(a) Any person requiring a license in accordance with this subchapter shall file an application for a basic business license with the business license center, as provided in this section, and shall pay the required fee or fees. As part of his or her application, he or she shall provide a valid electronic mail address which may be used for the electronic service of process of notices related to the license.
(b) Printed license application forms shall be made available by the business license center as well as electronic forms, which may be downloaded by computer.
(c)(1)(A) Except for such fees as are established by this subchapter, the Director shall by regulation establish fees for the issuance, reissuance, and transfer or reinstatement of all business licenses and endorsements, provided, however, that any fee required by any law or regulation in force as of the effective date of this subchapter shall remain in effect until changed in accordance with this section.
(B) The Director, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may revise such fees as are established by this subchapter. The proposed rules issued pursuant to this subparagraph shall be submitted to the Council for a 30-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed rules, in whole or in part, by resolution within this 30-day review period, the proposed rules shall be deemed approved.
(2) The fees established pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection may vary according to the class of license and the particular kind of business being licensed and shall be reasonably related to the cost to the District of investigating, inspecting, and issuing the licenses.
(d)(1) All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a special account and used only to defray the costs of licensing and license enforcement, including salaries, staff training, equipment, records, and computers.
(2) The Department shall not spend more for issuing and enforcing the provisions of this subchapter than has been collected through license fees, except that surplus funds or deficits occurring in any fiscal year may be carried forward for not more than 3 fiscal years.
