[Adopted 10-11-1976 by Ord. No. 4-76; amended 6-14-1999 by Ord. No. 3-1999]
[Amended 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in or carry on any business, profession, or trade, or to sell, vend or otherwise offer for sale, use or consumption by the general public any goods or services, within the City of Corbin City, when not otherwise required to be licensed by any other ordinance of Corbin City, without obtaining from the City Clerk a license so to do, to be known as a "mercantile license."
This chapter shall not apply to:
A. 
Orders taken outside the City.
B. 
Soliciting of orders by wholesale dealers from retail dealers, or deliveries by wholesale dealers to retail dealers.
C. 
Sale of delivery of newspapers, magazines or other similar periodicals.
D. 
Farmers using the highways of the City and selling their farm produce, but every such farmer shall secure a permit upon application in writing to the Clerk on a form approved by Council and every farmer having a permit shall display same on the vehicle being used.
E. 
Any corporation authorized to transact business by the Department of Banking and Insurance of the State of New Jersey.
F. 
Any corporation authorized to transact business by any department of the government of the United States of America.
G. 
Any person licensed to transact business by the State of New Jersey or any department, board or commission thereof.
[Amended 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
Upon the payment of the appropriate fee and approval of an application as hereinafter provided, a mercantile license may be issued for a period of no longer than one year. All license fees shall be due and payable to the City Clerk on June 1 and all licenses shall expire on May 31 of the following year.
The license certificate shall be conspicuously displayed on the premises where the business is conducted. Licensees having no fixed location, vehicle or other suitable place to exhibit their licenses shall retain them in their possession at all times and shall produce them upon request.
[Amended 8-8-2022 by Ord. No. 9-2022; 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
Every license shall specify by name the person, firm or corporation to which it is issued and a description of the business, profession or trade which is to be carried on. The name to be displayed on the license shall be as follows:
A. 
If the business is owned by an individual or corporation, the license shall be secured in the name of that party.
B. 
If a business is conducted under a trade name, the license shall be secured in the name of the person or persons who own the business, with a designation of the proper trade name. No license shall be granted hereunder until proof has been furnished to the City Clerk that the trade name was registered with the State of New Jersey or in the office of the County Clerk in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of New Jersey.
C. 
A license to be granted to a partnership shall be granted in the name of all general partners as well as the official partnership name, and the names of all limited partners must be shown on the application.
A. 
An application for a license hereunder shall be accompanied by the required fee and shall be made to the City Clerk on forms provided to obtain the following information:
(1) 
Name and permanent and local address of the applicant. If the applicant is a corporation, the name and address of its registered agent.
(2) 
If the licensed activity is to be carried on in a fixed location, the address and description of the premises and the name and address of the owner if other than the applicant.
(3) 
If a vehicle is to be used, applicant is to provide: a description of the vehicle; a copy of valid registration; and proof of valid insurance.
[Amended 8-8-2022 by Ord. No. 9-2022; 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
(4) 
If the applicant is employed by another, the name and address of the employer, together with credentials establishing the exact relationship.
(5) 
The days of the week and the hours of the day during which the licensed activity is anticipated to be conducted.
(6) 
A description of the nature of the business and the goods, property or services to be sold or performed.
[Amended 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
(7) 
Submit certificate of insurance to be in compliance with N.J.S.A. 40A:10A-1.
[Added 5-8-2023 by Ord. No. 9-2023]
B. 
Application by a partnership shall be signed by all partners, with the information required by this section supplied in detail as to each partner - and applications by corporations shall have attached individual statements containing all the information required by this section relating to each officer, employee or agent who shall be responsible for the licensed activity, and shall be signed by each such officer, agent or employee as well as the appropriate corporate officers on behalf of the corporation.
[Amended 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 8-2005; 10-9-2007 by Ord. No. 15-2007]
A. 
The license fee to be paid annually hereunder for the operation of a business, trade, profession or occupation herein named at the places designated in the license certificate issued therefor shall be according to the following schedule:
[Amended 8-8-2022 by Ord. No. 9-2022; 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023; 4-10-2023 by Ord. No. 7-2023]
Nature of Activity
Fee
Retail, wholesale or unclassified businesses, trade or professions of every type
$40
Peddlers, vendors, solicitors and other occasional concessionaires
$40
B. 
No fee shall be charged when the entire proceeds of the business are for religious or charitable purposes.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C, regarding fees for applicants not present for a scheduled inspection, added 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 6-2018, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023.
No person shall be allowed to transact any business under any license granted under this chapter except the business for which the license was specifically granted.
[Amended 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
No license shall be issued to any person who has not complied with the ordinances of Corbin City, and in case any person licensed fails to comply with these ordinances after due notice and opportunity to be heard, the City Council may revoke the license.
No license provided for by this chapter shall be transferred from one person to another person and no license shall cover any other place of business than that for which it was issued.
Any license issued by the City hereunder may be revoked by Council, after notice and a hearing, for any of the following causes:
A. 
Fraud or misrepresentation in an application for a license.
B. 
Fraud, misrepresentation or dishonesty in the conduct of the licensed activity.
C. 
A violation of any provision of this chapter.
D. 
Conduct of the licensed activity, whether by the licensee himself or his agents or employees, in an unlawful manner or in a manner which constitutes a breach of the peace or menace to the public health, safety or general welfare.
[Added 5-14-1979 by Ord. No. 7-79; amended 3-13-2023 by Ord. No. 5-2023]
Upon receipt by the City Clerk of a completed application for license, together with payment of the appropriate fee, a temporary license may be issued to the applicant upon preliminary investigation, inspection and approval of the application by a minimum written consent of the Mayor and one member of the City Council or two members of City Council. Said temporary license shall be issued for a period of no longer than 45 days. Thereafter, no permanent annual license may be issued without public consideration and a majority vote of the City Council at a regular or special meeting thereof after receipt from the Zoning Officer of a report and certification that the activity proposed to be licensed and the premises upon which same is to be conducted complies with all City Code zoning regulations and also a report and certification from the Code Enforcement Officer that the property complies with all property maintenance standards.