Businesses in Athens-Clarke County must submit their 2026 business occupation tax renewal applications by Wednesday, April 1, according to a March 16 announcement. Applications submitted after the deadline will incur a 10% penalty.
The requirement applies to all businesses operating within Athens-Clarke County, including home-based businesses. New businesses are required to complete a business occupation tax application before starting operations at any time during the year. Renewal information and the 2026 application were mailed in December to all businesses that received a certificate for 2025.
The Financial Services Division of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) Finance Department manages the issuance of business occupation tax certificates and several special sales or regulatory permits for local businesses. While these certificates are often called “business licenses,” they are not technically licenses because the Finance Department does not have authority to issue licenses for business operation. There are about 5,000 registered businesses in Athens-Clarke County whose taxes are assessed and collected annually.
Athens-Clarke County operates as a consolidated city-county government, providing unified public services across both Athens and Clarke County in Georgia according to the official website. The government also manages municipal services such as parks, facilities, community programs, and historic preservation efforts like the restored Morton Theatre according to the official website.
Electronic versions of application forms and required affidavits can be found at www.accgov.com/finance. For further information, residents may contact the ACCGov Finance Department’s Business Tax/Revenue Section at 706-613-3050.
