State Guide
Virginia Business License
This guide covers Virginia's general business license requirements — state-level registration, local city and county licenses, fees, and renewal timelines.
Overview
Virginia does not have a general state business license. Businesses must register for sales tax collection with the Virginia Department of Taxation if they make taxable sales.
Virginia's primary general business license is the Business, Professional, and Occupational License (BPOL), which is administered locally by each city and county. Nearly all Virginia localities require a BPOL license for businesses operating within their jurisdiction.
Virginia Sales Tax Registration
Primary agencyVirginia Department of Taxation
Legal authorityVirginia Code § 58.1-613
Key noteNo general state license; Sales Tax Registration required for taxable sales. BPOL license required locally is the primary business license in VA.
Initial Registration
Filing methodOnline at Business One Stop
Agency feeNo fee
Registration Renewal
Filing methodRegistration does not expire; file returns on schedule
Due dateReturns filed monthly or quarterly
Local General Business Licenses
Virginia's BPOL (Business, Professional, and Occupational License) is the primary business license and is required by nearly every Virginia city and county.
Counties
Accomack CountyAlbemarle CountyAlleghany CountyAmelia CountyAmherst CountyAppomattox CountyArlington CountyAugusta CountyBath CountyBedford CountyBland CountyBotetourt CountyBrunswick CountyBuchanan CountyBuckingham CountyCampbell CountyCaroline CountyCarroll CountyCharles City CountyCharlotte CountyChesterfield CountyClarke CountyCraig CountyCulpeper CountyCumberland CountyDickenson CountyDinwiddie CountyEssex CountyFairfax CountyFauquier CountyFloyd CountyFluvanna CountyFranklin CountyFrederick CountyGiles CountyGloucester CountyGoochland CountyGrayson CountyGreene CountyGreensville CountyHalifax CountyHanover CountyHenrico CountyHenry CountyHighland CountyIsle of Wight CountyJames City CountyKing and Queen CountyKing George CountyKing William CountyLancaster CountyLee CountyLoudoun CountyLouisa CountyLunenburg CountyMadison CountyMathews CountyMecklenburg CountyMiddlesex CountyMontgomery CountyNelson CountyNew Kent CountyNorthampton CountyNorthumberland CountyNottoway CountyOrange CountyPage CountyPatrick CountyPittsylvania CountyPowhatan CountyPrince Edward CountyPrince George CountyPrince William CountyPulaski CountyRappahannock CountyRichmond CountyRoanoke CountyRockbridge CountyRockingham CountyRussell CountyScott CountyShenandoah CountySmyth CountySouthampton CountySpotsylvania CountyStafford CountySurry CountySussex CountyTazewell CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWestmoreland CountyWise CountyWythe CountyYork County
Cities & Townships
AlexandriaAlexandria cityAlgonkian DistrictAquia DistrictArlingtonAshburn DistrictAshby DistrictAshland DistrictBack Creek DistrictBattlefield DistrictBeaverdam DistrictBerkeley District (James City County)Berkeley District (Spotsylvania County)Bermuda DistrictBeverley Manor DistrictBlacksburgBland DistrictBlue Ridge District (Loudoun County)Braddock DistrictBrentsville DistrictBristol cityBroad Run DistrictBrookland DistrictCatawba DistrictCatoctin DistrictCave Spring DistrictCedar Run DistrictCenter DistrictCentral District (Rockingham County)Chancellor DistrictCharlottesvilleCharlottesville cityChesapeakeChesapeake cityChickahominy DistrictChristiansburgClover Hill DistrictCold Harbor DistrictColes DistrictColonial Heights cityCourtland DistrictDale DistrictDanvilleDanville cityDranesville DistrictDulles DistrictFairfaxFairfax cityFairfield DistrictFalls Church cityFalmouth DistrictFredericksburg cityGainesboro DistrictGainesville DistrictGarrisonville DistrictGeorge Washington DistrictGriffis-Widewater DistrictHamptonHampton cityHarrisonburgHarrisonburg cityHartwood DistrictHenry District (Hanover County)HerndonHollins DistrictHopewell cityHunter Mill DistrictJack Jouett DistrictJamestown DistrictLebanon DistrictLee District (Fairfax County)Lee District (Fauquier County)Lee Hill DistrictLeesburgLeesburg DistrictLivingston DistrictLynchburg cityMadison District (Caroline County)ManassasManassas cityManassas Park cityMarshall DistrictMartinsville cityMason DistrictMatoaca DistrictMechanicsville DistrictMiddle River DistrictMidlothian DistrictMount Vernon DistrictNeabsco DistrictNewport NewsNewport News cityNorfolkNorfolk cityNorth River District (Augusta County)Occoquan DistrictOpequon DistrictPastures DistrictPetersburg cityPlains DistrictPoquosonPoquoson cityPortsmouth cityPotomac DistrictPowhatan DistrictProvidence District (Fairfax County)Radford cityRed Bud DistrictRichmondRichmond cityRio DistrictRivanna District (Albemarle County)Riverheads DistrictRoanokeRoanoke cityRoberts DistrictRock Hill DistrictSalemSalem citySalem District (Spotsylvania County)Samuel Miller DistrictScott DistrictScottsville DistrictShawnee DistrictSouth Anna DistrictSouth River District (Augusta County)Springfield DistrictStauntonStaunton citySterling DistrictStonehouse DistrictStonewall District (Frederick County)Stonewall District (Rockingham County)SuffolkSuffolk citySully DistrictThree Chopt DistrictTuckahoe DistrictVarina DistrictViennaVinton DistrictVirginia BeachVirginia Beach cityWashington DistrictWayne DistrictWaynesboro cityWhite Hall DistrictWilliamsburgWilliamsburg cityWinchesterWinchester cityWindsor Hills DistrictWoodbridge District
EntityEngine does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice. Requirements change — always verify with the issuing agency. Confirm with Virginia Department of Taxation →
Frequently Asked Questions
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