[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Washington 8-7-1997 by Ord. No. 19-1997. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Licensing of contractors — See Ch.
59.
Business and trade license fee — See Ch.
80, Art.
I.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or
corporation to maintain an office or place of business, to conduct,
engage in or carry on any business, trade or occupation within the
Township of Washington, County of Gloucester, without first complying
with the provisions of this chapter and obtaining a license therefor
as provided herein.
A. Applications for all licenses required by this chapter
shall be made in writing to the Township Clerk, who shall serve as
the licensing officer. Each application shall contain the following
information:
(1) The name of the applicant; if a corporation, the names
and addresses of the president and secretary shall be set forth; if
a partnership, the names and addresses of all partners shall be set
forth.
(2) The name under which the business is to be conducted.
(3) The present residence of the applicant.
(4) The address at which the business is to be conducted.
(5) The specific nature of the business.
(6) The residence of the applicant during the past five
years.
(7) Whether or not the applicant has ever had a license
to conduct the business herein described denied or revoked. If such
license has been denied, the applicant shall set forth in detail the
facts leading to such denial.
(8) The details of any conviction for crimes of the first,
second, third or fourth degree, the date of the conviction and the
place where said conviction was obtained.
(9) The business telephone number of the applicant.
(10) If a corporation, the name and address of the registered
agent thereof.
(11) If the business has the same ownership as before, is a new business,
or there is a change in ownership.
[Added 9-12-2018 by Ord.
No. 17-2018]
B. Prior
to the issuance of a license, the Township Clerk shall submit the
application to the Township Zoning and Construction Departments to
insure compliance with the Township Code and all legal requirements.
The Township Clerk may cause a routine police check to be conducted
by the Washington Township Police Department with payment of the appropriate
fee by the applicant.
[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 17-2018]
When submitting the information described in
the preceding section the applicant shall certify that such information
is supplied to the Township of Washington with full understanding
that the Township shall rely upon the accuracy of the facts set forth
therein in granting the mercantile license. By its submission for
a mercantile license, the applicant further agrees to comply with
all laws and ordinances of the Township of Washington applicable to
the operation of said business.
The Township Clerk is hereby authorized to prepare
forms to be utilized for the purposes of this chapter.
Any person, firm or corporation shall be subject
to the requirement to obtain a mercantile license if, by himself or
through an agent, employee or partner, he holds himself forth as being
engaged in a business or occupation or solicits patronage therefor,
actively or passively, or performs or attempts to perform any part
of such business or occupation within the Township of Washington.
[Amended 10-11-2023 by Ord. No. 22-2023]
All business licenses issued for 2024 shall
expire the 31st day of December 2024. Thereafter, all business licenses
shall be issued effective on the first day of January and expire on
the 31st day of December of each year.
[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 17-2018]
All fees and charges for a business license as set forth in
this chapter shall be paid in advance at the time of application to
the Township Clerk.
The person, firm or corporation conducting the
business license under the provisions of the within chapter shall
display the license issued hereunder at the principal place of business
in a conspicuous place.
[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 17-2018]
Any person, firm or corporation receiving a license pursuant
to this chapter shall notify the Township Clerk within 10 days after
a change in the location or ownership of any licensed business. Should
such a change occur, a new application shall be required to be submitted
and is subject to compliance with this chapter, the Township Code
and all legal requirements.
All businesses, trades and activities conducted
within the Township of Washington regulated by the within chapter
shall pay a license fee of $30 for each year in which they shall operate
said business.
The Township Clerk of the Township shall have
the right to revoke any license whenever the holder thereof or any
of the licensees, agents or servants violate any provision of this
chapter, the laws of the State of New Jersey or any rules or regulations
promulgated as herein provided after written notice of the revocation
has been herein provided. After written notice of the revocation has
been served upon the licensee, an appeal may be filed to the Washington
Township Council within 10 days of service of said notice. Township
Council shall thereupon conduct a hearing of the matter within 30
days after receipt of the notice of appeal and shall render a decision
within 15 days of such hearing.
The Township Clerk of the Township of Washington
is hereby authorized and directed to enforce the terms and conditions
of this chapter and shall have the authority to delegate such enforcement
power to other employees of the Township of Washington and/or the
State of New Jersey.
It shall be a condition of the issuance of any and all licenses under the provisions of this chapter that said business shall be used and operated only for lawful purposes and not in violation of Chapter
285, Zoning, or other ordinances of the Township of Washington.
[Added 9-27-2023 by Ord.
No. 17-2023]
A. Business insurance registration required. It is unlawful for any
owner of a business to operate within the Township without first registering
its certificate of insurance demonstrating compliance with Section
1 of P.L. 2022, c. 92.
B. The following entities are required to register their certificate
of insurance under this section:
(1)
Businesses, which shall mean, any person intending to sell or dispose of or to offer to sell or dispose of any goods, wares, merchandise or render any services for fees within the Township. This shall include businesses operating on a temporary basis within the Township such as peddlers, solicitors, and transient vendors licensed pursuant to Township Code Chapter
172.
C. Business insurance registration will be processed through a third-party
insurance verification program. Said registration will include a certificate
of insurance reflecting the following amounts of insurance in compliance
with P.L. 2022, c. 92.
(1)
Except as provided in subsection ii. of this section, the owner of a business shall maintain liability insurance
for negligent acts and omissions in an amount of no less than $500,000
for combined property damage and bodily injury to or death of one
or more persons in any one accident or occurrence.
D. Insurance registrations shall expire on the last day of April of
each year. Renewals must be submitted by the first day of April of
each year.
E. Violations and penalties. Any person who violates the terms of this
section shall pay the license fee plus a fine of not less than $500
but no more than $5,000 plus court costs.
[Amended 9-27-2023 by Ord. No. 17-2023]
Except for a violation of §
40-13.1 above, violations of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article
I.