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Business Licenses

We want it to be easy to do business in Forest Acres. Our licensing process is simple, our staff is helpful and our market is thriving. 

Business Licenses 

To apply for a new license or to renew an existing license, simply fill out our application and mail it to us or stop by our office at 5209 N. Trenholm Road. If you mail in your application, don't forget to include a check for payment. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover if paying in person at City Hall.  We cannot accept payment over the phone. If this is your first time applying for a license, be sure to include our business information sheet. 

If you have trouble calculating your fee, consult our Business License Fee Calculator.

Typically, if there are no errors on your application, we will mail you back your business license in a week or less. The turnaround time may be slightly longer close to April 30, the deadline for renewal. 

If you have questions about the application itself or the licensing process, please do not hesitate to contact our licensing clerk, Laura Boatright. 

Home Occupation Guidelines 

Residents of Forest Acres are free to operate a business from their home, but only if the following guidelines are met:

  • The business must be wholly contained within the resident's principal building (home).

  • The portion of the home used to conduct the home occupation must constitute no more than twenty (20) percent of the floor area of the home.

  • No merchandise can be displayed for advertising purposes. No merchandise can be visible from outside of the home.

  • No merchandise or articles can be stored outside of the home. 

  • The residential character of the building or premises cannot be altered.

  • Only people residing on the premises may be employed and/or work with the home occupation.

  • The business shall not generate traffic in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood, and any need for parking must be met off-street and not in the required front yard. 

If your business meets the above criteria, fill out our Home Occupation Requirements Statement and mail it in with your license application.