Which Georgia City or County Issues Your License: Fulton County Licenses Only Fulton Industrial District

October 29, 2026

Most people searching for a Fulton County business license are really asking a different question: which office issues mine? In Georgia, the answer depends on where your business sits, not on which county you think of as home. A city licenses the businesses inside its limits, and the county licenses only businesses in unincorporated territory. Fulton County's finance office says it issues licenses only to businesses in the Fulton Industrial District, and every other business is licensed by its city.

This guide is a locator. It shows you how to confirm your jurisdiction, what Fulton County issues, which Atlanta metro cities license themselves, and who to call. It does not repeat the full state filing process. For entity filing, state tax registration, and state-level licenses, use our statewide business license guide.

The core rule: the city licenses what is inside its limits

Georgia has no general state business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and registering for sales tax with the Department of Revenue is not a business license. The local license is an occupation tax certificate, which most people call a business license. It is governed by O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. The city issues it if your business is inside city limits, and the county issues it if your business is in unincorporated territory.

Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities and towns. Each one sets its own formula, deadlines, and prerequisites, so two licenses that look alike can carry different costs and dates. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, which is why the county is the issuer for many residents. But a business inside a city pays the city, not the county.

Three points follow from that rule:

• A business inside a city never pays the county. Check the city first. If the city issues the license, the county has no role.
• Part of Atlanta is in DeKalb County. A business in that part of Atlanta still gets an Atlanta license, not a DeKalb County one.
• A mailing address is not the location. A PO box, a virtual office, or a registered agent's address does not decide which jurisdiction licenses you. The place where you actually operate does.

Step 1: Confirm your jurisdiction with the property search

Fulton County's finance page directs readers to the county property search to confirm jurisdiction. Do this before you sign a lease, file paperwork, or pay any fee.

1. Search your business address in the Fulton County property search.
2. Open the Full Property Profile for that parcel.
3. Read the jurisdiction shown on the profile. If it places the parcel in the Fulton Industrial District, the county issues your certificate. If it places the parcel in a city, that city issues it.

If the result puts your address in a city you did not expect, trust the parcel record over the mailing address, the zip code, or what a neighbor told you. If the record is unclear, call the issuing office before you open.

What Fulton County issues in the Fulton Industrial District

If the property search places your business in the Fulton Industrial District, Fulton County issues the local certificate. Here are the key facts:

• Certificate term: valid January 1 through December 31.
• Renewal: renew by March 31 each year.
• Application deadline: due within 30 days of starting business.
• Office: Business tax division, 141 Pryor Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. Phone 404-612-7722.
• Zoning confirmation: the county has a zoning confirmation form for your site.
• Fire inspection: the county has a fire inspection request form.

Two situations need extra planning. Nonprofits with 501(c) status must still register in person at 141 Pryor Street, Suite 7001, so schedule a visit. Home-based businesses can get a certificate, but zoning is decided by the Zoning Department, not the business tax division. A certificate does not confirm that a home use is allowed on your street.

If you run a cottage food business from home, Georgia has required no state license since July 1, 2025 under HB 398. Local business licensing and zoning still apply.

Cities in Fulton County that license their own businesses

The cities below issue their own licenses. For each city's current rules, call the contact listed here, not the county. The date column appears only for cities covered by their own guide page on this site. Every other city sets its own renewal date, so confirm it before you assume one.

City	Contact	Renewal date
Atlanta	404-330-6270, 55 Trinity Avenue SW	Renewal filing February 15, payment April 1
Alpharetta	678-297-6086	Confirm with city
Chattahoochee Hills	770-463-8881	Confirm with city
College Park	404-669-3766	Confirm with city
East Point	404-270-7185	Confirm with city
Fairburn	770-964-2244	Confirm with city
Hapeville	404-669-2100	Confirm with city
Johns Creek	678-512-3200	Confirm with city
Milton	678-242-2500	Confirm with city
Mountain Park	770-993-4231	Confirm with city
Palmetto	770-463-3377	Confirm with city
Roswell	770-594-6235	March 15
Sandy Springs	770-730-5600	Renewal grace through March 31
South Fulton	470-552-4311, 5440 Fulton Industrial Boulevard	Renew by March 31
Union City	770-964-2288	Confirm with city

A business that sits in one of these cities pays that city. Only a business whose parcel falls in the Fulton Industrial District deals with the county for this certificate.

Nearby counties that license only unincorporated areas

The same rule applies outside Fulton. Each of the following counties licenses only its unincorporated area, and the cities inside them license their own businesses: DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Hall, Cherokee, Forsyth, Chatham, and Glynn.

If your address is in one of these counties, run the same test. Find the parcel's jurisdiction, then call the city or county that controls it. Do not assume a county office covers an address just because the city is located in that county.

Common mistakes that cost time

• Calling the county about a business inside Sandy Springs, Roswell, or any other city. The city issues that certificate.
• Applying to the wrong office and paying a fee that does not apply to you. Confirm the office before you pay.
• Assuming the county's January 1 to December 31 term matches your city's. Each city sets its own term and renewal date.
• Waiting until you open to apply. The Fulton Industrial District application is due within 30 days of starting business, and cities set their own deadlines.
• Treating a local certificate as zoning approval. The certificate and zoning are separate decisions.

What to do after you know your office

The local certificate is one step. Depending on your business, you may also need the following:

• E-Verify: private employers with more than 10 employees must file an E-Verify affidavit to get the local certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6).
• Sales tax registration: if you sell taxable goods, register through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov. Registration is free. It is not a business license, so it does not replace your local certificate.
• Workers' compensation: required once you have three or more workers, including part-time workers.
• Occupational licenses: contractors, electricians, plumbers, cosmetology, real estate, and similar trades are licensed by state boards, such as the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division. A city or county certificate does not replace them.
• Entity filing: LLCs and corporations file with the Secretary of State through eCorp.

Next steps

1. Confirm your parcel's jurisdiction in the Fulton County property search.
2. Call the issuing city or the county business tax division, and ask for the current renewal date and fee.
3. Gather your entity documents, your E-Verify affidavit if you have more than 10 employees, and your zoning answer for the site.
4. Then complete the state steps in our statewide business license guide.

This guide is informational only. It is not legal or tax advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Georgia rules, fees, and deadlines change, and each city and county sets its own. Confirm current requirements with the issuing office before you apply. For complex situations, such as multi-location operations, businesses with both city and county addresses, or entity and tax structure choices, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.