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Types of License

There are a number of licensing and registration requirements required by local law. View details about licences and permits required by the Belize City Council and find out how to apply.

Trade License

What you should know about Trade License?

“Trade” means any business in the course of which any goods, wares, merchandise or provisions are sold and includes a business in which produce or goods of any sort are exported from Belize and any vocation set out in section 27 and 31 but should not include any business set out in the first schedule.

How can a person obtain a Trade License?

Each person who wishes to commence a business (Trade) within the City limits shall, prior to operations, go to the Belize City Council for Trade License Application.

Each person who wishes to commence a business shall submit a copy of their Business Registration Certificate before applying for a license.

For existing businesses, renewal of Trade License requires an application in writing to the clerk of the Board. The application must clearly set out the nature of business, the proper business name and address as specified in the form by the Board.

Below is a list of some of the businesses that require a Trade License:

Real Estate Agents
Building Contractors
Insurance Business
Medical Practitioners
Attorneys-at-Law
Supermarkets
Mechanics
Boutique
Fast Food Shops
Warehouse
Engineers
Architects
Grocery Shops
Apartments
Banks
Guest House
Hotels
Laundromat
Internet Café
Gas Station

Any business providing a service is considered a trade.

Annual License Fee for Trade

The annual license fee payable in respect of the carrying on of any trade shall be an amount equal to the annual License fee payable in respect of the carrying on of any trade shall be an amount equal to one-fourth of the annual value of the premises in which the business is carried on.

When fees are due?

Where any fee is assessed by any Board in respect of any Trade carried on in any town, such fee shall be payable within 30 days of the notice of assessment, and where the fee is not paid within this time a further amount equivalent to ten per centum of the balance levied every month on the principal amount.

Different Types of Trade License:

Commercial Travellers $100.00 per annum
General Peddler $25.00
Special Peddler $25.00
Vendors Permit $25.00
Owner/Manager of Merry-go-round
Acrobat/ Circus Performer
Itinerant Vendor of secrets or patient medicine and movie shows

Changing place of business

Any person who has a valid Trade License and wishes to move his business to a new location or desires to cease operation of his business must inform the board in writing. He must give proper address of the new location so as to enable the Trade License to carry out his assessment of the new location.

Transfer

No person granted a Trade License under this Act may transfer the license for such Trade without the formal approval of the Board.

Penalty for conducting business without a Trade License

Where any person carrying on a Trade without a license is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, that person shall cease to carry on the business concerned. Such person shall further not be entitled either by himself or in association with others to a license to Trade for a period of two years from the date of his conviction. He shall also be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months.

Who may Appeal?

Section 18 of the Trade License Act provides that any applicant who has stipulated an assessment fee in respect of any application and dissatisfied may appeal.

Is there a procedure to Appeal?

Yes, the procedure is for an applicant to serve a written notice of appeal within 10 days of the notice of the assessment on the Board and the Magistrate.

Who hears the Appeal?

The magistrate hears and determines an appeal and makes the decision.

Under what grounds may a License be Forfeited or Suspended?

A board may forfeit a license for such period as it thinks fit if the license holder:

Is convicted of any offence involving dishonesty under Title XII of the Criminal Code, or is convicted of arson
Is convicted of any offence under this Act, the Custom Regulation Act, the Income Tax Act or any other offence involving fraud or the revenues; or
Is convicted for a second or subsequent offence under the Supplies Control Act.
A board may suspend a license if the license holder is in default of payment of property tax, refuse collection fees or other fees and charges imposed by law, which are payable to the local authority, and every such suspension shall remain in force until all the outstanding taxes, fees and charges have been duly paid or satisfactory arrangements have been made with the local authority for such payment.
Every license holder shall at all times prominently display his license on some conspicuous part of the premises where the trade or business is carried on, and every person who fails to comply with this requirement shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars.

Approval of License

The Board shall have the power to:

Hear and determine all applications for the issue of license and for the renewal of transfer thereof.
Grant licenses,
Forfeit licenses, and
Do any other thing necessary to give effect to the provisions of this Act.

Driver's License

What A Driver’s License ID Contains

A Belize City driver’s license acts as an ID card. It grants a driver the permission to travel within Belize in a motor vehicle. The owner of such ID must carry it everywhere when driving, and when applying for a renewal.

Contents of a Driver’s License:

Photo of the Owner
Name of Owner
Signature of Owner
Address of Owner
LIC#
Date when license was Issued
Date when the license Expires
Birthdate
Class of motor vehicle the Driver can operate with the driver’s license.
Weight
Sex
Eyes
Height
Signature of Traffic Manager
Barcode

The IDs issued by the district’s Town Traffic Departments are made of stock paper. The license applicant must submit two passport-size pictures. These will be pasted on the paper and then the card is laminated with a thick plastic covering. The ones issued by the city are computerized. The applicant is not required to submit pictures because the department takes these in digital form. The ID is a plastic card that is laminated by a thin film covering bearing security features.

Information to study for the written test may be gotten at the Traffic Dept. A person may take the written test within 1 week after having gotten this information to study for the written test. The practical test could be done the day after the results of this test are issued. The Traffic Inspector Officer conducts the practical test. Once the results are favorable, the license can be paid for, the pictures of the license owner taken and the ID handed over to him/her. Here are the License costs:

$90.00 BZ: for 1st issue
$60.00 BZ: for annual renewal
$25.00 BZ: for a misplaced or lost ID

Back

A license is the property of the Traffic Dept. Every license ID card bears a serial number placed on the right hand side; it is used for record purposes by the Traffic Department. When applying for a license to drive a motor vehicle falling under any class, the applicant must take a practical test. Applicants are required to take a written test only when they are trying to get Class A and C1 licenses. The following classes are described at the back of the license ID: