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Business Licenses

LICENCES

 Categories

 Four categories namely;

  • Business Premises Licence
  • Food Licence
  • Opaque Beer Licence
  • Liquor Licence

Acquiring a licence

In order to acquire a licence the following steps will be taken;

  • Filling application by business owner
  • Inspection of business premises by the Council’s directorates of Town Planning and Health and Social Services
  • Approval / Rejection of application based on recommendation from the inspectors
  • Issuance of the licence if an approval was granted

Areas inspectors focus on

  • Location of the business
  • Fire safety especially businesses handling a lot of people like halls
  • Waste management
  • Ventilation
  • Safety of employees
  • Room size especially where the business will accommodate a lot of people
  • Sanitation
  • Building materials
  • Accessibility

It should however be noted that some businesses may be issued with a licence without being inspected. It is however a MUST to inspect the following businesses:

  • Bars
  • Schools
  • Restaurant
  • Manufacturing Companies
  • Lodges, Motels, Rest Houses, Hotels

Applicable fees

Fees paid on issuance of licence depends on category of the business as provided in the Council’s charges sheet.

PENALTIES

Non payment of business licence fees shall lead to closure of business premises. Failure to comply with licence conditions shall lead to revocation of the licence.

CAR PARKING

Collection of car parking fees is governed by the provisions of the ‘’Traffic and Safety Parking of Motor Vehicles By – Law of 2002.

The Council has designated parking places and parking slots in the city. Motorists are required to pay parking fees which are charged per hour

Some residents prefer to secure parking space. They make a formal application to the Chief Executive Officer.  Once approval is granted, the space is cordoned off from the rest of the parking spaces by marking it “reserved” with yellow paint.

Payment for such spaces is made a month in advance.

PENALTIES

Among the available penalties, the most common ones are clamping of the vehicle and towing of the vehicle for temporary keeping at our yard. The vehicle will be released upon payment of appropriate fees and costs of the enforcement action.

PROPERTY RATES

These are municipal taxes on land and improvements (buildings) located within the city boundaries.

HOW ARE PROPERTY RATES CALCULATED

They are calculated by using an approved tariff which is multiplied by the value of the property (i.e. land and improvements or land only)

Billing is done twice a year in June for the July to December period and in December for the January to June period.

INVOICE DUE DATES

The invoices must be paid within sixty days from the first month of the billing period; i.e. the January to June invoices must have been paid by 28 February while the July to December invoices must have been by 31 August. A surcharge of 4%  of the outstanding balance per month will be accrued from March for the January to June billing and from September for the July to December billing.

SURCHARGE

The surcharge is non-negotiable as it is a penalty for not paying the property rates on time

 PENALTIES

 Non payment of property rates shall lead to seizure of property.