the state?

Organized for a nonprofit or charitable purpose	Owners render a licensed professional service	Number of owners	Owners want protection from the business's debts	Plans to sell shares to outside investors	Some co-owners will be passive investors only	→ Business structure	→ What is filed, and where	→ State filing fee	Source
true	-	-	-	-	-	Nonstock corporation	Articles of incorporation, filed with the State Corporation Commission	$50 charter fee (§ 13.1-815.1) plus $25 for filing articles of incorporation (§ 13.1-816)	§ 13.1-818
false	true	-	true	-	-	Professional corporation (stock, Chapter 9, or nonstock, Chapter 10 of Title 13.1) or professional limited liability company (Chapter 13 of Title 13.1); a professional corporation needs all owners licensed or authorized to render the same professional service, at least one in Virginia (§ 13.1-544 A; architects, engineers and land surveyors: § 13.1-549)	Articles of incorporation (professional corporation) or articles of organization (professional LLC), filed with the State Corporation Commission	Stock professional corporation: see § 13.1-615.1 (charter fee) plus $25 (§ 13.1-616); nonstock professional corporation: $50 charter fee (§ 13.1-815.1) plus $25 (§ 13.1-816); professional LLC: $100 (§ 13.1-1005)	§ 13.1-544(A)
false	-	-	true	true	-	Stock corporation	Articles of incorporation, filed with the State Corporation Commission	See § 13.1-615.1 (charter fee: $50 for each 25,000 authorized shares or fraction thereof, $2,500 above 1,000,000 shares) plus $25 (§ 13.1-616)	§ 13.1-618
false	-	>= 2	true	-	true	Limited partnership (limited partners are shielded; the general partner stays personally liable)	Certificate of limited partnership, filed with the State Corporation Commission	$100	§ 50-73.11(A)
false	-	-	true	-	-	Limited liability company	Articles of organization, filed with the State Corporation Commission	$100	§ 13.1-1010
false	-	1	false	-	-	Sole proprietorship	No formation filing; a certificate of assumed or fictitious name must be filed in the office of the clerk of the State Corporation Commission before trading under any name other than the owner's own	None to form; $10 for a certificate of assumed or fictitious name if trading under another name (§ 59.1-70 C)	§ 59.1-69(B)
false	-	>= 2	false	-	-	General partnership	No formation filing: two or more co-owners carrying on a business for profit form a partnership. A partnership trading under an assumed name must file a certificate of assumed or fictitious name with the clerk of the State Corporation Commission. Optionally, the partnership may file a statement of registration as a registered limited liability partnership with the State Corporation Commission, approved by the partners (all partners unless the partnership agreement provides otherwise, § 50-73.132 C) and signed by at least two partners (§ 50-73.83 C)	None to form; $10 for a certificate of assumed or fictitious name if trading under another name (§ 59.1-70 C); $100 for an optional LLP statement of registration (§ 50-73.83 F.1)	§ 50-73.88(A)

