Hamilton County
Hamilton County Clerk
In short
Hamilton County Clerk issues 2 permits we publish for Hamilton County, last verified 2026-10-08. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Business License (Standard or Minimal Activity)only if it applies to you | Hamilton County Clerk | License fee set by the Tennessee Business Tax Act, T.C.A. § 67-4-723, per location; § 67-4-723(d) provides that no additional fee shall be charged for filing the application or issuing the license. The Hamilton County Clerk's office states the amount payable at application. | standard license: renewed when the state business tax return is filed (T.C.A. § 67-4-723(a)(2) provides no fee for that renewal); minimal activity license: renewed each year at the County Clerk's office | 2026-10-08 |
| Transient Vendor's Licenseonly if it applies to you | Hamilton County Clerk | $50 per 14-day period, paid before the first day of business | 14 days per license period | 2026-10-08 |
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
County Business License (Standard or Minimal Activity)
As published on the Hamilton County Clerk's Business License and Tax Information page, under the Tennessee Business Tax Act most businesses, vocations and occupations operating within Hamilton County, TN must obtain a business license from the County Clerk, and 'No person shall conduct business in this state without first obtaining a business license from the County Clerk (TCA 67-4-723(a)(4))'. The Tennessee Department of Revenue's Registration and Licensing page sets the tiers: a location with gross receipts of more than $3,000 but less than $100,000 takes a minimal activity license, and one with $100,000 or more takes a standard license and files business tax returns with the Department; the page adds that a business may not operate until the license is obtained and posted at its location. The license fee is set by T.C.A. § 67-4-723, and subsection (d) of that section provides that no additional fee shall be charged for filing the application or issuing the license; the Clerk's office (423-209-6500) states the amount payable at application. The standard license renews when the state return is filed, and § 67-4-723(a)(2) provides that no fee is charged for that renewal; the Clerk's page says the minimal activity license must be renewed annually through the Clerk's office and carries no annual tax return. The Clerk's page lists exempt services, including veterinarians, but says that a provider of an exempt service who also sells tangible personal property or taxable services is subject to business tax on those sales. A business inside a city that has enacted the tax also takes a city license from the city official. Apply online through tncountyclerk.com or at 625 Georgia Avenue, Room 201, Chattanooga.
Transient Vendor's License
As published on the Hamilton County Clerk's Transient Vendor's License page, the license is for out-of-state businesses that have no physical location in Tennessee and sell merchandise to the public from temporary premises, such as a hotel room, storeroom, tent, vacant lot or motor vehicle, and 'Transient Vendors shall pay a fee of $50.00 for each 14-day period', paid before the first day of business. The Clerk's page says transient vendors are not liable for the business tax levied under T.C.A. § 67-4-709, that the license does not pertain to class 4 out-of-state contractors, and that premises are not temporary once the same person has done business there for more than six consecutive months. Sales by sample, brochure or catalogue for future delivery, and sales at a residence on the owner's prior invitation, fall outside the definition. Apply online or mail the application with the $50 fee, payable to 'Hamilton County Clerk', to 625 Georgia Avenue, Room 201, Chattanooga, TN 37402; call 423-209-6500.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Hamilton County
- Phone
- 423-209-6500
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.
- County Clerk — Business License and Tax InformationHamilton County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- County Clerk — Transient Vendor's LicenseHamilton County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Tennessee Department of Revenue — business tax registration and licensingTennessee Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Other offices serving Hamilton County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
- Restaurants in Hamilton County
- Coffee shops in Hamilton County
- Retail stores in Hamilton County
- Salons and barbers in Hamilton County
- Food trucks in Hamilton County
- Fitness studios in Hamilton County
- Childcare centres in Hamilton County
- Contractors and trades in Hamilton County
- Auto repair shops in Hamilton County
- Veterinary clinics in Hamilton County
Tennessee jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.