Move from Business Registration to Licensing Aims to Increase Accountability
City taking steps to protect consumers against bad business practices.
Starting July 1, 2025, the City will begin issuing business licenses, replacing the current business registration process. Ordinance O-24-60, passed by City Council in December of 2024, repeals the current Business Registration Ordinance and replaces it with a new Business License Ordinance.
Business owners in Albuquerque with a current business registration are not required to take any immediate action. When the time comes to renew their annual business registration, they will instead apply for a business license at no additional cost.
"The current Business Registration Ordinance didn’t do enough to hold bad actors accountable," said Mayor Tim Keller. "We want business owners who are doing the right things to prosper in our city, and these changes ensure they have a fair shake."
The current Business Registration Ordinance is an inadequate method for regulating improper or noncompliant business activity. Due to a statutory limit, penalties for non-registration is limited to a one-time $10 late fee with no additional methods for ensuring compliance to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public or to ensure a level playing field for compliant businesses to compete with illegal operators.
“This important law helps place all businesses on a level playing field by giving the City the tools it needs to penalize dishonest businesses who would otherwise have an unfair advantage over the law-abiding businesses,” said Planning Department Director Alan Varela.
The fee for an annual Business License will be $35, which is the same price as the current Business Registration fee. Business owners must apply to renew their business licenses at least 10 days before they expire. All Business License applications must be processed online using the Planning Department’s new streamlined software system: ABQ-PLAN.
If folks require assistance completing the application online, they can receive in-person assistance by visiting the Planning Department’s Business Licensing office, located on the ground floor of the Plaza Del Sol building at 600 2nd NW, or visit the FAQs page at cabq.gov/planning/planning-faqs/business-registration-faqs
If business owners fail to pay the Business License fee before commencing business or before expiration, the City may impose a late fee of $10 per day for each delinquent license.