CITY OF PONTIAC
Michigan
BUSINESS LICENSING PROCEDURES
DPW & U DEPARTMENT
Office of Building & Safety Engineering
55 Wessen Street, Pontiac, MI 48342
248-758-2800
Mail or Visit the Business License Bureau @:
Pontiac Police Department – ASD
Attn: Debra-Business Licensing Bureau
110 E Pike Street, 2nd Floor, Pontiac Michigan 48342
248-758-3305/FAX 248-758-3464
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Business Licensing Procedures Generally
The City of Pontiac Municipal Code requires that all businesses acquire a business license
upon commencing business operations within the City, Chapter 26, “BUSINESSES”. In
conjunction with Chapter 26, “BUSINESSES”, the Business License Bureau is also
regulated by the following chapters of the Municipal Code of the City of Pontiac,
Michigan, as amended Chapter 6, “ADVERTISING”, Chapter 10, “ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS”,
Chapter 86, “OFFENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS, Chapter 114, “TRAFFIC
AND VEHICLES”, and Chapter 126, “VEHICLES FOR HIRE”.
These ordinances are available online at:
www.pontiac.mi.us
The business license expires by Street Names as listed below.
Street Names Beginning With: Expiration Date:
A–F March 31, Annually
G-M June 30, Annually
N-R September 30, Annually
S–Z December 31, Annually
It is required by city code that a new business/owner contacts Business Licensing
Bureau at 248-758-3305, if your company:
• Moves within the city limits of Pontiac
• Moves outside the city limits of Pontiac
• Ceases business operation
• Changes ownership (licenses are not transferable or assignable)
• Changes use or type of business operation
• Will be having a special event (such as a tent sale, parking lot sale, used car sale
or any other event) outside its routine operation
Additional licenses are required if your business has Incidental Business in conjunction
with the Main Business.
Fees are set and reviewed by the Pontiac City Council. Payment must be made either by
check or money order when the completed application is submitted. In accordance with
city code, the approval process takes fifteen (15) business days to complete before a
business license is issued. You must obtain a Certificate of Occupancy and a
Business License prior to conducting business. (SEE FEES LISTED BELOW)
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BUSINESS CERTIFICATION TYPES AND FEES – APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE IS $50.00 – NON-REFUNDABLE
_____ Amusement Gallery - $500.00 _____ Auction (Annual) Bond Required - $250.00 _____ Auction (Single Sales) - $150.00
_____Auctioneer - $2,500 Bond & Photos - $75.00 _____ Automobile Wrecker - $500.00 _____Bar, Bar/Restaurant, Bar & Grill - $350.00
_____Beauty, Barber, Nail Salon - $100.00 _____Beauty, Barber, Nail Supply - $100.00 _____ Bicycle Registration - $10.00
_____Billiard & Pool Establishment - $100.00 1st
Table _____Billiards – Each Additional Table - $50.00 ea. _____ Bowling Alley - $250.00
_____ $50.00 for each additional Table
_____ Business Directory – City of Pontiac - $25.00 _____Business Team & C. of O - $350.00 _____C. of O./Re-occupancy - $50.00
_____ Christmas Tree Sales - $100.00 _____Christmas Tree Sales Cash Bond - $100.00 _____Cigarette Sales - $100.00
_____ Circus or Carnival – Daily - $125.00/day _____ Circus or Carnival – Weekly - $350.00/week _____ Circus or Carnival Surety Bond - $1,000.00
_____Club, Night Club - $350.00 _____Dance Hall (Public) - $500.00 _____Dry Cleaners/Laundromat - $250.00
_____Duplicate license, permit, certificate - $10.00 _____ Farmer’s Market - $50.00 _____Filling Station - $250.00
_____Fireworks Display - $150.00/occurrence _____Fireworks Sales - $150.00/occurrence _____Frozen Confections Business - $250.00
_____Frozen Confections Vendor - $100.00 _____Game Room - $250.00 _____Going-Out-of-Business - $100.00
_____Convenience, Grocery, Party Store - $350.00 _____Handbill/Billposter - $100.00 _____Home Occupation Registration - $25.00
_____Hotel/Motel with Food or Drink – Varies due to
the number of rooms per establishment _____Incidental to Main Business - $100.00 _____ Initial Business Certification - $250.00
