Licensing Division

City of Key West Business Tax Receipt, also known as BTR, is required for anyone holding themselves out to be engaged in business in the City of Key West.  BTRs, as well as other types of regulatory licenses and permits, are issued by the Licensing Division of the City of Key West Code Compliance Department.

BTRs are required for all types of businesses - food service (restaurants), retail establishments, property rentals, charter boats, and professionals, to name a few. Building contractors may or may not require a City of Key West BTR depending on their base location and type of state license. More information regarding contractor licensing can be found in the "Licensing Forms" section of this website.

• The BTR and Conditional Use Permits must be displayed conspicuously at your place of business and in such a manner as to be open to the view of the public and subject to inspection by all duly authorized City of Key West Code Compliance Officers.
• The City of Key West Licensing Division must be notified in writing regarding any changes to the business name, ownership, or location.
•  The owner must notify the Licensing Division in writing if the business ceases operation.     Please email the Licensing Division.

Regulatory Licenses & Permits

Regulatory licenses and permits may relate to a primary BTR (i,e. transient rental medallion permits, establishment entertainment permits, conditional use permits, etc.), or may be issued in lieu of a standard BTR (taxi/pedicab driver permits, street artist/performer permits, and off-premises canvassing permits). Regulatory licenses and permits are issued based upon the guidelines set forth in Section 18-147 of the City of Key West's Municipal Code of Ordinances.

Renewals

All BTRs, and most regulatory licenses/permits, are renewable on an annual basis. Some regulatory licenses/permits are not renewable, and a new application is required upon expiration (peddlers, taxi/pedicab driver permits, street artist/performer permits, and off-premises canvassing permits).

• Local Business Tax Receipts (BTR) are issued for one year, beginning October 1 and expiring on September 30 of each year.

Applications & Documents

The Licensing Division accepts applications and supporting documents via email, U.S. Mail, or in person. Payment must be made at the time of application. We accept cash, checks, and credit cards; we do not have online payment capability at this time.

Questions

The majority of the licensing applications and forms are located in "Licensing Forms,", and can be downloaded from this website. Due to the complex nature of some types of licensing, we respectfully request that all questions be emailed to the Licensing Division. Our mission is to provide the community with accurate responses to all licensing-related inquiries in a timely manner.