Licensing 

Business License and Occupational Tax

All businesses with a physical location in the unincorporated area of Columbia County are required to obtain a business license and pay an occupational tax. The fees are based on the number of employees and range from $100 to $2,250. The application packet and more information can be found in the Starting a Business in Columbia County Guide.

Businesses without a physical presence in the unincorporated area of Columbia County are required to obtain a business license and may be required to pay an occupational tax. 

Please call 706-312-7171 or email Licensing Department for assistance.

Massage Operator's License

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance 16-07 creating a massage operator's license (MOL) that is required for all businesses that provide massage services. This license is in addition to the business license and occupational tax. All applications are presented to the Planning Commission for approval. The process typically takes several weeks to complete, depending on the timing of the application and the meeting schedules.

Alcoholic Beverage License

Columbia County Alcoholic Beverage Code

Please be sure to review the Columbia County Alcoholic Beverage Code before making application for a license. Licensees are required to maintain a copy of the code on their premise.

Alcoholic Beverage Licenses

Effective January 12, 2022, the State of Georgia requires all new alcoholic beverage license applications to be submitted through the Georgia Department of Revenue's Georgia Tax Center website https://gtc.dor.ga.gov/_/. You can access their video tutorials at the website https://dor.georgia.gov/help-georgia-tax-center/how-videos.  You will need to choose Columbia County as the jurisdiction. All application documents are available once you log in to the website.

Alcoholic Beverage License renewals are not processed through the Georgia Tax Center. Please call 706-312-7171 or email Licensing Department for assistance.