Summary
An Annual Business Licence is the application category for businesses that regularly carry on business activity and need a licence that is renewed every year. The Department of Inland Revenue lists examples such as retail and wholesale sales, professional services, barber and beauty shops, and banking.
Eligibility
The Department says this category is for:
- a Bahamian citizen with the right to work in The Bahamas who wants to register a new business
- a permanent resident with the right to work in The Bahamas who wants to register a new business
- an existing business owner, including partnerships, privately traded companies, publicly traded companies, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, sole proprietorships, and home-based businesses
The Department also says a non-Bahamian applying to conduct business in The Bahamas requires approval from the Bahamas Investment Authority.
How To Apply
- Confirm that your business activity belongs in the annual business licence category.
- Start the online business licence application.
- Prepare your supporting documents and any required agency approvals.
- If you are a non-Bahamian applicant, obtain the required Bahamas Investment Authority approval before relying on the business licence application alone.
What To Watch For
- The annual business licence page defines who may apply, but the broader business licence process can still require supporting documents and approvals.
- The general business licence page says correctly completed applications normally move within seven working days.
When To Escalate To A Human
- You are a non-Bahamian applicant and do not know whether you need Bahamas Investment Authority approval.
- You are unsure whether your business type belongs under an annual, provisional, temporary, or occasional licence.
- Your structure, ownership, or right-to-work status is unusual.