(a) Every taxpayer required to purchase a business license under this chapter shall:
(1) Purchase a business license for each location at which it does business in the municipality, except as otherwise provided by the municipality.
(2) Except as provided in Section 11-51-193, with respect to taxpayers subject to state licensing board oversight, be classified into one or more of the following 2002 North American Industrial Classification System ("NAICS") sectors and applicable sub-sectors, industry groups, industries, and U.S. industries thereunder:
| SECTOR | NAICS TITLE | SUGGESTED BUSINESS LICENSE CODE GROUPING BY SAMPLE TOPIC OR CATEGORY | BASIS FOR LICENSE CALCULATION |
| 111 | Crop Production | Agriculture, farming, nursery, fruit, growers | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 112 | Animal Production | Animal, dairy, cattle, ranching, sheep, chicken | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 113 | Forestry and Logging | Forestry, logging, timber | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 114 | Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping | Fishing, hunting, supplies and equipment | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 115 | Support for Agriculture and Forestry | Cotton ginning, farm management, post-harvest activities | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 211 | Oil and Gas Extraction | Oil, gas, extraction, natural gas, crude | State Regulated [See, e.g. Section 40-20-2(c)] |
| 212 | Mining (except Oil and Gas) | Mining activities | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where not State Regulated |
| 213 | Support for Mining Activities | Support activities for oil and gas wells | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where not State Regulated |
| 221 | Utilities | Utilities, gas, electric, water, sewage, steam | State Regulated (See Section 11-51-129) |
| 236 | Building, Developing and General Contracting | Construction, building, general, residential, subdivisions | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 237 | Heavy Construction | Construction, heavy construction, highway, bridge, street | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 238 | Special Trade Contractors | Construction, all special trades | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 311 | Food Manufacturing | Food manufacturing, animal, grain, fruit, dairy, meat, seafood | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 312 | Beverage and Tobacco Products Manufacturing | Beverage manufacturing, soft drink, bottled water, breweries, ice | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 313 | Textile Mills | Mills, textile, fabric, yarn, carpet, canvas, rope, twine | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 314 | Textile Product Mills | Other mill operations not covered in 313 | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 315 | Apparel Manufacturing | Apparel manufacturing, hosiery, men, women, children, lingerie | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 316 | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | Leather manufacturing, shoes, luggage, handbag, related products | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 321 | Wood Products Manufacturing | Wood products, sawmills, wood, preservation, veneer, trusses, millwork | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 322 | Paper Manufacturing | Paper manufacturing, pulp, paper, converted products | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 323 | Printing and Related Support Activities | Printing, lithographic, screen, quick, digital, books, handbills | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 324 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | Petroleum manufacturing, asphalt, roofing, paving, grease | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 325 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical manufacturing, wood, fertilizer, pesticide, paint, soap, other | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 326 | Plastics and Rubber Product Manufacturing | Plastic and tire manufacture, pipe, hoses, belts, bottle, sheet, foam | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 327 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | Nonmetallic manufacturing, clay, glass, cement, lime, gypsum, other | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 331 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | Metal manufacturing, iron, steel, aluminum, copper, other nonferrous | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 332 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | Fabricated metal, cutlery, structural, ornamental, wire, machine shops | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 333 | Machinery Manufacturing | Machinery manufacturing, farm, HVAC, office, industrial, engine, other | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 334 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | Computers and electronics, peripherals, audio, video, circuit boards | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 335 | Electrical Equipment Appliance Component Manufacturing | Electrical equipment, lighting, small appliance, battery, other | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 336 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | Transportation manufacturing, auto, truck, trailer, motor home, ship, boat, motorcycle | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 337 | Furniture and Related Products Manufacturing | Furniture manufacturing, cabinets, office furniture, beds, kitchen | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 339 | Misc. Manufacturing | Misc. manufacturing, medical, dental, jewelry, sporting goods, toys, signs, all other | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate, or Value of Goods Produced |