_____Junk Dealer - $550.00 ____Junk Gather - $200.00/Surety Bond - $100.00
For Information Purposes Only… For Information Purposes Only… For Information Purposes Only…
_____Liquor Transfer Requests - $1,000.00 _____Liquor Add/Drop Partners - $500.00 _____Liquor Add/Drop Space - $250.00
Liquor Request Require Interview Applications Liquor Request Require Interview Applications Liquor Request Require Interview Applications
_____Massage Parlor - $500.00 _____Masseur/Masseuse - $100.00 _____Mechanical Amusement Device (3) -
$100.00
_____Medical Office Registration - $100.00 _____New Car/Truck Dealer License - $150.00 _____Non-Profit Organizations - $10.00
_____Parking Lot/Structure - $250.00 _____Parking Lot/Structure Attendant - $50.00 _____Pawnbroker - $3,000.00 Bond - $500.00
_____Peaceful Assembly Permit - $75.00 _____Peddler (Annual, Photos Required) - $150.00 _____Peddler (Daily, Photos Required) -
$20.00/day
_____Penalty for Operating w/o a License - $100.00 _____Precious Gems & Metals Dealer - $250.00 _____Professional Office Registration - $100.00
_____Pub Certification - $350.00 _____Public Pay Telephones - $100.00/phone _____Scrap Metal Processor - $525.00
_____Second Hand Dealer - $250.00 _____Sewer Installer – Class A Limited - $75.00 _____ Sewer Installer – Class B Limited - $100.00
_____Sidewalk Builders-$1,000 Bond - $100.00 _____Sign Renewal License/sign - $25.00 _____Sign Installer/Company - $100.00
_____Small Business Certification - $100.00 _____Solicitor’s Permit - $25.00 _____Sound Permit - $100.00
Street & Stationary Vendors Street & Stationary Vendors Street & Stationary Vendors
_____ Pontiac Foot Vendor (Ground) - $150.00 _____ Pontiac Foot Vendor (Top of Center) - $50.00 _____Pontiac Silverdome Vendor - $150.00
Street & Stationary Vendors Street & Stationary Vendor
_____Special Event Vendor - $50.00 _____ Street & Stationary Vendors - $400.00 _____Helper (Daily) - $10.00
Street & Stationary Vendor
_____Helper (Annually) - $25.00 _____Tattoo Establishment - $500.00 _____Taxicab Business - $100.00
_____Taxicab Meter Seal Inspection - $25.00 _____Taxicab Safety Inspection - $48.00/hour/cab _____Taxicab Driver - $20.00
_____Team Inspection - $300.00 _____Theater - $150.00 _____Transient Housing -$210.00
_____Transitional Housing – New - $2,043.00 _____Transitional Housing – Renewal - $1,125.00 _____Used Motor Vehicle Dealer - $250.00
_____Warehouse Business Certification - $100.00 _____Valet Business License - $250.00 _____Valet Attendant License - $50.00
_____Vending Machine Renewals -
_____Vehicle Inspections - $48.00/hour/vehicle $25.00/machine _____Vending Machine Company - $100.00
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Detailed Requirements for Licensing Procedures:
This page provides a basic description of the City of Pontiac’s Business Licensing
requirements. It also provides information on Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and
requirements for businesses located in the City of Pontiac. This material is intended for
general informational purposes only. It is current at the time of publication, but is
subject to change as City Ordinances are amended, enacted or repealed.
