Business Licenses

A list of licensed City of Gladstone Businesses* can be found HERE**

*Excluding rental properties.

**List is updated at least every 6 months. 

The City of Gladstone Municipal Code Chapter 5.04 requires all businesses located in, or working in, the city limits to obtain a City of Gladstone business license prior to operating a business in Gladstone.  This also applies to home based businesses, door to door solicitation permits, rental property owners, and property management companies.

Completed applications and payments may be dropped off at City Hall or mailed to our offices at: 18505 Portland Avenue, Gladstone, OR 97027. Payments can also be made online HERE and applications can be emailed to bl [at] ci.gladstone.or.us (bl[at]ci[dot]gladstone[dot]or[dot]us).  Your application will be reviewed by affected city and local agencies to verify zoning, compliance with land use laws and necessary fire regulations. Once the application is approved and ready to be issued you will be notified.

Solicitors are required to have a City of Gladstone business license to solicit in the City of Gladstone. This includes all residential areas and businesses.

• Online: CLICK HERE to make a payment online
• In person: at 18505 Portland Avenue with Check, Cash, Credit/Debit Card, or Money Order
• Mail: Check or Money Order

A business license is not considered received until BOTH the application and payment have been received. Applications can be submitted:

• By mail - to 18505 Portland Avenue, Gladstone OR 97027
• Email - BL [at] ci.gladstone.or.us (BL[at]ci[dot]gladstone[dot]or[dot]us)
• In person - 18505 Portland Avenue, Gladstone OR 97027

Renewal payments made after February 1st will be charged a late fee of $10 per month.

Business License & Home Occupation Fees:

The annual license fees for each calendar year is set by the Master Fee Schedule, approved by Council Resolution, and are good for that calendar year.

Please note all business license fees submitted are non-refundable.

In addition to a business license, any business operating from a residence must obtain a home occupation permit. A home occupation permit from, along with the additional home occupation fee, is required for all NEW home occupations.  Gladstone Municipal Code Chapter 17.78 - Home Occupation information may be found at: https://www.codepublishing.com/OR/Gladstone/#!/Gladstone17/Gladstone1778.html#17.78.    

According to Gladstone Municipal Code Chapter 17.78:

• Any home occupation which causes abnormal automobile or pedestrian traffic or which is objectionable due to unsightliness or emission of odor, dust, smoke, noise, glare, heat, vibration or similar causes discernible on the outside of any building containing such home occupation shall be prohibited.
• Any materials used or any item produced or repaired on the premises shall not be displayed or stored so as to be visible from the exterior of the building.

At the January 2014 City Council Meeting, the City Council approved code language that expanded the definition of "business" activity to include property owners who rent out their property. Property owners who choose to rent their property must obtain a City of Gladstone business license that includes the Business License Fee as well as the Rental Unit Fee. 

• $100 + $25.00 total for owning 1 rental unit*
• $100 + $50.00 total for owning 2-5 rental units*
• $100 + $75.00 total for owning 6-12 rental units*
• $100 + $100.00 total for owning 13+ rental units*

*The number of rental units is defined as any space being used to generate rental income.

Property management companies who do not own the property they manage are not required to pay the rental property fee but are required to hold a General Business License for conducting business as a property manager/management company within the City of Gladstone. 

Short Term Rental Properties

The City of Gladstone requires all short term rentals (including but not limited to hotels, Air BnB, VRBO as well as other short term rental sites) to have a Rental Property business license. Property owners are also responsible for remitting the Transient Lodging Tax by the last business day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter. 

Please keep in mind, not all short term rental sites remit to the City on your behalf. Please contact them to confirm they remit to the City of Gladstone.

At the City Council Meeting on November 12, 2024, the Gladstone City Council voted to amend Chapter 5 of the Gladstone Municipal Code (GMC) to include Section 5.10 - Massage Facilities. This new section establishes additional rules and regulations for businesses that provide massage services, as well as introduces new licensing requirements for Massage Facilities. A Massage Facility Operating License Application must be completed and submitted with all new massage facility business licenses, along with any additional information required by the application.

CLICK HERE to view GMC 5.10 -Massage Facilities

CLICK HERE for the Massage Facility Operating License Application

An Exemption Certificate is issued to businesses or activities that qualify to operate in the City of Gladstone without a business license under Gladstone Municipal Code (GMC) 5.04.030. While exempt from licensing fees, applicants must still apply, provide documentation, and renew their exemption annually.

• Exemptions may apply to certain types of businesses and activities, including: 

• Nonprofit, charitable, religious, or educational organizations 

• State-regulated facilities such as day care centers or foster homes 

• Producers selling farm products they have raised in Oregon 

• Domestic workers employed directly by a private household 

• Contractors licensed through Metro with a principal place of business outside city limits

All applicants must demonstrate that they meet the specific criteria for the exemption requested. The City reviews each application to verify eligibility.

A "transient merchant vendor (TMV) permit" is a temporary business license that allows a person or company to sell goods or services in a specific location for a limited time, typically at events, fairs, or pop-up shops, where they are not normally established as a permanent business; essentially, it's a permit for a "temporary vendor" to operate in a given area for a short period. 

The City of Gladstone requires all TMV's submit the application located HERE along with a copy of your government ID and payment for the application. Applications may be emailed to bl [at] ci.gladstone.or.us (bl[at]ci[dot]gladstone[dot]or[dot]us) or returned to City Hall, 18505 Portland Ave., Gladstone OR. Online payments may be made by following the process above.

The City of Gladstone requires the following documentation to be submitted before any food truck will be permitted to do business within the City of Gladstone:

• A copy of a current Clackamas County Health permit
• A Transient Merchant Vendor (TMV) Permit, per Gladstone Municipal Code, 5.32
• A copy of the applicant's photo ID along with page 2 of the TMV. This will need to be submitted for each individual who will be working with the business within the City of Gladstone
• TMV license fee
• Complete Clackamas Fire's Mobile Food Unit Application. 

If the food truck will be parked on private property, written permission from the property owner must also be submitted with the above paperwork. Mobile venders are allowed in public parks during park hours, but cannot park overnight. All mobile vendors must remain mobile.

It is the responsibility of the Business Owner to make sure the business license stays up-to-date and active. As a courtesy, the City of Gladstone mails a reminder to all businesses near the beginning of December and again in January of each year to all active businesses on file with the City of Gladstone. If you need to update your business mailing address, please send the updated mailing address to bl [at] ci.gladstone.or.us (bl[at]ci[dot]gladstone[dot]or[dot]us).

Delinquent Charges:  Business license renewal fees not paid on or before FEBRUARY 1st will be assessed a delinquent charge of $10.00 per month. Failure to renew a business license may result in a Class “A” infraction as specified in Chapter 1.08 of the Gladstone Municipal Code (GMC). Each and every day Chapter 5.04 of the GMC is violated constitutes a separate offense.

If you have questions regarding business license renews, please feel free to contact the City by phone at 503-557-2771 or by email at bl [at] ci.gladstone.or.us (bl[at]ci[dot]gladstone[dot]or[dot]us).

Clackamas County provides free tools, signage, and support to help businesses comply with these requirements. For full guidelines and resources, visit: www.clackamas.us/recycling/work