Itinerant Merchants Licenses
BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO
OBTAIN AN ITINERANT
MERCHANT'S LICENSE
Provided by: Finance Department, License Division
111 East Maple, Independence, Missouri
(816) 325-7079
Apply Online
An itinerant merchant, transient merchant, or itinerant
vendor is defined in Chapter 5, Article 4, of the City Code
as a person engaged in a temporary or transient business
selling and delivering merchandise or services or operating
a commercial or promotional amusement activity within the
City.
To operate a temporary business or amusement activity business
in Independence, an Itinerant Merchant's License must be
obtained from the City's License Division.
Location
Before applying for an Itinerant Merchant's License, you
should first obtain a location. Since you will be conducting
a retail commercial activity, the property must be zoned
C-1 or C-2. Please contact the Community Development Department
at 325-7421 to assure the property is appropriately zoned
for your intended business use.
If you do not own the property where your business will
be located, a copy of a lease agreement or letter of approval
from the property owner for the use of their premises must
accompany your application.
Zoning Restrictions
The City's zoning ordinance requires that all merchandise
displayed or stored must be set back a minimum of 25 feet
from the front and street side yard property lines. As a
general guideline, this setback would be 25 feet behind
a sidewalk or a utility pole.
The City's zoning ordinance allows one portable
sign of 32 square feet or less for a period of not more
than sixty (60) days. The location of the sing shall not
create a visual obstruction to traffic on either the adjacent
street(s) or traffic entering or leaving the premises. Please
contact the Community Development Department in regards
to obtaining a sign permit and sign placement
Insurance
Operators of commercial and promotional amusements activities
are required to provide a Certificate of Public Liability
Insurance in the following amounts:
a: For bodily injury to or death of any person- in the
amount of not less than $100,000.
b. For any one accident - in the amount of not less than
$300,000.
c. For damage to the property of another person - in the
amount of not less than $50,000.
Missouri Sales Tax Number
If your business is involved in the direct sale of merchandise
to the public, you are required by both State and City laws
to have a Missouri Sales Tax Number. You may obtain an application
for a Missouri Sales Tax Number at the Missouri State Office
Building, 615 East 13th Street, Kansas City, Missouri or
by calling 889-2944.
City Itinerant Merchant's License
The Itinerant Merchants' License is required before beginning
to operate a temporary business or amusement activity and
must be posted at the business premises.
To avoid delays in the opening of your business you should
apply for a license as soon as you secure a location. The
license fee is $50 for the first thirty (30) days or $100
for up to one hundred twenty (120) days. The fee must be
paid at the time the application is submitted. This license
may be renewed upon expiration. However, if you change locations
or have more than one location, a separate license will
be required.
You should submit your completed application for an Itinerant
Merchant's License to the City's Finance Department, License
Division, located on the second floor of City Hall using
the forms provided by the City.
Inspection and Review
Upon receipt of your application, the City will begin a
review process including the inspection of the business
location and a background of the applicant. A request for
inspection or review will be sent to each affected City
department. Your business will be inspected by the Fire
Department for compliance with City Code.
If your business involves the sale or preparation of food,
the Health Department will also make an inspection of the
premises. The business must be operated in accordance with
the rules and guidelines established by the Health Department.
A food handler's permit is required if a person is serving
or preparing food. Contact the Health Department at 325-7193
regarding questions dealing with food preparation or sanitation
requirements.
The inspection and review process is provided to assure
City Code compliance and public safety. Should a Code correction
be required, you will be notified by the appropriate City
department. All corrections must be made before an Itinerant
Merchant's License can be issued. It is important that you
be aware of all inspecting department approvals or corrective
notices before you begin to make any required corrections.
Knowing what has been approved and what needs to be corrected
before you begin can save time and help you obtain your
itinerant merchant's license more quickly.
Corrective Notice Questions
If you have any questions concerning correctives for City
Code compliance, please contact the following departments
as applicable:
FIRE PREVENTION: 325-7122
LICENSE DIVISION: 325-7079
ZONING DIVISION: 325-7425
HEALTH DEPARTMENT: 325-7193
If you need assistance or have questions concerning the
Itinerant Merchant's License process, please contact the
License Division at City Hall, second floor, or call 325-7079.
Download City Code ARTICLE 4. ITINERANT AND TRANSIENT MERCHANTS AND VENDORS file in PDF format.