| 421 | Wholesale Trade, Durable Goods | Wholesale trade-durable, motor vehicle, home furniture, machinery, equipment | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 422 | Wholesale Trade, Non-Durable Goods | Wholesale trade-nondurable, paper, apparel, grocery, dairy, farm, beverages | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 441 | Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealer | Motor vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, boats, parts, accessories | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 442 | Furniture and Home Furnishing Stores | Furniture stores, home, floor, furnishings, window, special products | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 443 | Electronics and Appliance Stores | Electronic and appliance store, household, radio, television, computer | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 444 | Building Material and Gardening Equipment Dealers | Building materials, hardware, paint, home center, wallpaper | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 445 | Food and Beverage Stores | Food and beverage stores, grocery, convenience, markets, liquor, beer | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 446 | Health and Personal Care Stores | Health and personal care stores, drug, cosmetic, optical, health food | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 447 | Gasoline Stations | Gasoline stations, filling stations | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Based on No. of Dispensers |
| 448 | Clothing and Accessories Stores | Clothing stores, men's, women's, children, infants, shoe, jewelry, luggage | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 451 | Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book, Music | Sporting goods stores, hobby, toy, fish, gun, music, books | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 452 | General Merchandise | General merchandise stores, department, warehouse clubs, superstores | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 453 | Miscellaneous Store Retailers | Misc. store retailers, florist, gift, novelty, used, pets, art, tobacco | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 454 | Nonstore Retailers | Nonstore retailers, electronic shopping, mail order, vending, direct selling | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 481 | Air Transportation | Air transportation, airline tickets, shipping, freight, charters | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 482 | Rail Transportation | Rail transportation, ticket offices, short line, freight | State Regulated and/or Flat Rate |
| 483 | Water Transportation | Water transportation, coastal, freight, inland, passenger, forwarders | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 484 | Truck Transportation | Truck transportation, terminal, local, long-distance, freight | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 485 | Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | Ground transportation, bus, taxi, limousine, charter, buggy | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 487 | Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | Scenic and sightseeing, land, water, air, special | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 492 | Couriers and Messengers | Couriers and messengers, services, delivery | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 493 | Warehousing and Storage | Warehouse and storage, household, refrigerated, distribution, special | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate or Square Feet |
| 511 | Publishing Industries (except Internet) | Publishing, newspapers, periodicals, databases, software | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 512 | Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industry | Motion pictures and videos, theatres, recording, studios, drive-in | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 515 | Broadcasting (except Internet) | Broadcasting and radio, TV | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 516 | Internet Publishing and Broadcasting | Publications or broadcasting for Internet only | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 517 | Telecommunications | Providing, access to facilities for voice, data, text, sound and/or video | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 519 | Information Services and Data Processing | Providing, storing, processing, and providing access to information | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 522 | Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | Credit companies and activities related to credit and mediation of credit | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated. Banks and savings and loan associations are state regulated and are subject to the license tax authorized under Section 11-51-130 and under Section 11-51-131, respectively. |
| 523 | Securities, Commodity, Other Financial Products | Insurance companies, life, health, accident, and all other | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 524 | Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | Insurance companies, fire, marine, and fire casualty | State Regulated |
| 525 | Funds, Trusts, Other Financial Vehicles | Funds, plans, and/or programs organized to pool securities or other assets for others, other than the Alabama Municipal Funding Corporation | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 531 | Real Estate | Real estate, offices, agents, brokers, developers | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 532 | Rental and Leasing Services | Rental and leasing, auto, truck, equipment, tangible property | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 541 | Professions, Scientific, Technical Services | Attorney, doctor, dentist, architect, engineer, vet, other professions | Gross Receipts for outdoor/billboard advertising; otherwise flat rate and/or gross receipts |
| 551 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | Management of companies and enterprises, offices, regional, corporate | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated. For purposes of this chapter only, bank holding companies are state regulated and are subject only to the license tax amount authorized under Section 11-51-130(a)(12). |
| 561 | Administrative and Support Services | Administrative and support services, office, employment, answering, travel | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 562 | Waste Management and Remediation Services | Waste management, services, landfill, septic tank, companies, trucks | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 611 | Educational Services | Educational services, business, secretarial, computer, technical, sports, other | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 621 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | Health care services, mental, outpatient, HMO, diagnostic, blood, dialysis, other | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 622 | Hospitals | Hospitals, surgical, substance abuse, psychiatric, specialty | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Based on No. of Patients or Beds |
