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Columbia County

Columbia County Licensing Department (Development Services Division)

In short

Columbia County Licensing Department (Development Services Division) issues 4 permits we publish for Columbia County, last verified 2026-10-31. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Business License and Occupational Tax (unincorporated Columbia County)Columbia County Licensing Department (Development Services Division)Occupational tax by full-time-equivalent (FTE) employees at the location, owners included: 0–5 FTE $100; 6–10 FTE $190; 11–20 FTE $375; 21–50 FTE $940; 51 FTE or more $2,250, as printed on the county's Business License & Occupational Tax Application effective 12/05/2022. The tax is prorated by 50% for businesses that begin after June 30 in a calendar year. Online payment through Citizen Self Service carries a $3 processing fee per transaction.calendar year; renewed by paying the amount owed by January 31 each year2026-10-31
Alcoholic Beverage License (Columbia County)only if it applies to youColumbia County Licensing Department (Development Services Division)The license amount is not published on the county's Licensing or Additional Licenses & Permits pages; contact the Columbia County Licensing Department, 706-312-7171 or licensing@columbiacountyga.gov, for the current amount.renewed with the Columbia County Licensing Department; term not stated on the county's Licensing page2026-10-31
Temporary Alcoholic Beverage Permit (Columbia County)only if it applies to youColumbia County Licensing Department (Development Services Division)The permit amount is not published on the county's Additional Licenses & Permits page; contact the Columbia County Licensing Department, 706-312-7171, for the current amount.per function2026-10-31
Massage Operator's License (Columbia County)only if it applies to youColumbia County Licensing Department (Development Services Division)The license amount is not published on the county's Licensing page or in its Massage Operator's License application packet; contact the Columbia County Licensing Department, 706-312-7171, for the current amount.not stated on the county's Licensing page or in the application packet2026-10-31

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Business License and Occupational Tax (unincorporated Columbia County)

The county's Occupational Tax page states that "All businesses with a physical location in the unincorporated area of Columbia County are required to obtain a business license and pay occupational tax before opening", that the tax "is based on the number of employees and ranges from $100 to $2,250", and that the typical review takes one week, so the county recommends applying two weeks before opening. The tiers above are from the county's application form effective 12/05/2022, which counts a 40-hour employee as one FTE, adds part-time hours and divides by 40, and counts only employees working in Columbia County for out-of-state businesses. The form lists exemptions for nonprofits (IRS determination letter), disabled veterans (Probate Court certificate of eligibility) and secondary businesses sharing location, ownership and employees with a taxed business. Commercial locations are reviewed by the Tax Commissioner, Planning, the Department of Health, the Fire Marshal and Water Utility Environmental Compliance; home and mobile businesses by the Tax Commissioner, Planning and Water Utility. The form makes the applicant responsible for renewing each year by January 31. A business inside the City of Grovetown also holds Grovetown's own occupational (business) license.

Alcoholic Beverage License (Columbia County)

A restaurant, coffee shop or retail store selling alcohol needs this county license where Columbia County is the licensing jurisdiction. The county's Licensing page states that since January 12, 2022 the State of Georgia requires all new alcoholic beverage license applications to be submitted through the Georgia Department of Revenue's Georgia Tax Center, choosing Columbia County as the jurisdiction, and that "Alcoholic Beverage License renewals are not processed through the Georgia Tax Center"; renewals go to the county Licensing Department at 706-312-7171. The page asks applicants to review the Columbia County Alcoholic Beverage Code before applying and states that "Licensees are required to maintain a copy of the code on their premise." A coffee shop needs the license only if it sells alcohol. This license is in addition to the business license and occupational tax.

Temporary Alcoholic Beverage Permit (Columbia County)

The county's Additional Licenses & Permits page states that "A temporary alcoholic beverage permit must be issued for any function at which alcoholic beverages are sold to the guest directly (cash bar or tickets) or indirectly (alcoholic beverage provided with the cost of admission or membership)." An officer of the business with authority to bind it, or the individuals putting on the function, must apply. The page states that the State of Georgia requires all temporary alcoholic beverage permit applications to be submitted through its website, choosing Columbia County as the jurisdiction, and that the completed application must be received at least 21 days before the date of the function. A restaurant, coffee shop or food truck selling alcohol at such a function needs this permit.

Massage Operator's License (Columbia County)

This license applies to a salon only as a scope consequence: a salon offering massage services needs it, and a salon without massage services is outside it. The county's Licensing page states that the Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance 16-07 creating a massage operator's license that is "required for all businesses that provide massage services", that it is in addition to the business license and occupational tax, and that all applications are presented to the Planning Commission for approval, a process that typically takes several weeks. The county's checklist (effective 08/15/2022) states that massage therapy is a conditional use in the C-1, C-C, C-2, P-1, PDD and S-1 zoning districts and asks applicants to confirm the property's conditional use with Planning at 706-868-3400; it requires a notarized application, a Georgia massage therapist license, a passport-style photo and a registered agent who lives in Columbia County.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Columbia County
Phone
706-312-7171

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Additional Licenses & PermitsColumbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  2. Business LicenseCity of Grovetown, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  3. Business License & Occupational Tax Application (Effective 12/05/2022)Columbia County Licensing Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  4. Inspections & ReviewsColumbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  5. LicensingColumbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  6. Massage Operator's License Application Packet (Checklist effective 08/15/2022)Columbia County Licensing Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  7. Occupational Tax (Business License)Columbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  8. Occupational Tax and Business LicenseColumbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31

Other offices serving Columbia County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Georgia jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.