State law requires any person in business for a profit or gain that has gross taxable receipts of $3,000 per year or more must have a city and county business license for each place of business.
An application for a business tax license must be completed along with the payment of a $15.00 fee. In accordance with the City of Jackson Zoning Ordinance, approval is required from the Planning Department prior to the startup of any business located within the City Of Jackson. Residential businesses may be required to pay an additional fee in the Planning Department. Annually thereafter, upon notification from the State of Tennessee Department of Revenue, if the taxpayer has filed the required business tax return and remitted the amount of tax due, the City of Jackson Revenue Department will renew the taxpayer's business license for another year.
A license issued will expire thirty days after the date that the taxpayer's annual business tax return is due for the license/jurisdiction.
The taxpayer must exhibit the license in the taxpayer's place of business.
A Business License Application must be taken to the Planning Department by the business owner for zoning approval before the City Revenue Department will issue the business license.
The Tennessee Department of Revenue's website can help you determine the classification of your business and provide you with an opportunity to renew your business license.
Visit the IRS website to obtain an EIN number.
If you would like to apply for your business to be an LLC or corporation, please review this LLC Filing Guide.
State and local laws regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages. The Revenue Department is responsible for the beer permit application process for the City Beer Board.
The components of the Beer Permit Application Packet are available below and in the Revenue Office, which handles the administrative process. The beer permit applicant must appear before the Beer Board for consideration of his or her request for a beer permit. Members of City Council sit on the Beer Board, which meets on the first Tuesday of each month.
COMPONENTS OF THE BEER APPLICATION PACKET
Read the City of Jackson's Beer Ordinance for more information.
The application process can be lengthy, so applicants should apply well before opening their business or purchasing an existing business. Applications for a beer permit must be received at least fifteen days before issuance of a permit due to the many requirements that must be carried out before the application is considered complete and ready for the Beer Board's consideration.
Beer permit privileges are not transferable, and a new owner cannot operate under a previous owner's license. Stocking beer (actually holding beer on property that you own or operate) without a beer permit is a violation of the beer permit law and could result in denial of a beer permit.
The State Alcoholic Beverage Commission authorizes liquor-by-the-drink licenses. Local businesses will pay the same fee for their local license as their state license. The city will notify the business owner/operator of the need for the city license and the applicable fee once the state has authorized a liquor license.
For information on either a beer permit or a liquor license, call the Revenue Office at 731.425.8210.
To review the state's policies, visit the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission's website.
The violation for not displaying a city sticker is $50.00, plus the cost of a city sticker purchase of $25.00.
An Annual City of Jackson City Sticker is required for each vehicle at every residence within the city limits. The sticker is to be placed on the lower left corner of the license plate. Stickers may be purchased at the Titles & License Office at the Madison County Court House for a cost of $25.00.
Select a form or document to view or print.
COMPONENTS OF THE BEER APPLICATION PACKET
If you are seeking a permit to be a solicitor or peddler in the City of Jackson, please download the application below.
Solicitors and Peddlers Permit Application
- Paying base tax when the interest is due.
- Paying an incorrect interest amount.
- Paying an incorrect amount for multiple properties due to error in addition.
- Not signing the check.
- Not including a copy of the bill with your payment, requiring research into the property to insure proper credit is given.
- Sending city payments to the county or county payments to the city.
State law requires that all “Transient Vendors” within the city limits have city and county licenses that are acquired at City Hall. Licenses for vendors located outside the city limits are required and licensed by the county at the Court House.
“Transient vendor” is a phrase describing any person who brings into temporary premises and exhibits stocks of merchandise to the public for the purpose of selling or offering to sell the merchandise to the public. “Transient vendor” does not include any person selling goods by sample, brochure or sales catalog for future delivery or to sales resulting from the prior invitation to the seller by the owner or occupant of a residence. For purposes of this definition, “merchandise” means any consumer item that is or is represented to be new or not previously owned by a consumer, and “temporary premises” means any public or quasi-public place including a hotel, rooming house, storeroom, building or part of a building, tent, vacant lot, railroad car or motor vehicle that is temporarily occupied for the purpose of exhibiting stocks of merchandise to the public. Premises are not temporary if the same person has conducted business at those premises for more than six (6) consecutive months.
The Transient Vendor Permit Application must be completed, and a fee for the issue a Transient Vendor license is levied. Application for address approval must be approved by the Planning Department, and then the fee for the issue of a Transient Vendor license is levied. The fee for the city is $150, and the fee for the county is $55. Transient vendors shall pay a fee of $50 to the City for each 14-day period during which such vendors sell or offer to sell merchandise. To view or print the application, download the PDF below.
Transient Vendor Application
Financial information supplied to the city is confidential according to state law. The city cannot give this information to anyone other than the business owner or his/her authorized agent unless the records are under subpoena by a court.
*Fees will be associated with Public Records Requests as of March 1, 2024.
Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503(g), the following Public Records Policy for Jackson, Tennessee is hereby effective to provide economical and efficient access to public records as provided under the Tennessee Public Records Act (“TPRA”) Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-501, et seq.
The TPRA provides that all state, county and municipal records shall, at all times during business hours, be open for personal inspection by any citizen of this state, and those in charge of the records shall not refuse such right of inspection to any citizen, unless otherwise provided by state law. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503(a)(2)(A). Accordingly, the records of Jackson, Tennessee are presumed to be open for inspection unless otherwise provided by law.
Personnel of the City of Jackson shall timely and efficiently provide access and assistance to persons requesting to view or receive copies of public records. No provisions of this Policy shall be used to hinder access to open public records. However, the integrity and organization of public records, as well as the efficient and safe operation of the City of Jackson, shall be protected as provided by current law. Concerns about this Policy should be addressed to the Public Records Request Coordinator for the City of Jackson or to the Tennessee Office of Open Records Counsel (“OORC”).
This Policy is available for inspection and duplication in City Recorder’s office and shall be posted online. This policy shall be reviewed annually at minimum and shall be applied consistently throughout the various offices, departments, and/or divisions of the City of Jackson.
Select here to complete the Public Records Request form.