The Taxpayer Assistance Division transitioned to a new business license and tax system on June 20th. We plan to make a new on-line business license and tax portal available in mid-to-late July. Taxpayers will be able to apply on-line for regular business licenses and special event business licenses, and will be able to submit payment on-line using either e-checks or credit and debit cards as payment methods. We will post here when the on-line portal is available. In the meantime, if you need to apply for a license or make a payment for license fees or taxes, you may visit our offices or contact the License team to learn about other options.
Contact the License team:
Email: License@tucsonaz.gov
Phone: (520) 791-4566
Fax: (520) 791-3114
Mailing address: City of Tucson License Section, PO Box 27210, Tucson, AZ, 85726-7210
Office address: County-City Public Works Building, 201 N Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85701
Visit the Business License Customer Service Counter
Located inside the Tucson Development Center, on the north side of the first floor of County-City Public Works Building, 201 N Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85701
- In-person “walk-in” hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Applicants and business owners are asked to please check in upon arrival at the QLess kiosks near the cashier window.
- In-person customer service appointments may be scheduled on Fridays by calling the License team customer service phone line at (520) 791-4566
- The License team customer service phone is operational Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- License team customer service is also available via email.
Starting a New Business?
Tax licenses for all cities and towns in Arizona are administered by the Arizona Department of Revenue.
https://azdor.gov/business
The City of Tucson does require business licenses for businesses operating in Tucson.
Buying a Business - Important Information Before Applying
A person buying a business is liable for unpaid taxes of the seller's business. Before purchasing any business, the buyer should require the seller to provide a “Letter of Good Standing” issued by the License team at (520) 791-4566. This document states there is no tax amount outstanding as of the date of issuance.
Additionally, if the business has a liquor license, the buyer needs to contact the Investigations team at (520) 791-4247 to determine if a liquor complaint has been filed with the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control at (602) 542-5141 for unpaid taxes.
Please note that a large portion of the area defined as Tucson by the U.S. Postal Service is actually outside of the Tucson city limits. If you are unsure whether or not your business location (or project location for prime contractors) is inside our city limits, please consult the Pima County Assessor's website or contact the License Section for confirmation.
Tucson License and Tax Online
We have transitioned to a new business license system as of June 20th, and are busy preparing a new portal for on-line business license applications. It should be ready in mid-to-late July, and we will put a link to it here when it becomes available!
Business License Process for the City of Tucson(PDF, 137KB)
This brochure is designed to help City of Tucson business license applicants to complete the necessary steps in the licensing process. By answering a series of simple yes/no questions, applicants can determine the various departments they may need to contact, and how and where to contact them. The brochure is a PDF file, best viewed using the Adobe Reader application.
Downloadable Business License Application Form(PDF, 178KB)
Download this PDF to fill out manually and mail to the mailing address above, or, if you are here in Tucson, you may come down in person to the Business License counter in the County-City Public Works Center building, at 201 North Stone Avenue. Instructions and fee information are on the back of the form (i.e., page two of the PDF). Please note that this form is not fillable at this time.
Home Occupation Form(PDF, 67KB)
Complete, sign, and return this form if you are submitting an application or a location change with a business location that is a residence inside Tucson city limits. If you are not sure if your residence is inside Tucson city limits, feel free to contact the License Section to verify. This form is a listing of restrictions or regulations related to home-based businesses contained in the City of Tucson's Land Use Code. By signing the form, you are agreeing to comply with these restrictions or regulations.
If you are returning this form in conjunction with a license application completed on our e-Tax system, you are welcome to scan and email the completed form to the email address for the License Section, listed near the top of this page. When emailing, use a subject line of "Home Occupation Form", and be sure to include in the body of the email the FEIN used when applying on e-Tax.