What City of Charlottesville adds

Form the entity or register a trade name (DBA) with the Virginia SCC, and get your federal and state tax numbers — Business owner; Virginia State Corporation Commission; IRS; Virginia Tax. Register any LLC or corporation, or a trade name, at www.scc.virginia.gov. Get an Employer Identification Number at www.irs.gov and, if you will make taxable sales, a Retail Sales Tax number at www.tax.virginia.gov. (source)
Confirm the business address is inside Charlottesville city limits — Business owner. Search the address on the Charlottesville GIS Viewer. If it does not come up, contact the Commissioner of the Revenue, because the address may be in the Albemarle County part of 'Charlottesville'. (source)
Check zoning: get a home occupation permit for a home-based business, or an occupancy permit for a commercial location — Office of Neighborhood Development Services (Zoning), 434-970-3182. Through NDS, get a Home Occupation Permit for a home-based business, an Occupancy Permit for a commercial location, a Homestay Permit for short-term rentals, or a Mobile Food Unit Permit for a food truck or trailer. Check the detailed home-occupation standards, such as limits on non-resident workers and clients, with NDS or the current Development Code. (source)
Apply for the city business licence within 30 days of starting business — Commissioner of the Revenue (mail: PO Box 2964, Charlottesville, VA 22902). Complete the Business License Application. Upload it through the Commissioner's Secure Portal (choose Category 'Business License Application') or mail it to PO Box 2964, Charlottesville, VA 22902. The office will then contact you with credentials for its online portal. First-year tax is based on an estimate of your gross receipts. (source)
Register for other local taxes and file business personal property — Commissioner of the Revenue. File an itemized list of all equipment used in the business as of January 1. Food establishments must also submit a Meals Tax Registration form (the tax is 7%, due by the 20th of each month) and a copy of their Blue Ridge Health District health permit or inspection. Food trucks also need a Mobile Food Unit Permit from NDS. (source)
Get any trade, professional, health, or alcohol licences that apply — Virginia DPOR, DHP, ABC; Blue Ridge Health District; VDACS. The Commissioner's New Business License Checklist lists these. DPOR handles professional licences and DHP handles health-professional licences. ABC handles alcohol licensing. Most food businesses need a Blue Ridge Health District health permit (434-972-6219), and bakeries need a VDACS food handling permit (804-625-3033). Building-trades contractors need proof of workers' compensation coverage, and hemp product sellers deal with the VDACS Office of Hemp Enforcement. (source)
Renew each year — Business owner; Commissioner of the Revenue. State BPOL law requires a business licensed the year before to apply by March 1 of the licence year, though a locality may set a later date up to May 1. The city is moving to paperless renewals through its online Business Tax Portal starting with the 2026 licence cycle. You can still renew by mailing a Business License Application with payment. (source)

Who to contact

Business licence, meals tax, business personal property (mailing address): Commissioner of the Revenue, PO Box 2964, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Commissioner of the Revenue: business tax: 434-970-3170
Commissioner of the Revenue: business tax email: citycorbiz@charlottesville.gov
Office of Neighborhood Development Services (zoning, home occupation, occupancy, mobile food unit permits): 434-970-3182
Blue Ridge Health District (food health permits): 434-972-6219
City Economic Development: business resources and programs: 434-825-0508

Local law

Va. Code § 58.1-3703.1 (BPOL license application and payment deadlines): A business licensed the year before must apply by March 1 of the licence year, unless the locality sets a later date up to May 1. For a licence based on gross receipts, the tax is due by the locality's application deadline, or for a new business on the date the locality sets, which can be 30 or more days after it begins business.
Charlottesville City Code, Chapter 14 (Licenses), incl. § 14-12: This city ordinance imposes the annual business licence fee and tax. The city's Business License Tax page applies it: new businesses apply within 30 days of starting, and the licence is $35 or $50 below $100,000 in gross receipts, with a classification rate above that. The Municode text of § 14-12 could not be loaded for verification.

Fees. Business licence by gross receipts: under $50,000 is $35.00; $50,001–$100,000 is $50.00; over $100,000 is gross receipts times the tax rate for the business classification. The first year is based on estimated gross receipts. Meals tax is 7%, due monthly by the 20th, for food establishments. Business tangible personal property is taxed on an itemized equipment list as of January 1. State SCC entity or trade-name filing fees and zoning or health permit fees are separate and were not verified here.

Caveats

I could not load the Development Code PDF (over 10 MB) or the Municode City Code pages. Two earlier claims are therefore removed or softened: the specific home-occupation standards attributed to Development Code § 3.5.2.D (one non-resident worker, 3 clients at once, 8 AM–9 PM, 2 sq ft sign, and needing proof of a business licence for the accessory use permit), and the March 1 renewal text attributed to City Code § 14-12. A secondary source citing the older zoning code (§ 34-1172) describes similar limits: one non-resident worker and no more than three clients at a time. Confirm with NDS (434-970-3182).
The renewal deadline above comes from the state BPOL statute. The city's Business License Tax page lists no renewal due date, and Virginia localities may set a later date up to May 1. Confirm with the Commissioner of the Revenue (434-970-3170).
The Business License Tax page gives only a mailing address for the Commissioner of the Revenue. The earlier 'City Hall Room A130, 605 E. Main St.' location was not confirmed on the cited pages, so it was removed.
The earlier claim that you must tell the Commissioner when you use an assumed name was not found on the checklist, so it was removed.
Pages retrieved 2026-10-09. Check them for updates.

Sources

← City of Charlottesville · Virginia

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