City, County, State, & Federal Licensing

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Virtually every business needs some form of license or permit to operate at the local, state, and federal level. Depending on your particular business, you may need to contact several different agencies to obtain the necessary permits to operate your business.

City of Blue Springs

The City of Blue Springs regulates specific types of businesses to maintain the health, safety, and general welfare of the community.

Business License

Most businesses, regardless of size, are required to have a Business License to do business in Blue Springs. A business license application and renewals are also reviewed to track and monitor compliance with sales tax and business personal property registration and collection.

Solicitors, Peddlers, & Event Merchants

Anyone going door-to-door selling or providing information must have a Solicitors / Peddlers License. Vendors that do not have a fixed location or that sell items at events may be required to obtain a Solicitors / Peddlers License.

Liquor License

Businesses wishing to sell liquor in Blue Springs will need a liquor license from the City of Blue Springs, Jackson County, and the State of Missouri along with a valid City of Blue Springs Business License. Due to state regulations, city Liquor Licenses must be approved by the City Council. The liquor license process can take 6 to 8 weeks to complete, so please allow for this in your business planning schedule. Once approved by the city, businesses can apply for their state license and county license.

In addition to the business liquor license, employees are required to obtain an Employee Liquor Permit (Liquor ID Card) through the Blue Springs Police Department.

Jackson County, Missouri

Business Personal Property Tax

Businesses are required to register with the Jackson County Assessment Department by completing the Jackson County Business Information Sheet. Once registered, your business will be assigned an account number and an annual tax bill will be mailed the business address on record. 

Restaurant & Food Handling

If your business would like to offer food, please contact the Jackson County Environmental Health Division who is responsible for implementing the policies and procedures of the county’s Food Code and issuing Food Handler Permits.

It is best to contact them when you are in the planning stage (before any construction) of your business so your design incorporates all the food permitting requirements you may need to operate. In order to obtain a food permit, you will also need a business personal property parcel number from the Jackson county Assessment Department.

State of Missouri

The State of Missouri has established a Missouri Business Portal that acts as a single point of entry for business registration, filings, licenses, and permits for doing business in the State of Missouri. This includes registering with the Department of Revenue and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Division of Employment Security.

Federal Government

The Small Business Administration can help you register for your Federal Identification Number and gain access to other federal licensing requirements.