Ferndale city licenses

Requirements and fees

General business license

Variable fee

The city of Ferndale requires a license for all businesses located within city limits, or conducting business within city limits. If you are not sure if you will do business within the city limits, contact the city directly before you apply.

If you will have more than one business located on a single property, you must complete a separate application for each business.

Note: You must be conducting business within the city of Ferndale limits to obtain a city of Ferndale business license. Please see the map of the city of Ferndale to determine if you are in the city limits.

If you are applying for a co-located/space rental, manufacturing/industrial, recreational marijuana or peddlers and solicitors license, the applications can be found on the city of Ferndale's Forms & Publications page.

Nonprofit businesses

If you are a nonprofit business, you may be exempt from city fees. To qualify you must submit a copy of your business’ IRS 501(c) certificate with your application.

Home businesses

$78

Home businesses are those occupations conducted in a residence, where that residence is a conforming use in the zone in which it is located. A Home Occupation Permit Application, obtainable from the Community Development Department, must be approved prior to issuance of a business license for a Home Occupation. Permits may be conditioned as deemed appropriate by the Zoning Administrator in order to mitigate potential impacts to the character and integrity of the surrounding neighborhood. Contact the Community Development Department for more information at 360-685-2368.

Non-resident businesses

If your business is physically located outside city limits, but conducts business within city limits, your license fee is determined by gross annual income earned within this city’s limits: