Columbia Applicant license denial or issuance ordinance (§ 13-313)
Chapter 13: Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations · Article XII. Temporary Business Licenses
In short: The city's business license administrator may deny a license to an applicant convicted of a felony within the past ten years, after weighing the crime against the license sought and the applicant's conduct since. Extra reasonable conditions may be added, and temporary businesses that can't meet legal requirements may be refused.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) If the applicant has been convicted of a felony within the past ten (10) years, the business license administrator may deny the license after considering the nature of the crime committed in relation to the license sought and the conduct of the applicant since the violation.
(b) Additional reasonable conditions may be imposed upon the issuance of a license. Permission to operate a temporary business may be refused if the applicant is unable to comply with the requirements of this division and all other applicable laws and regulations.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 13-313
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.