A county Business/Privilege License is only required for the sale of beer and/or wine.
Any business selling beer and/or wine in New Hanover County is required to annually purchase a Business/Privilege License from the Finance Department. This license must be obtained prior to the sale of beer and/or wine. The license is valid for one year and must be renewed prior to May 1st of each year.
Late renewals are subject to a penalty of 5% of the total amount of taxes due for the year charged per month, up to a maximum of 25%. The minimum penalty is $5.00.
How to Obtain a Business / Privilege License
1. Prior to being issued a county Business/Privilege License a municipal and/or state license must be obtained. Contact the municipality where your business is located to learn about their business or privilege license requirements:
2. Submit a New Hanover County Business/Privilege License application (PDF).