| 623 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | Nursing and residential care facilities, elderly, day care, assisted living | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 624 | Social Assistance | Social assistance, child, shelters, vocational, emergency | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 711 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports | Arts and sports, dance, musical, spectator, teams, tracks, promoters, agents | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 712 | Museums, Historical Sites and Similar | Museums, historical sites, zoos, botanical gardens, parks, special sites | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 713 | Amusement, Gambling and Related | Amusement and recreation, gambling, theme, arcade, golf, marinas, fitness | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Not State Regulated |
| 721 | Accommodations | Accommodations, hotel, travel, bed-and-breakfast, rooming houses, motel | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 722 | Food Services and Drinking Places | Food service and drinking places, restaurant, caterers, bar, lounge, club | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 811 | Repair and Maintenance | Repair and maintenance, automotive, electronic, commercial, residential, other | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 812 | Personal and Laundry Services | Personal care services, hair, nail, skin, barber, beauty, diet, tanning, funerals | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 910 | Category for: | Vending machines, pool tables, amusement devices, etc. | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate |
| 920 | Category for employees: | Employees: as in number of employees used in license calculation | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate or Number of Employees |
| 930 | Category for square feet: | Square feet used for warehousing, large buildings, and other types | Gross Receipts, Flat Rate or Number of Square Feet |
| 923 | Administration of Human Resource Programs | General Category | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Applicable |
| 924 | Administration of Environmental Quality Programs | General Category | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Applicable |
| 925 | Administration of Housing, Urban, Comm. | General Category | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Applicable |
| 926 | Administration of Economic Programs | General Category | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Applicable |
| 927 | Space Research and Technology | General Category | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Applicable |
| 928 | National Security and International Affairs | General Category | Gross Receipts and/or Flat Rate Where Applicable |
| 999 | Unclassified Establishments | General Category | Gross Receipts or Flat Rate, Where Not State Regulated |
(3) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, a business license is not required for a person travelling through a municipality on business if the person is not operating a branch office as provided in Section 11-51-90, or doing business in the municipality.
(b) The taxing jurisdiction's basis for determination of the business license tax for each sector shall correspond with the basis specified in subsection (a), such as gross receipts, flat rate, number of employees, or square footage. Provided, however, with respect to machines and other devices described in Sector 910 above, the municipality, in addition to a gross receipts-based or flat rate license, may require the taxpayer to purchase a decal for each machine or device located within the municipality. The charge for such decal shall not exceed the municipality's actual cost of the decal. Provided further, the taxing jurisdiction shall have authority to issue one license, rather than multiple licenses, to a business in accordance with the taxing jurisdiction's business license ordinance. To the extent that subsection (a) indicates that a business activity described in an NAICS sector is fully or partially state regulated, no taxing jurisdiction shall have authority to impose a business license tax in excess of the amount otherwise authorized by state law on the state regulated portion of such sector.
(c) The measure of a municipal business license based on gross receipts shall be based on the taxpayer's gross receipts for the license year next preceding the current license year unless the taxpayer first began doing business in the municipality during the current license year, in which event the gross receipts shall be projected by the taxpayer for the remaining portion of the current license year. If the taxpayer's actual gross receipts for the short license year are either more or less than projected, the taxpayer's annualized gross receipts used in calculating its business license tax liability for the following license year shall be increased or decreased, respectively, by the amount of the difference. When annualizing the gross receipts for the short license year, the amount of the gross receipts projected by the taxpayer shall be divided by the number of full months the taxpayer was in business in the municipality and multiplied by 12; provided that each taxpayer shall be deemed to have been in business in the municipality for a minimum of one month for purposes of this calculation. If the taxpayer employs a fiscal year for federal and state income tax purposes, the taxpayer's gross receipts may be determined, at the option of the taxpayer, from the federal income tax return of the taxpayer for the fiscal year next preceding the current license year, provided that the gross receipts reported thereon reasonably reflect the financial condition of the taxpayer as of the December 31 next preceding the current license year, and the taxpayer so notifies the municipality either prior to or simultaneously with filing the first business license remittance form using fiscal year data. The taxpayer's use of fiscal year data, as provided above, shall constitute an irrevocable election to use fiscal year data with respect to the current and subsequent business license years unless the governing body of the municipality or its director of finance or other chief revenue officer or his or her designee consents otherwise. Provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a municipality from doing any of the following:
(1) Creating one or more sub-sectors in each of the NAICS sectors listed in subsection (a) above, subject to the limitations regarding the basis for license calculation and subsections (e) and (f) below.
