Tax and License

Mission Statement

The Tax and License Department is responsible for collecting license fees and other revenue for the City of Selma and ensuring compliance with all license and tax requirements pursuant to the City of Selma’s Tax Ordinances.

Types of Business Licenses

Nearly every business in Alabama is required to obtain at least one type of license or permit to legally operate. The three primary business licenses in Alabama are the business privilege, the business tax registration and the store license. It can be a headache to figure out which additional license (or licenses) you need to obtain for operating in your specific industry. Depending on what type of business you operate, you might need to obtain local, county, state or federal business licenses for specific purposes. 

Local Business Licenses in Alabama

The most common type of business license you will need in every municipality is what Alabama calls a business privilege license, commonly known as a “business license” or “general license.” If you have a brick-and-mortar location, you will also need to obtain a store license for each location where you conduct business. These are the most common licenses and will apply to essentially any and all types of businesses. These will be nearly identical in all cities and counties across Alabama.

Any public-facing businesses serving food, providing accommodations or otherwise related to or impacting customers’ health will be required to obtain a public health license. Some cities and counties do not require a public health license if one is obtained at the state level, while some municipalities require both. These permits often also require some form of training and/or testing.

Terri Barnes-Smith

Terri Barnes-Smith

Interim Tax Collector

Contact

Address:

Tax & License 
222 Broad Street
Selma, AL 36701

Hours:

Monday-Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Phone

(334) 876-1223

Email

taxsupport@selma-al.gov

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