City, County, State & Federal Licensing

Every business needs some form of license or permit to operate at the local, state, and federal level. Depending on your particular business, you may need to contact several different agencies to obtain the necessary permits to operate your business.

Every location is different, so it is important to check with local, county and state governments. Some of the more common licenses may include:

Business Licenses / Tax Permits - from your city or county clerk or revenue department. Many jurisdictions require a trader's license or tax certificate in order to operate.
Building Permit - from your city or county building and planning department. This permit is generally required if you are constructing or modifying your place of business.
Health Permit - from your city or county health department.
Occupational Permit - from your city or county building and planning development department. This permit is required for home-based business in some jurisdictions.
Signage Permit - from your city or county building and planning department. Some jurisdictions require a permit before you can erect a sign for your business.
Alarm Permit - from you city or county police or fire department. If you have installed a burglar or fire alarm, you will likely need an alarm permit.
Zoning Permit - from your city or county building and planning department. This permit is generally required if you are developing land for specific commercial use.
Depending on the nature of your business, you may need other types of licenses specific to your business. Check with the following local government(s) for more information.

City of Kirksville

The City of Kirksville regulates specific types of businesses to maintain the health, safety, and general welfare of the community.

If you are operating in a different city, contact your local county/city government to learn more about their specific requirements.

Business License
Regardless of size, all businesses operating within the city limits of Kirksville are required to have a Business License. A business license application and renewals are also reviewed to track and monitor compliance with sales tax and business personal property registration and collection.

Solicitors, Peddlers, & Event Merchants
Anyone going door-to-door selling or providing information must have a Solicitors / Peddlers License. Vendors that do not have a fixed location or that sell items at events may be required to obtain a Solicitors / Peddlers License.

Liquor License
Businesses wishing to sell liquor will need a liquor license from the City of Kirksville, Adair County, and the State of Missouri along with a valid City of Kirksville Business License. The liquor license process can take 6 to 8 weeks to complete, so please allow for this in your business planning schedule. Once approved by the city, businesses can apply for their state license and county license.

In addition to the business liquor license, employees are required to obtain an Employee Liquor Permit (Liquor ID Card) through the Kirksville Police Department. And if you are a food handler (including both restaurant and retail), you will need your food handler’s license.

Adair County

Business Property Tax
Businesses are required to register with the Adair County Assessor’s Office . Once registered, your business will be assigned an account number and an annual tax bill will be mailed the business address on record.

Not in Adair County? Search for another county’s Assessor’s office.

State of Missouri

The State of Missouri has established a Missouri Business Portal that acts as a single point of entry for business registration, filings, licenses, and permits for doing business in the State of Missouri. This includes registering with the Department of Revenue and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Division of Employment Security.

Wondering if you need a specific license for your industry? Check here…

Federal Government

The Small Business Administration can help you register for your Federal Identification Number and gain access to other federal licensing requirements if you have not already done so.

Register your business with the Social Security Administration
Register for federal taxes with the Internal Revenue Service
File for a trademark with the Department of Commerce
Apply for export licenses pursuant to the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA)

About MREIC

Missouri Rural Enterprise & Innovation Center is funded by the Missouri Technology Corporation, a public-private partnership created by the Missouri General Assembly to promote entrepreneurship and foster the growth of new and emerging high-tech companies. MTC focuses on 21st Century bioscience industries that build on Missouri’s rich history in agriculture and technology. These areas of focus include: Animal health, Applied Engineering, Biomedical Science, Defense and Homeland Security, and Plant Science.

Our local supporters include: Adair County, A.T. Still University, City of Kirksville, Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce, Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Missouri Department of Economic Development, Northeast Regional Medical Center, Small Business & Technology Development Center and Truman State University.

MREIC encourages regional economic growth based on commercialization of innovations in Northeast Missouri. We provide support to new and established entrepreneurs through both one-on-one advising as well as connections to workshops, funding resources and technology development solutions. We actively pursue a communications program that creates a broader understanding of the role of entrepreneurship in our economy. Through our business incubator located in the basement of our building, we are organizing a network for idea exchange opportunities among entrepreneurs— contact us to join in.