(2) Levying and collecting any municipal tax, other than an annual business license, that now exists or that may hereafter be adopted pursuant to Section 11-51-90 or some other provision of state law, including, but not limited to, lodgings taxes, alcoholic beverage taxes, gasoline and motor fuel taxes, tobacco taxes, leasing or rental taxes, occupational taxes, sales and use taxes, and gross receipts taxes in the nature of a sales tax.
(3) Allowing or requiring a taxpayer to purchase a minimum business license with respect to the short license year following 90 days of operations in the municipality, based on the amount which bears the same relationship to the actual amount of gross receipts during such preceding license year as the entire license year bears to the number of days during which the taxpayer was operating during such preceding license year. If the taxpayer did not commence operations until after the first day of the calendar year, the municipality may by ordinance require the taxpayer to remit the business license tax at the end of such 90 day period, or on December 31 of the current license year, whichever occurs first.
(d) For purposes of subsection (a), the terms "state regulated" or "where not state regulated," when used with reference to a business listed in one of the NAICS sectors and any subsequently created sub-sector, mean and refer to other provisions of the Code of Alabama 1975, that deal with or limit the taxation of the respective business by municipalities, none of which are amended or repealed by Act 2006-586.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, the licenses authorized by Sections 11-51-130 and 11-51-131 are in lieu of any other business licenses authorized by this chapter, and banks and savings and loan associations subject to either of those sections are not subject to the business license taxes otherwise authorized by this chapter, regardless of whether one or more NAICS sectors or sub-sectors describe or include any business or activity of such bank or savings and loan association. Any municipal business license tax applicable to a bank holding company, as defined in Section 5-13B-2(f), shall not exceed the amount set forth in the schedule provided for banks under Section 11-51-130(a)(12). Provided, however, if a bank holding company is engaged in additional lines of business that do not fall within NAICS Sectors 551 or 522 and which are not considered financial in nature, as defined under federal banking law, the bank holding company shall take out and pay for a business license for each additional line of business so assessed by the municipality; provided further that for each separate additional business license, the gross receipts taxable under such license shall be only those gross receipts of the bank holding company which arise under the license for the respective additional line of business and not from a financial activity, as defined under federal banking law, or from an activity within NAICS Sector 551 or 522. This subsection (e) shall not apply to any subsidiary of a bank or savings and loan association.
(f) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, each of the several municipalities in this state may annually assess and collect from each utility or other entity described in Section 11-51-129 only one municipal business license tax for all lines of business classified in NAICS Sector 221, and the levy, collection, and assessment of the single business license tax shall be subject to the provisions and limitations of Section 11-51-129 and Section 11-51-90.1. If any such utility or entity described in Section 11-51-129 is engaged in one or more additional lines of business that do not fall within NAICS Sector 221, and if the additional line of business of such utility or other entity is so assessed by the municipality, then the utility or other entity shall take out and pay for a business license for that additional line of business, even if the utility or other entity does not meet the requirement in Section 11-51-95 that it must derive more than 10 percent of its gross receipts from the business falling within the NAICS sector during the preceding license year; provided however, that for each separate, additional business license, the gross receipts taxable under such license shall be only those gross receipts of the utility or other entity from business done within the municipality and which arise within the line of business which is the subject of the respective license.
Last modified: May 3, 2021