Sandy Springs Business License: Revenue Department, March 31 Renewal Deadline and the 2026 Fee Worksheet

October 29, 2026

If you run a business inside Sandy Springs, you need a local occupation tax certificate, which most people call a business license. The city's Revenue Department issues it, and the renewal cycle follows a calendar that belongs to Sandy Springs alone. This guide covers who issues the certificate, how the March 31 renewal deadline works, how the 2026 renewal worksheet calculates your bill, and where the local license fits in your formation paperwork.

This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees and procedures change. Confirm current figures with the Sandy Springs Revenue Department, and talk with a qualified attorney or CPA if your entity structure, payroll or tax situation is complicated.

Georgia has no state business license

Georgia does not issue a general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and registering for sales tax with the Department of Revenue is not a business license either. A typical Georgia business builds its compliance in four layers:

1. Entity filing. An LLC files Articles of Organization, and a corporation files Articles of Incorporation, with the Secretary of State at eCorp. The filing costs $110 in total: the $100 fee plus a $10 service charge. You can file online or on paper.
2. Tax registration. If you sell taxable goods or have employees, register with the Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center. Registration is free. Georgia issues no separate resale permit. Resale purchases are documented with Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption.
3. Local occupation tax certificate. Issued by the city, or by the county for unincorporated areas. This is the document this guide covers.
4. Activity licenses. Contractors, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, real estate agents and other regulated trades get their licenses from state boards, including the Secretary of State Professional Licensing Boards Division.

Who issues your Sandy Springs certificate

Local occupation tax certificates fall under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities and towns, and each sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites. A business inside a city pays the city, not the county. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so for them the county is the issuer.

Sandy Springs licenses businesses inside its city limits. Fulton County does not license businesses inside the city. Before you apply, confirm your address is inside the city limits, because a business just outside the line deals with the county instead.

The Revenue Department is located at 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. The phone number is 770-730-5600. The city says business licenses, alcohol licenses, renewals and permits are handled through the Permits and Revenue Office. The city's page lists the appointment process and office hours, so check it before you visit.

Sandy Springs sets its own dates. Atlanta, Alpharetta and Marietta are separate jurisdictions with their own schedules, so do not assume a neighboring city's deadline applies to your business.

The March 31 renewal deadline

Sandy Springs certificates are valid for one calendar year and expire December 31. The city provides a grace period through March 31. Renewals filed after March 31 carry a one-time penalty of 10 percent plus 1.5 percent interest for each month the balance remains unpaid. Plan to finish renewal before March 31, not on the last day, because online payment is only part of the process.

Renewal works in three steps:

1. Renew online through the city's tax calculation system and complete the renewal worksheet.
2. Pay the amount due online.
3. Submit the business license affidavit forms by email to [email protected], or deliver them in person at the Permits and Revenue Office. The office offers a free notary service for the affidavit.

Payment costs depend on the method you choose:

Payment method	Cost
Credit or debit card, paid online	5 percent processing fee
Credit or debit card, paid in person	5 percent processing fee
eCheck	Flat $5, with an $8,000 limit per transaction

The 2026 renewal worksheet, step by step

The renewal worksheet builds your bill from your gross receipts. Work through it in this order.

1. Start with gross receipts after deductions. You may subtract sales, use and excise taxes, inter-organizational sales, payments to subcontractors, out-of-state sales, and returns and allowances.
2. Subtract the $20,000 standard deduction.
3. Multiply the result by your fee class rate. Rates apply per $1,000 of receipts. Your fee class comes from the first two digits of your NAICS code.
4. Add the flat charges. Add $13 for each employee, a $50 flat fee and a $75 administrative fee.
5. Apply the line BB reduction. The worksheet subtracts 8 percent of the total on line BB. Read your form to confirm how line BB applies to your return.
6. Add late charges if you file after March 31. The 10 percent penalty and monthly interest apply at that point.

The city's Schedule of Rates sets the per-$1,000 rate for each fee class. Look up your own NAICS code rather than relying on the examples below:

Fee class (NAICS sector)	Rate per $1,000 of receipts
Accommodation and food services (72)	$0.90
Wholesale and retail trade (42, 44, 45)	$0.95
Construction (23)	$1.35
Other services (81)	$1.65
Health care (62)	$1.75
Professional, scientific and technical services (54)	$1.85
Finance and insurance (52)	$1.90
Financial institutions	$2.50

The Schedule of Rates was published in 2021, but the renewal forms are current. Read the renewal form you receive and use the figures printed on it.

Worked example

The numbers below are illustrative only. They show how the steps fit together and are not a calculation for any real business. Assume a professional services firm in fee class 54 with $500,000 in gross receipts, no qualifying deductions, and four employees.

• Taxable receipts: $500,000 minus $20,000 = $480,000
• Rate charge: 480 thousand dollars at $1.85 per $1,000 = $888.00
• Employee charge: 4 employees at $13 = $52.00
• Flat fee and administrative fee: $50 + $75 = $125.00
• Total before line BB: $888.00 + $52.00 + $125.00 = $1,065.00
• Line BB, 8 percent of the total: $85.20
• Result before any card fee: $1,065.00 minus $85.20 = $979.80

If this firm paid by card, the 5 percent processing fee would add roughly $49 on that amount. Confirm with the Revenue Department how the card fee is calculated before you pay.

Flat-fee businesses: practitioners and insurance companies

Under the city's schedule, professional practitioners pay $400 and insurance companies pay $150. These businesses do not complete the renewal worksheet. Because the $400 comes from the city schedule, confirm with the Revenue Department that your business is classified as a practitioner before you pay the flat amount.

Applying for a new Sandy Springs business license

New businesses should apply within 30 days of starting operations. Apply through the Permits and Revenue Office. Keep these rules in mind:

• A change of ownership requires a new application, submitted in the office with proof of ownership.
• A change of federal tax ID also requires a new application.
• A business that moves to a new physical location in the city pays a $50 transfer fee.
• 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).

Ask the Revenue Department which documents to bring for your situation before you visit. Proof of ownership is the document the city names for ownership changes. Confirm any others directly with the office.

Related filings to check

The local certificate is one part of your formation. These related items often come up at the same time:

• Trade name (DBA). A trade name is filed with the Clerk of Superior Court of the county where the business is chiefly carried on, not with the Secretary of State. Clerk fees have run about $165 to $166 in the counties checked, plus a newspaper notice published once a week for two weeks. Confirm the exact amounts with your county clerk. Background is available at the Secretary of State FAQ.
• Secretary of State annual registration. LLCs and corporations file an annual registration with the Secretary of State. That filing has its own fee and filing window, which are separate from the city certificate. Check the Corporations Division page for current details.
• Sales tax. Register through the Georgia Tax Center if you sell taxable goods. Rates vary by county and city, so confirm the rate for your location with the Department of Revenue.
• Workers' compensation. Georgia requires coverage once you have three or more workers, and part-time workers count.
• Cottage food. Since 2025-07-01 (HB 398), cottage food operations need no state license. Local business licensing and zoning rules still apply, so check with the city before you sell from a home kitchen.

Confirm these before you pay

Before you renew or apply, confirm the following directly with the agency that controls each number:

• Your NAICS code and fee class rate, on the current Schedule of Rates and renewal form
• Whether card payments carry the 5 percent fee on your exact total
• The current Secretary of State annual registration window and late penalty, with the Secretary of State
• Clerk fees and newspaper charges for a trade name, with your county clerk

The Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia can help you plan these steps. Visit georgiasbdc.org. For complex entity, tax or payroll questions, consult a qualified attorney or CPA. This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice.