Business License / Occupational Tax

DELINQUENT NOTICES FOR 2023 RENEWALS 

Notices for 2023 delinquent renewals were mailed the week of 3/20/2023.  Beginning April 1, for the 2023 calendar year, add a 10% penalty to your total tax due, Examples: $95.00 + 10%= 104.50, $103.00 + 10%= $113.30.   An additional 1.5 % penalty will be added monthly.

RENEWALS FOR 2023

Renewals for 2023 were mailed out the last week of October.  Renewals are due by 12/31/2022.  If you do not receive a renewal form, it is still your responsibility to renew.   Below is a blank renewal form:

Blank 2023 Renewal 

You may mail the renewal form in with a payment to Douglas County.  If you do mail, please write a check (no counter or starter checks)  or send a money order to Douglas County Courthouse, Occupational Tax, 8700 Hospital Dr., 1st Floor, Douglasville, Ga, 30134.  Please print your name below your signature and include your driver license number on the check.

If you wish to come into the office to make your payment, we accept payments between 9:00 am to 3:45 pm and we take Visa, Mastercard, Cash, Check or Money orders.

We have notaries in our office to notarize your affidavits with the renewal form.  

We do not take over the phone payments or online payments at this time.
If you are exempt, you will still need to renew, by completing the renewal form and affidavit.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Occupational Tax Department is responsible for issuing Occupational Tax Registrations for In-home and Commercial locations, better known as a business license, for the unincorporated jurisdiction of Douglas County (unincorporated meaning not located within the Cities of Austell, Douglasville or Villa Rica even if you have a mailing address/zip code of Austell, Douglasville or Villa Rica).

In addition to Occupational Tax Registrations, this office has other responsibilities:

• Alcohol Beverage Licenses - Please call 770-920-7351 to make an appointment if you would like to obtain an Alcohol License.
• Collection of excise tax for Liquor, Beer & Wine, and Hotels
• Door-to-Door Sales Permits
• Enforcing Occupational Tax and Alcohol Ordinances, issuing citations and court summons for ordinance violations
• Issue Server Permits (to serve alcohol to customers in a restaurant or bar setting) for the following facilities. If it is a facility/location other than what is listed below or inside Douglasville, please contact the City of Douglasville at 770-920-3010 for a server permit:
  • April's Southern Bistro, Fairburn Rd., Douglasville
  • Acere Cigar, Thornton Road, Lithia Springs
  • American Veterans  (AMVETS) Post 118, Veterans Memorial Highway, Lithia Springs
  • Applebee’s Restaurant 33, Thornton Road, Lithia Springs
  • Casa Jalisco, Chapel Hill Road, Douglasville
  • Cissy's, Veterans Memorial Highway, Villa Rica
  • Courtyard By Marriott/Tuscany, Bob Arnold Blvd.
  • Foxhall Resort, Capps Ferry Road, Douglasville
  • Hilton Garden Inn, Thornton Road, Lithia Springs
  • Lin Branded Buffet, Thornton Road, Lithia Springs
  • Marlene’s, Emery Circle, Austell
  • Mr. PJ’s Buffalo Wings, Chapel Hill Road, Douglasville
  • St. Andrews
  • The Olive Tree, Thornton Road, Lithia Springs
• Passenger Carrying Vehicle Identification Badges

While maintaining the above responsibilities, it is vital for continuous education on the changing of State-mandated laws. Research is necessary to continually update the records and keep uniform with State Department of Revenue and Internal Revenue Service regulations. The Occupational Tax Department will strive to uphold the laws and regulations for our community and the public.

New Business Listings

View reports listing new businesses on a per month basis in the Archive Center

H.R. 748 House Bill

Please see House Bill H. R. 748 (PDF) (to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage).