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Springfield, MO Local Taxes & Fees: Business Tax Classification (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Categories
140+ occupation and establishment classifications
Fee basis
Standard gross-sales scale or flat fee
Minimum fee
$10.00 on standard scale
Enforcement
Director of finance; misdemeanor for noncompliance

Summary

Springfield, Missouri sorts business license fees into more than 140 specific occupation and establishment categories, from abstractors of land titles to wired music services, each carrying its own flat fee or gross-receipts scale.

Every person engaged in the following occupations or operating any of the following institutions or establishments shall pay the license fee set forth or referred to in the following subsections of this section, which shall be annual unless otherwise provided: (1)Abstractors of land titles: Standard scale.(2)Adjusters and claim agencies: $25.00.(3)Advertising agencies or services: $25.00...(88)Merchants—Retail: Standard scale.(89)Same—Wholesale: Standard scale.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 2 | Land Development Code: Supplement 9 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 70's fee schedule (City Code § 70-84) assigns nearly every occupation and establishment type in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, its own license classification and fee, from a $10 minimum on the standard gross-sales scale up to $750 for wholesale liquor dealers. Standard-scale businesses pay a graduated rate keyed to actual gross sales or receipts (§ 70-81); flat categories like apartment houses, auction houses or theaters pay a fixed annual fee tied to units, tables or seats. Every business must obtain the correct classification through the director of finance before operating; misclassifying a business to obtain a lower fee does not exempt it from the schedule.

Violations & Fines

Operating without the correct license classification is a misdemeanor under § 70-32, and the director of finance may revoke or refuse a license under § 70-51 for code violations tied to the licensed business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Springfield charge one flat business license fee?
No. City Code § 70-84 assigns each occupation or establishment type, from abstractors to theaters, its own fee or gross-receipts scale; there is no single citywide flat rate.
Who decides which classification a business falls under?
The city's director of finance administers Chapter 70 and assigns license classification and fees when a business applies, per § 70-33.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Springfield

All Springfield rules

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