Business & Special License Application Information

Download application form here

Mail completed application and fee to:
City of Fife Licensing Officer
5411 - 23rd Street E.
Fife, WA 98424

Phone: (253) 922-2489
Fax: (253) 922-5355

Fife Tax Number
Please advise your accountant to use the Fife Tax No. 2706 when reporting tax information to the State.

Term of License
Effective as of the first day of the month issued with an expiration date of December 31st of the calendar year in which the license was issued.

License Renewals
A renewal license shall be considered delinquent on February 2.

Non -Profits

Exempt

One to two employees

$50.00

Three to five employees

$100.00

Six to twelve employees

$200.00

Thirteen to twenty-five employees

$300.00

Twenty-six to fifty employees

$500.00

Fifty-one and over

$750.00

Contractors (headquartered outside $50.00 of the City boundaries) seasonal fruit vegetable stands, entertainment agents, promoters or   managers.

$50.00

Individual solicitor, peddler, itinerant

$50.00 each merchant and vendor.

Cabaret

$200.00

Pawnbrokers, Secondhand dealers

$100.00

Taxicab Drivers

$50.00 each

Amusement devices (except in licensed liquor establishments):
0-4 Devices
5 or more Devices

$ 0.00
$ 50.00

Determination of number of employees

The number of employees shall be determined by the employer’s most recent Unemployment Compensation quarterly report. A copy of the report may be required for verification. Convert part-time personnel to full-time (40 hr. per week) equivalents, then count each as one full-time employee; any portion remaining, count as one. A new business without employee history must provide an employee count estimate based upon the maximum number of employees projected to be employed during the calendar year

Emergency Contacts

Emergency contact information required in case of fire or police emergency. Please provide detailed “identification” information.

Conducting Business from a hotel/motel or apartment location

No license shall be issued for activities requiring a license within an apartment complex unit, address or location, or within a motel/hotel without providing the License Officer with written consent of the property owner and/or property manager.

Taxi drivers

To qualify for a City of Fife Business License, you must have had NO convictions, deferred sentences, deferred prosecutions or deferred findings within the last five years for the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance, burglary, robbery, assault, rape, promoting prostitution, indecent liberties, or similar serious offenses, or have committed more than 5 traffic infractions in the last 5 years. Every applicant shall submit to fingerprinting and photographing by the Fife Police Department. Each applicant will be thoroughly investigated. BE sure not to omit any information. Omission, falsification, or misrepresentation is cause for denial. No refunds will be made for a denied license.

Amusement Centers

Five or more mechanical or electronic amusement devices in an establishment that does NOT sell alcoholic beverages, is required to obtain a license for EACH of the devices. (Example: five devices would pay a $250 fee.) The establishment cannot be located within 2000 feet of schools, churches and residential zones. Please refer to title 5 of the FMC for additional requirements.

Business outside the City Limits

Businesses located outside the City limits that engage in business within the City limits shall apply and pay for a license per the License Fee Schedule.

Criminal Penalties

Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of the Business License Code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by jail or by a fine of up to $500. Each day of noncompliance with any of the provisions shall constitute a separate offense.