Getting Down to Small Business

This checklist and the services described are designed to help you understand the process of expanding your small business or starting a new venture in the Martinsville-Henry County, Virginia, area.

The licenses and permits you need depend on the type of business you plan to operate. This checklist offers a quick reference to all licenses and permits you may need. Review the following information to help you determine the licenses/permits that are applicable to your business and the documentation you may need to obtain each.

Inspection Process

Before you can obtain a business license, your business location will need to be inspected.

• If your business is located in the City of Martinsville, contact the city's Inspections Office at 276-403-5173 or go to Room 217 of the Municipal Building at 55 West Church Street.
• If your business is located in Henry County, contact the Building Inspection Office at 276-634-4615 or go to Room 205 of the Henry County Administration Building on Kings Mountain Road.

Certain home occupations do require a special use permit.

While you are going through this process, special permits may be needed based on your type of business, such as:

• ABC license
• Building permits
• Dance permit
• Environmental determination
• Health Department permit
• Home Occupation permit
• Parking permit
• Sign permit
• Uptown development design approval
• Zoning compliance

Once you have gone through the inspection process, you will be issued a Certificate of Occupancy and will be directed to the Commissioner of Revenue's Office for a business license.

Business Licenses

When you apply for your business license, bring your Certificate of Occupancy.

• In the City of Martinsville, go to the Commissioner of Revenue's Office at Room 101 of the Municipal Building on West Church Street. If you have questions, call 276-403-5133.
   
• In Henry County, go to the Commissioner of Revenue's Office at Room 108 of the Henry County Administration Building on Kings Mountain Road. If you have questions, call 276-634-4690.

You will be asked for:

1. Your federal ID number or your social security number.
    
2. Fiscal year or calendar year operation.
    
3. A realistic estimate of your gross receipts for the first year of business. Your license fee will be based on your gross receipts and the rate of your business classification. A minimum license fee for the city is $30. A minimum license fee for the county is also $30. - Note: The license requirement is different for contractors who may have a business office location in Henry County or the City of Martinsville and who may perform work in the other locality. If the contractor is licensed in the county or the city, or any other licensing locality in the Commonwealth, then the contractor is not required to obtain a license until his/her contract gross receipts total $25,000 within the locality.
    
4. A copy of the incorporation papers from the State Corporation Commission. If your business is not incorporated and is using a trade name, you are required with the Commission of Revenue Office to register the trade name with the Clerk of Circuit Court.
   • In the City of Martinsville, go to the second floor of the Municipal Building or call
     276-403-5106.
   • In Henry County, go to Room B on the first floor of the Henry County Courthouse or call 276-634-4880.

Other considerations:

• If you have two separate locations in the City of Martinsville or Henry County, you will be required to have two separate licenses. If you have a location in the City of Martinsville and another in Henry County, you will be required to have two separate licenses.
   
• If you are a retail business, you will need to register with the State Department of Taxation for a sales tax number. To download Form R-1, go to www.tax.virginia.gov.
   
• Both Martinsville and Henry County have a Meals Tax. If you will be offering food and beverages, you will need to register with the State Department of Taxation for a sales tax number and with the Commission of Revenue in either the city or county. You also will need to contact the Health Department at 276-638-2311.
   
• If you expect to have employees, contact the Virginia Employment Commission regarding withholding information. Call 276-634-3600 or visit the VEC office at 233 W. Commonwealth Blvd.
   
• If you are a contractor, you will need to file a Certificate of Insurance for Workers' Compensation with the Commissioner of the Revenue when applying for a business license in each Virginia locality in which you are required to have a license. To download Form 61A, go to www.vwc.state.va.us/printable/insurance/form61a.pdf.

If you need assistance going through this checklist, please contact the Commissioner of Revenue Office in either the City of Martinsville or Henry County.

• In the City of Martinsville, call 276-403-5133.
• In Henry County, call 276-634-4690.

For additional information or assistance, refer to the following organizations:

City of Martinsville www.martinsville-va.gov
Henry County www.henrycova.gov
Henry County-Martinsville Health Department www.vdh.virginia.gov
Genedge Alliance www.genedge.org
Institute for Advanced Learning & Research www.ialr.org
Longwood Small Business Development Center http://www.sbdc-longwood.com
Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce www.mhcchamber.com
Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation www.yesmartinsville.com
Martinsville Uptown Revitalization Association www.martinsvilleuptown.net
SCORE www.score.org
The Launch Place www.thelaunchplace.org
West Piedmont Business Development Center www.wpbdc.org
West Piedmont Planning District Commission www.wppdc.org
Virginia Department of Business Assistance www.dba.state.va.us
Virginia Employment Commission www.vec.virginia.gov
West Piedmont Workforce Investment Board www.wpwin.org