San Rafael, CA – In a big step toward added customer convenience, anyone in the unincorporated areas of Marin County who needs to get or renew a business license, register as a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) operator, or report TOT for a current period, can do so online.
Beach communities of West Marin include many short-term rental properties.The County
Department of Finance-Tax Collector recently upgraded its business license and TOT systems and introduced several new web-based services. Tax returns that previously had been filed on paper forms can now be filed and paid electronically.
A TOT operator workshop will be held 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14 in the Marin County Civic Center Board chambers (Suite 330). The workshop will be hosted by the Tax Division of the Marin County Department of Finance. All TOT operators in the unincorporated areas of Marin are encouraged to attend.
“We understand that people expect to do business online, and we hope to continue to expand these online services,” said Roy Given, Director of the Department of Finance. “It was part of our business plan to increase online options for the community to conduct business with us. We think this is a great move toward convenience for residents, cutting back on trips to the tax collection office and helping us be more ‘green.’”
The County requires all commercial and residential businesses operating within the unincorporated County to maintain a business license. Owners and operators of short-term rental properties (30 days or less), are also required to obtain a business license and a TOT certificate. TOT operators must also collect, report and remit TOT monthly.
Transient Occupancy Tax is not a tax on the business operator; it is collected by the operator from the transient guest on behalf of the County. These funds are used in variety of ways to mitigate the impacts of tourism and to fund projects that benefit the County as a whole. Public parks, historical and environmental preservation, and improvements to infrastructure are just a few of the benefits enjoyed by our communities and funded in part by Transient Occupancy Tax.
New online services include transient occupancy tax applications, tax returns, business license renewals, closures, digital signatures and payments. The site automatically calculates the business registration fee, state fee, TOT tax, any applicable penalties, and interest.
Learn more at these online locations:
- Business licenses: www.marincounty.org/bl
- TOT registration: www.marincounty.org/tot1
- Short-term rentals: www.marincounty.org/str
The County’s Online Payment Center offers additional conveniences.