business license

It took me a better part of 6 months and that was with an expediter! I do hear things have gotten better though.

The hold up is usually with the BIR giving tax clearance letters. I'd go in and talk to the folks at licensing in person. Be friendly/courteous, establish a relationship and make them want to advocate for you.

Sean

Sean's advice to go in and talk to the people at licensing and establish a relationship with them is spot on.

I got a license for my employer in late 2008. He was opening up a bar and restaurant. From the first contact with licensing to the day I held the license in my hand was six weeks. Realize that six weeks is extremely fast, especially for here. I am sure my experience was not typical based on stories I hear from other people. I made obtaining the license my full time job and number one priority during those six weeks. By this I mean I went and met with the licensing representative on St John very, very often. I was always respectful and courteous. A plate of homemade cookies went very far on my second visit... I talked with Ms Stapleton almost daily and every time I was very complimentary about how much knowledge she had and how sweet and helpful she was. She bent over backwards to help me; even invited me to join her one Sunday in church. I used the same approach with health and fire inspectors. The tax clearance letter was definitely a bump in the road, but took just one visit in person to Nicole Hodge at BIR to straighten out.

This is the kind of place where you can not simply fill out an application and wait for a reply (even if 'they' tell you to). You have to follow up, in person, very often. Be humble and persistent with them and soon enough you will have your license.

Hope that helps you some 🙂

Cookies are just so damned useful here! They get your mail delivered at the post office, keep bad guys from busting up your vehicle, and can get your business license expedited! Whoda figgered? 😀

Aussie, giggling over the cookies. Maybe we should open a cookie business. ROTFLMAO!!!!!!

Even though the online system is back online, it DOES NOT DO WHAT IT SAYS. They tell you that you do the online stuff and the DLCA requests all of the other documents on your behalf. Well, they don't. I sent several messages to the DLCA via their online contact and to several emails and I got the oddest response from them 6 weeks later via email. The person had no greeting, salutation, or signature in the email and they did not address 99% of the questions I asked. Anyhow..... on a good note, I filled out the 'tax clearance letter' application, by hand, and faxed it to VIRIB on a Thursday and had a tax clearance letter the following Monday.

And it is sooooo true about the cookies! Put on your chap stick and be prepared to do a lot of a$$ kissing. It goes a long way at every local and federal government office. I've used the cookie trick at the Post Office, and regularly follow it up with candy bars. I get excellent service!

I think it's ridiculous that you have to bribe adults with cookies to get them to do their jobs.

I think it's ridiculous that you have to bribe adults with cookies to get them to do their jobs.

Then don't move here because cookies are one of the cheaper bribes.
Jay

I think it's ridiculous that you have to bribe adults with cookies to get them to do their jobs.

Then don't move here because cookies are one of the cheaper bribes.
Jay

And that makes it acceptable?
Thanks for the warning, but I live here.

Can someone please tell me where the BIR office is located on St Thomas, I guess it's time to get busy with the cookies and is there a good time to go and a bad time to go (early in the morning, mid or late afternoon)?

Thanks for all your input

I don't think its cookies that they want to be bribed with. Its cash that they want. I think that $100 is the going rate for most VI govt officials for something such as this.

forget the bribe, just ask to speak with the commissioner

It is illegal to both accept or offer a bribe to a gov't official, you may just pick the wrong person

Island Expat, you must be a very unhappy person.

Good afternoon, Island Expatriot

May I repeat my question to you, which I posed on another one of your posts: Do you live on one of the USVI?

If so, why?

Swan

I am very happy on this beautiful island but can someone please tell me where the DLCA office is located on St Thomas, let's forget about the cookies for a minute and the bribes, I just want the lcoation if you know of it
Kind Regards

I do not know the road names, but it's down by Crown Bay past the terminal and the tennis courts. Rather plain building on the same side of the road as the tennis courts. I took three laps around before I found it, good luck.

DCLA is in the phone book as well, just call them. In stx it's in golden rock but I have no idea about stt. Not sure how a new business goes about it, I would start by calling them and asking. For an established business we have to get a letter of good standing from the BIR first.

Be sure to keep copies of all of your documentation. DLCA is known for losing things. I had to get a second police report cause they lost the first one. Friends of mine said they lost the whole folder full of info. Be really polite and persistent. Don't lose your cool if you have setbacks. It should take 2 or 3 months. BTW don't bother with email. They don't know how to do it yet.
You will need a police report from the police station, a tax clearance letter from BIR, a zoning clearance from DPNR at the airport, a trade name certificate from the LT Govs office, and any other partnership or other related papers you have. Try to have it all in hand when you go in. They are happier in the AM, less so in the late afternoon.

Oh, and depending what you are reselling you may need an import license as well, even if you import from the mainland US to the US Virgin Islands.