Salt Lake City Business License: Finance Department Portal, Home Occupations and Mobile Food

If you are opening or running a business inside Salt Lake City, you need a city business license on top of any state registration you have already filed. The Finance Department's Business Licensing office handles it, and a few parts of the process catch people off guard: Utah has no statewide general business license, home-based businesses follow different rules, and mobile food vendors operate under a separate regime. This guide covers the application steps, the fees we have verified, and how the annual salt lake city business license renewal works.

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What the Salt Lake City business license covers

Utah does not issue a statewide general business license. Registering your entity with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code is a registration, not a license. A Tax Commission sales tax account on TAP is also a tax registration, not a license. The business license comes from the city or town where the business is located, and outside city limits it comes from the county.

Two rules follow. First, confirm that your business address is inside Salt Lake City limits before you apply. Second, a Salt Lake City license does not transfer to another city. If you move the business to a different city, you need a new license from that city.

What you need before you apply

Applications are online only at slcgov.my.site.com/BusinessLicensing. In-person help is available by appointment. Gather these items before you start, because the portal asks for them:

Your state registration. For an LLC, that is the Certificate of Organization filed with the Division.
Your Utah sales tax number, if you sell taxable goods or have an established presence in Utah.
Your federal EIN, if your business has one.
Documentation of any required inspections.
Your business address, owner information and planned employee count.
A payment method for the fees listed below.
For a home-based business, the home occupation form, which you upload with the application.

Step-by-step: applying through the Finance Department portal

Finish your state registration first. The city asks for your state registration, so file with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code before you open the city application. An LLC files a Certificate of Organization for $59. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation for $59. If you operate under a name other than your registered name, file an assumed name (DBA) for $22 to register, plus a renewal fee (check the Division's DBA page for the current fee and term). A DBA is filed with the state, not the county.
Get your sales tax number if you need one. A seller with an established presence in Utah needs a Utah Sales Tax License from the Utah State Tax Commission, registered through TAP at tap.tax.utah.gov. The sales tax rate in Salt Lake City is 8.45%, according to the Tax Commission chart effective April 1, 2026.
Collect your EIN and schedule any inspections. Have your federal EIN ready if you have one. If your business type requires an inspection, complete it before you apply and keep the paperwork. Ask Business Licensing which inspections apply to your business, because the list depends on the activity.
Confirm your fees. Check the Consolidated Fee Schedule, amended 6/16/2026 under Ord. 2026-29. Every business pays a base fee plus an annual employee fee. Some business types carry extra fees, so confirm those with the Finance Department before you pay.
Create your account and start the application. Go to the portal, create an account and select the license type that fits your activity. Enter the business name exactly as it appears on your state registration. A mismatch can stall the application.
Enter your employee count and upload documents. Report full-time and part-time employees accurately, because the employee fee depends on that count. Upload the home occupation form if you are applying for one, along with any inspection documents and your state registration.
Pay and save your confirmation. Pay the base fee plus the employee fee, then save the confirmation and any license number the portal gives you. Processing times were not confirmed in the materials available, so ask Business Licensing for the current timeline before you set an opening date.

Home occupation licenses

A home-based business in Salt Lake City has a lighter path, but it is not automatically exempt from the process. The city does not require a license for a home business unless the business affects the neighborhood. If you do apply, you upload a home occupation form with your application. The base fee for a home occupation is $157, up from $153, and the license is issued on request only.

Ask Business Licensing how the neighborhood test applies to your activity. Clarify whether customer visits, employees working on site or exterior signage would change the answer for your business. Get that answer in writing or in the confirmation before you start operating, so you know whether a license is required.

Mobile food vendors

Mobile food is a separate regime, not a standard business license with a truck attached. Plan for these requirements:

A mobile food license.
A background check on the owner and on each driver.
Required insurance.
Operation only within permitted zones.
A 2 hour limit and a 100 foot limit. Confirm exactly what each limit measures with Business Licensing before you plan a route or a stop.
Separate fees for each vehicle.

Because the zone and distance rules shape where you can sell, check them before you buy a vehicle or sign a lease for a commissary.

Salt Lake City business license renewal

The city license renews annually. Your license notice shows the renewal date, so check that notice rather than assuming the date matches your state registration anniversary. Renewal charges the base fee plus the employee fee, so update your employee count before you pay. The renewal amount for your business type should be confirmed on the fee schedule or with the Finance Department.

Keep the state and city calendars separate. An LLC's state annual renewal is $18. The state renewal window opens 60 days before the anniversary date, and a $10 late fee applies if you renew late. The state renewal does not satisfy the city renewal, and the city renewal does not satisfy the state one.

Fees at a glance

Item	Amount	Notes
Commercial base fee	$198	Up from $193. Some business types carry extra fees.
Home occupation base fee	$157	Up from $153. License issued on request only.
Employee fee	$29 per full or part time employee	Applies when the business has more than one employee. Up from $28, effective September 2026.
Sales tax rate, Salt Lake City	8.45%	Tax Commission chart effective April 1, 2026.
LLC Certificate of Organization	$59	State filing, separate from the city license.
LLC annual renewal	$18	State renewal, separate from the city renewal.
Assumed name (DBA)	$22 to register, with a renewal fee (check the Division's DBA page for the current fee and term)	Filed with the state Division.

Common mistakes to avoid

Applying before your state registration is on file.
Assuming a Salt Lake City license works in another city.
Filing a DBA with the county. Assumed names are filed with the state Division.
Treating the state annual renewal as the city renewal.
Undercounting employees, which understates the employee fee.
Skipping the home occupation form when you run a home-based business.
Starting a home business without asking how the neighborhood test applies.
Planning mobile food routes without checking the zone and distance limits.
Searching for a Utah state general business license. Utah does not issue one.

What to expect

A complete application with the right state registration, the correct employee count and any required inspection records should move through the portal without major delays. Expect a confirmation when you submit and a license or approval notice when the city completes its review. If the portal asks for a document you do not have, stop and resolve it before you pay. Filing an incomplete application usually costs more time than waiting to gather the right paperwork.

This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Fees and requirements come from the Salt Lake City Consolidated Fee Schedule and the state agency pages verified on 2026-10-15, and they change. Confirm current amounts and deadlines with the Salt Lake City Finance Department, Business Licensing, and the Utah State Tax Commission before you file. Alcohol sales involve the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS), which is a separate agency. For complex situations, such as multi-owner entities, mobile food operations or alcohol sales, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA.