Arlington County
Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division
In short
Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division issues 5 permits we publish for Arlington County, last verified 2026-10-27. 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 (BPOL) Registration and Gross-Receipts Tiers | Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division | Gross receipts of $10,000 or less: no tax. $10,001–$50,000: flat fee of $30. $50,001–$100,000: flat fee of $50. Over $100,000: tax at the rate for the business's classification (see the BPOL gross-receipts rates record). | Annual; register within 75 days of starting operations, then file a renewal return by March 1 each year | 2026-10-27 |
| Business License (BPOL) Gross-Receipts Rates by Classification | Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division | Per $100 of gross receipts, for a business with gross receipts over $100,000 (calendar year 2026): Restaurants $0.20 (restaurant, coffee shop); Retail Merchants $0.20 (retail store); Personal Services $0.35 (salon, fitness studio, child care center or day nursery); Repair Services $0.35 (auto repair); Professional Occupations $0.36 (veterinarian); Contractors $0.16. At $100,000 or less, the flat tiers in the BPOL registration record apply instead. | Calendar year; filed with the annual BPOL renewal return by March 1 | 2026-10-27 |
| Peddler and Itinerant Merchant License Tax (Vendor's Tag) | Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division | $500 a year, per the Police Department's Guidelines for Vendors (updated 07/08/2026) and County Code §11-38 | Annual | 2026-10-27 |
| Beer and Wine Retail On-Premises Local License Taxonly if it applies to you | Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division | Annual local license tax under County Code §11-26.C (wine and beer) or §11-26.D (beer), in addition to the gross-receipts license tax; contact the Commissioner of Revenue at 703-228-3060 for the current amount. | Annual | 2026-10-27 |
| Mixed Beverage Restaurant Local License Taxonly if it applies to you | Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division | Annual local license tax under County Code §11-56.2, in addition to all other taxes; contact the Commissioner of Revenue at 703-228-3060 for the current amount. | Annual | 2026-10-27 |
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 (BPOL) Registration and Gross-Receipts Tiers
The Commissioner of Revenue's current Business License Tax page states that businesses operating in or from Arlington County "must register and obtain a business license within 75 days of starting operations" and must then "file an annual renewal return by March 1", using the Customer Assessment & Payment Portal (CAPP). The tax is generally based on the previous year's gross receipts; a new business files an estimate that is later trued up. As published on that page, a business with gross receipts up to $10,000 owes no tax, $10,001–$50,000 pays a flat fee of $30, $50,001–$100,000 pays a flat fee of $50, and above $100,000 the tax rate depends on the business activity. County Code §11-15 sets the same structure in ordinance. Under §11-14, every business license is subject to verification of compliance with the Zoning Ordinance before it is issued. Because the county's Fast Facts page states there are no incorporated towns or cities within Arlington, this registration applies countywide.
Business License (BPOL) Gross-Receipts Rates by Classification
These rates are taken from the Arlington County column of the table "Calendar Year 2026 Selected Business, Professional, and Occupational License Tax Rates" in the county's FY 2027 Adopted Budget Revenue Summary, an official adopted budget document: Restaurants $0.20, Retail Merchants $0.20, Personal Services $0.35, Repair Services $0.35, Professional Occupations $0.36 and Contractors $0.16, each per $100 of gross receipts. The industry placements come from County Code Chapter 11: §11-57.A lists "Veterinarian" among professional occupations; §11-58 lists "Beauty parlor", "Physical fitness establishment" and "Day nursery (other than foster homes)" among personal services; §11-60 lists "Auto or engine repair" among repair services; §11-61 covers retail merchants, §11-61.1 restaurants and §11-64 contractors. A rate applies only once gross receipts exceed $100,000; below that, the $30 and $50 flat fees on the Commissioner of Revenue's Business License Tax page apply. The same budget table lists neighboring jurisdictions; only Arlington's figures are used here.
Peddler and Itinerant Merchant License Tax (Vendor's Tag)
County Code §11-38 requires all peddlers and itinerant merchants doing business in the county to pay a business license tax of $500 annually before commencing business, and defines a peddler to include a person who carries goods from place to place and sells and delivers them at the same time. The county's current Guidelines for Vendors, a Police Department document updated 07/08/2026, states as step 1 that vendors must register with the Commissioner of Revenue at 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 200, and that "The vendor's tag, which is issued by the Commissioner of Revenue costs $500 and is issued in the name of the business owner." The same guideline says proof of Virginia retail sales tax registration must be shown to the Commissioner of Revenue. Under §11-38, the plate issued as the license must be conspicuously displayed at all times. The Police vendor permit is a separate requirement, recorded on its own.
Beer and Wine Retail On-Premises Local License Tax
A restaurant or coffee shop that holds a Virginia ABC retail on-premises license to sell wine and beer, or beer, for consumption on the premises owes Arlington County an annual local license tax under County Code §11-26.C or §11-26.D, administered by the Commissioner of Revenue. The ordinance states that the tax is paid in addition to the gross-receipts license tax under Article III of Chapter 11, and §11-26.F provides that the county license is issued only when the taxpayer holds, or at the same time obtains, the state license from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Contact the Commissioner of Revenue's Business Tax Division at 703-228-3060 for the current amount before budgeting. This record applies only to a business that serves beer or wine; one that does not serve alcohol has no obligation under it.
Mixed Beverage Restaurant Local License Tax
County Code §11-56.2 provides that establishments holding a mixed beverage restaurant license issued by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board "shall pay a local license tax, in addition to all other taxes imposed, for doing business in the County". The tax is administered by the Commissioner of Revenue's Business Tax Division and applies to restaurants, including restaurants operated at hotels or motels, and to private nonprofit clubs operating a restaurant on their premises. Contact the Commissioner of Revenue at 703-228-3060 for the current amount before budgeting. This record applies only to a restaurant that serves mixed beverages under a state license; a restaurant without that state license has no obligation under it.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Arlington County
- Phone
- 703-228-3060
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.
- Arlington County Code, Chapter 11 — LicensesArlington County Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Business License TaxArlington County Commissioner of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Fast FactsArlington County Government · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- FY 2027 Adopted Budget — Revenue Summary (Calendar Year 2026 Selected Business, Professional, and Occupational License Tax Rates)Arlington County Department of Management and Finance · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Guidelines for Vendors In Arlington County (UPDATED: 07/08/2026)Arlington County Police Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
Other offices serving Arlington County
- Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, Planning and Zoning Divisions
- Arlington County Public Health Division, Environmental Health Program
- Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, Inspection Services Division
- Arlington County Department of Human Services, Child Care Services Office
- Arlington County Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal
- Arlington County Police Department, Courts, Licensing & Compliance Office
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
- Restaurants in Arlington County
- Coffee shops in Arlington County
- Retail stores in Arlington County
- Salons and barbers in Arlington County
- Food trucks in Arlington County
- Fitness studios in Arlington County
- Childcare centres in Arlington County
- Contractors and trades in Arlington County
- Auto repair shops in Arlington County
- Veterinary clinics in Arlington County
Virginia jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.