Business/Commercial

New Business License and Trade Name

Starting a Business in New Britain

Starting a Business in New Britain

If you are starting a business in New Britain and are locating in a building that will display wares or products for immediate sale, you will first need to go to the building department, fill out the zoning compliance letter, have it signed by the building department, and bring this letter to the town clerk's office. This will ensure that your proposed location is zoned for your type of business. You will need to file for the new business license and trade name (see below).
If you are starting a business in New Britain and you will be displaying wares or products for immediate sale outside or from a vehicle or other non-traditional "brick and mortar" means, you will first need to apply for a permit in the department of licenses, permits, and inspections (fourth floor city hall).

New Business License & Trade Name

STARTING A BUSINESS IN NEW BRITAIN

If you are starting a business in New Britain and are locating in a building that will display wares or products for immediate sale you will first need to go to the Building Department, fill out the ZONING COMPLIANCE LETTER, have it signed by the Building Department and bring this letter to the Town Clerk's Office. This will ensure that your proposed location is zoned for your type of business. You will need to file for the NEW BUSINESS LICENSE and TRADE NAME (see below).

If you are starting a business in New Britain and you will be displaying wares or products for immediate sale outside or from a vehicle or other non-traditional "brick and mortar" means you will first need to apply for a permit in the Department of Licenses, Permits and Inspections (4th Floor City Hall). You will also need to file a TRADE NAME (see below).

NEW BUSINESS LICENSE

A New Business License is required (City Ordinances 14-146 and 14-147) if you will be operating a wholesale or retail business. This license is required for businesses that sell or exhibit for immediate sale, any goods, wares, or merchandise. The license must be exhibited. The cost for the New Business License is $25.

If the business will be closing and has a fire sale (aka going out of business sale) this license must be returned to the Town Clerk's Office.

TRADE NAME CERTIFICATE

The filing of a Trade Name Certificate is required by the Connecticut General Statutes Section 35-1 (see below). The purpose of the certificate is to identify persons doing business in New Britain under a fictitious name (a name that is not the name of the person running the business). The penalty for failure to file a trade name certificate is $500. Per Public Act 18-136 after June 30, 2018 the fee to file a Trade Name Certificate, which also includes a certified copy, in the Town Clerk's Office is $13.00.

If your business no longer is in operation in New Britain you must file a Trade Name Cancellation. Per Public Act 18-136 after June 30, 2018 the fee to cancel a Trade Name Certificate, which also includes a certified copy, in the Town Clerk's Office is $13.00.

The completed application must be notarized and sent with the payment to:

Mark H. Bernacki - Town & City Clerk

City of New Britain

27 West Main Street - Room #109 - ATTN: Licensing

New Britain CT 06051

Starting a Business in New Britain?

Starting a Business in Downtown New Britain?

CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTE CONCERNING TRADE NAMES:

Sec. 35-1. Use of fictitious business names. Prohibitions and exceptions. Penalty. Unfair trade practices. (a) No person, except as provided in this subsection, shall conduct or transact business in this state, under any assumed name, or under any designation, name or style, corporate or otherwise, other than the real name or names of the person or persons conducting or transacting such business, unless there has been filed, in the office of the town clerk in the town in which such business is or is to be conducted or transacted, a certificate stating the name under which such business is or is to be conducted or transacted and the full name and post-office address of each person conducting or transacting such business or, in the case of a corporation or limited liability company using such an assumed name, its full name and principal post-office address. Such certificate shall be executed by all of such persons or, in the case of a corporation or limited liability company, by an authorized officer thereof, and acknowledged before an authority qualified to administer oaths. Each town clerk shall keep an alphabetical index of the names of all persons filing such certificates and of all names or styles assumed as provided in this subsection and, for the indexing and filing of each such certificate, shall receive the statutory filing fee for documents established in section 7- 34a, to be paid by the person filing such certificate. A copy of any such certificate, certified by the town clerk in whose office the same has been filed, shall be presumptive evidence, in all courts in this state, of the facts contained in such certificate. The provisions of this subsection shall not prevent the lawful use of a partnership name or designation if such partnership name or designation includes the true surname of at least one of the persons composing such partnership. This subsection shall not apply to: (1) Any limited partnership, as defined in section 34-9, provided such limited partnership (A) has (i) filed a certificate as provided for in section 34-10, or (ii) registered with the Secretary of the State as provided in section 34-38g and (B) conducts or transacts business under the name stated in the certificate or registered with the Secretary of the State, or (2) any limited liability company, as defined in section 34-101, provided such limited liability company (A) has (i) filed articles of organization as provided for in section 34- 120, or (ii) registered with the Secretary of the State as provided in section 34-223 and (B) conducts or transacts business under the name stated in the articles of organization or registered with the Secretary of the State. Any person conducting or transacting business in violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year. Failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be deemed to be an unfair or deceptive trade practice under subsection (a) of section 42-110b. ?(b) No person shall use, in any printed advertisement, an assumed or fictitious name for the conduct of such person's business that includes the name of any municipality in this state in such a manner as to suggest that such person's business is located in such municipality unless: (1) Such person's business is, in fact, located in such municipality; or (2) such person includes in any such printed advertisement the complete street address of the location from which such person's business is actually conducted, including the city or town and, if located outside of Connecticut, the state in which such person's business is located. This subsection shall not apply to the use of (A) any trademark or service mark registered under the laws of this state or under federal law, (B) any such name that, when applied to the goods or services of such person's business, is merely descriptive of them, or (C) any such name that is merely a surname. A violation of the provisions of this subsection by a person conducting business under an assumed or fictitious name that includes the name of a municipality in this state shall be deemed an unfair or deceptive trade practice under subsection (a) of section 42-110b. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impose any liability on any publisher that relies on the written assurances of a person placing such printed advertisement that such person has authority to use any such assumed or fictitious name.