The Arab Code of Ordinances requires each business person or firm located inside the city limits or the police jurisdiction to purchase a business license from the office of the City Clerk. This includes those soliciting business or conducting business inside the city limits or police jurisdiction, but with their actual place of business located elsewhere. RDS may be the name you think of that collects all Business License fees for the City of Arab, but it is important to note they are now operating under the name Avenu Insights & Analytics; same company, different name. A business license must be acquired prior to opening a new business, and must be renewed annually for existing businesses. At the end of each calendar year, Avenu will send out renewal notices for the following year to existing businesses. Renewal forms, along with an appropriate fee, are returned to Avenu. A new license is then mailed to the applicant.

Miscellaneous Information

License fees are charged based on the type of business being licensed. While some fees are charged on a flat rate, most fees are figured on a sliding scale based on the previous year’s revenue for the subject business. New businesses subject to the sliding scale usually pay the minimum fee.

Businesses with a place of business that is located inside the city’s police jurisdiction are subject to a license fee equal to one-half that charged to city- located businesses.

With a few exceptions, new businesses applying for a license after July 1 are subject to a license fee equal to one-half of the normal base rate.

License Calendar

• Renewal forms are mailed out no later than December 31.
• Existing licenses expire on January 31.
• License application is due with fee payment prior to February 1.
• After February 1, license application and payment are overdue, and subject to penalty. **
• Insurance company applications are due on March 1.
  
  ** Fee payment includes 15% delinquent penalty. Penalty percentages increase for each month a license is delinquent.