Additional information relating to your business license may be obtained by e-mailing
dlavalais@pontiac.mi.us and typing “Business License Information Requested” or
by calling the Business License Bureau at 248-758-3305.
Application Forms
Business License applications are online and available at the Pontiac Police Department –
ASD, Attn: Debra-Business Licensing Bureau, 110 E Pike Street, 2nd Floor, Pontiac
Michigan 48342, 248-758-3305/FAX 248-758-3464. Please return the completed
application and applicable fees to the above address.
Building & Safety Engineering Approval
After you have completed the application form, it must be approved by the Office of
Building & Safety Engineering to ensure that your business location complies with
licensing and zoning regulations. This approval process may take a few days. Certain
restrictions may apply to home occupations, day care facilities, and businesses requiring
state regulatory licensing.
Team Inspection or Plan Review
A Team Inspection is required for all businesses located within Pontiac city limits,
excepting home occupations. A Team Inspection consist of the Building, Electrical, Fire,
Licensing/Zoning, Mechanical, and Plumbing Inspectors coming into the business
location to ensure that the building meets the minimum code requirements to operate
business in the city.
A Plan Review is required for all businesses located within Pontiac city limits, excepting
home occupations, whenever there is major renovation or a new building is constructed.
Three sets of sealed architectural drawings are required. Those plans must be review by
the Building, Electrical, Fire, Licensing/Zoning, Mechanical, and Plumbing Inspectors and
approved.
With both the Team Inspection and the Plan Review, your Certificate of Occupancy (C of
O) is issued once all Final Inspections have been completed and approved.
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Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)
A Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is required for all businesses located within Pontiac
city limits, except home occupations. This is a certificate to occupy a building or
structure as classified for use by the Pontiac Office of Building & Safety Engineering.
The fee is $50.00, payable in conjunction with your Team Inspection or Initial Business
Certification.
To assist City Inspectors in determining that your building is being properly occupied,
Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) information is issued once you have a Initial Business
Certification and is available with your business license, which should be posted in a
public area of your business. Questions about the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)
should be directed to the Office of Building & Safety Engineering, Technical Inspections
Supervisor or the Building Official at 248-758-2800.
Issuance of License
Following approval by the Office of Building & Safety Engineering, your business license
will be available for pick up at the Pontiac Police Department-ASD-Licensing. Processing
normally takes up to three working days but is only release in conjunction with the
business Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).
Renewing Your License
Each year you will receive pre-printed renewal application and invoice along with an
information sheet as a common courtesy, to note any changes or corrections to your
application or invoice. These are mailed approximately 45 days prior to the expiration of
your license. Late penalties are assessed from $10.00 to $100.00 in conjunction with
the Licensing Fee Schedule. It is the responsibility of the Business Owner to renew your
license prior to the expiration date. If you have not received your license renewal,
please contact the Business License Bureau to have the information printed for you to
pick up, have mailed or faxed to your location.
Change of Address
You must notify Business Licensing whenever you change your business location, mailing
address, telephone number, or if you close your business. Address changes must be
verified by way of Lease or Purchase Agreement, City Assessor’s stamped documents,
etc. Prompt notification of business closures will prevent the accumulation of late
penalties to your license account.
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Change of Owner
You must notify Business Licensing if you sell your business. The new owner must apply
for a business license in his or her name and pay the Initial Business License Fee. A
Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) must also be applied for by the new owner of the
business. Changes of ownership require prior approval through Lease or Purchase
Agreement, City Assessor’s stamped documents, etc.
Home Occupations
If your business office is located in your home, and your home is situated within a
residential district of the City of Pontiac, you will need to comply with the City's home
occupation ordinance. The ordinance's purpose is to maintain the residential nature of
an area. While mail order and delivery sales are allowed, the ordinance prohibits the
use of your home occupation to park commercial vehicles or utilize, in excess residential
parking for your business.
You may utilize up to 20% of your in home space or up to 50% of your garage space.
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