Sec. 12-1. - Registration of business names.

(a)

Required. All retail, wholesale, commercial, professional, personal and contracting services and manufacturing businesses and establishments and any other enterprises, partnerships, corporations or proprietorships doing business in the city, except for those entities in subsection (b), shall, prior to their commencement of business within the city, register their trade, corporate agent, company or office name, home address and telephone number with the city clerk and the city assessor.

(b)

Exceptions. This section shall in no way affect or apply to any corporation or limited partnership duly organized under the laws of the state, or to any corporation or limited partnership organized under the laws of any other state and lawfully doing business in this state, or to any partnership or joint venture, the name or designation of which includes the true or real surname of at least one individual who is a partner or joint venturer.

(c)

Fee; certificate. The annual registration fee shall be $10.00 and a certificate shall be issued containing the following information:

(1)

The trade name of the business, if held under a corporate name other than the name of the officers, and their addresses shall also be listed.

(2)

The name of the operator of the business shall also be indicated.

(3)

The type of business to be conducted.

(4)

The name and address of the registered agent and/or the business owner.

(d)

Display, term and issuance of certificate. The certificate shall be placed in a conspicuous location in each firm or business location. For businesses that operate within city limits, no certificate shall be issued without proof of all taxes being paid to date and a certificate of occupancy issued by the building inspector. Home based occupations shall require a zoning determination issued by the department of code enforcement, prior to issuance of certificate. The certificate period shall begin on December 1 and end on November 30 of the succeeding year.

(e)

Restriction on use of same trade name. No other firm or business of the same trade name shall be allowed to register without the approval of the prior registrant in writing.

(f)

Renewal. All firms and businesses shall be required to submit a renewal form from year to year.

(g)

Transfer of certificate. No firm or business shall transfer this certificate unless he submits a request to the city clerk and that the person receiving such transfer adheres to all provisions of this section prior to issuance of the certificate of transfer.

(Code 1994, § 12-7; Ord. of 4-9-1990(2); Ord. of 6-9-2014; Ord. of 10-14-2015, § 1; Ord. of 12-9-2019(1), § 1)