License Requirements for Starting a Business in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The process for starting a business in the city of Santa Fe starts with obtaining a certificate of occupancy from the City of Santa Fe Inspection and Enforcement Division. If you plan to establish a commercial location you need to submit a Certificate of Occupancy - Commercial. If you will operate the business from your home you submit a Certificate of Occupancy Inspection - Home Occupancy Business. If you are holding a special event in Santa Fe, you would submit a Certificate of Approved Use. These certificates are available under Business Registration and Licensing on the City of Santa Fe website.

If your business sells food, you need to obtain a Food Purveyor's Permit. You can find more information on Food Permit Applications on the New Mexico Environment Department website. If you sell alcohol, you will need a liquor license from the New Mexico Alcohol and Gaming Division. Other types of businesses may also require special licenses and permits and may be regulated by the State of New Mexico. You can find more information on the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department website.

Once your business is registered with the Zoning division, you need to contact the Fire Department to arrange for their inspection. After the inspections are complete and you have paid any applicable fees, you can submit your application for a business license. According to the City of Santa Fe website, the City Accounts Receivable Department will contact you when your inspections have cleared.

To apply for a business license, you complete the Business Registration/License Application. You can send this application by mail or fax, or present it personally. The fee for the business license is $35.

In order to start a business in Santa Fe you will also need to register your business with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department and obtain a CRS (Combined Reporting System) number. This is your New Mexico tax identification number. You can obtain it by filing Form ACD-31015, Application for Business Tax Identification Number, or you can file online.

According to the City of Santa Fe website, you could also submit your application for a CRS number along with your application for a city business license, and the City's Accounts Receivable Department will process both applications.

Businesses that are located outside the Santa Fe city limits but come into the city to conduct business must obtain a business license. The fee in this case is $10. The fee for a special event license is also $10, and the fee for the sponsor of the special event is $35.

According to the City of Santa Fe, if you are going to participate in a special event, you should first contact the sponsor of the event. The sponsor would usually collect the applications from all the vendors that will participate in the event and present them as a package.

Sources:

Business Registration and Licensing, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Business Registration/License Application, City of Santa Fe

Food Permit Applications, New Mexico Environment Department

New CRS Registration, New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department

Register Your Business, New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department