Columbia
City of Columbia Business License Division, Finance Department
In short
City of Columbia Business License Division, Finance Department issues 4 permits we publish for Columbia, last verified 2026-09-08. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business License | City of Columbia Business License Division, Finance Department | Annual tax on gross income earned in the city, by rate class (base rate on the first $2,000, then per additional $1,000): Class 1 (retail trade) $60.00 + $0.90; Class 2 (food services and drinking places) $65.00 + $1.00; Class 4 (NAICS sector 81 'other services,' including personal care services and automotive repair and maintenance, and sector 62 health care and social assistance, including child day care) $75.00 + $1.20; Class 5 (professional, scientific and technical services, including veterinary services) $80.00 + $1.30. A declining-rate schedule applies to gross income over $1,000,000, stepping down to 50% of the class rate above $5,000,000. A business with no fixed place of business in the city pays double the applicable rate. | annual — license year runs May 1 to April 30 | 2026-09-08 |
| Contractor Business License | City of Columbia Business License Division, Finance Department | A dedicated Subclass 8.1: $60.00 minimum on the first $2,000 of gross income, plus $0.53 per additional $1,000. A contractor with no permanent place of business in the city pays double. | annual — license year runs May 1 to April 30 | 2026-09-08 |
| Auto Repair Business License — Class 4 Rate Applies (Columbia)only if it applies to you | City of Columbia Business License Division, Finance Department | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-08 |
| Salon Business License — Class 4 Rate Applies (Columbia)only if it applies to you | City of Columbia Business License Division, Finance Department | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-08 |
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
Appendix B of Ordinance 2023-087 (final reading August 1, 2023; effective for the license year beginning May 1, 2024) assigns business license classes by NAICS sector: retail trade (44-45) is Class 1 and food services and drinking places (722) is Class 2. The schedule names sectors rather than individual trades, so a salon or other personal care business (NAICS 8121) and an auto repair shop (NAICS 8111) fall under sector 81 'Other services', Class 4; child day care (NAICS 624410) falls under sector 62 'Health care and social assistance', also Class 4; and a veterinary practice (NAICS 541940) falls under sector 54 'Professional, scientific, and technical services', Class 5. The City's Business License Ordinance page lists Ordinances 2023-087 and 2024-050 as its most recent amendments, while the recitals of Ordinance 2023-087 state that the Standardization Act requires each municipality to adopt the latest class schedule by December 31 of every odd year; confirm the current class and rate with the Business License Division.
Contractor Business License
The license cannot be issued until the applicant has satisfied state/municipal trade qualification, filed the required performance and indemnity bonds, and obtained the applicable zoning permit. Subcontractors are licensed the same way as prime contractors.
Auto Repair Business License — Class 4 Rate Applies (Columbia)
Appendix B of Ordinance 2023-087, the City's business license class schedule, assigns classes by NAICS sector and names no auto-repair category: an auto repair shop (NAICS 8111) falls under sector 81 'Other services', Class 4, the same class as personal care services, and pays the standard Class 4 business license rate shown in the Business License record. Under that schedule there is no separate fee for auto repair beyond the Class 4 business license.
Salon Business License — Class 4 Rate Applies (Columbia)
Appendix B of Ordinance 2023-087, the City's business license class schedule, assigns classes by NAICS sector and names no salon-specific category: a salon or other personal care business (NAICS 8121) falls under sector 81 'Other services', Class 4, and pays the standard Class 4 business license rate shown in the Business License record. Under that schedule there is no separate fee for a salon beyond the Class 4 business license.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Columbia
- Phone
- (803) 545-3345
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.
- City of Columbia — Business License Renewal, confirming the May 1–April 30 license yearCity of Columbia, Business License Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
- City of Columbia Ordinance 2023-087 — Business Licence Ordinance amendment, Appendix A rate table and Appendix B class scheduleCity of Columbia · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
- City of Columbia Ordinance 2024-050 — amending Code chapter 11 (Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations), adopted August 6, 2024City of Columbia · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
Other offices serving Columbia
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
South Carolina jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.