# Business license to play in a bar band??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843 "2008-12-19T01:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/41 "2008-12-20T20:17:37Z")
Before you get the license, you might want to see what could follow from having it: will the municipality start taxing the band’s income or property? If there is a legitimate exemption, I’d recommend you take it. Once you’re in the government’s database, who knows what they’re going to try to get from you? It might be worth consulting a lawyer to see if you really need the permit, and if there’s a legit reason you can present the code enforcement guy why you don’t. Don’t forget: It’s always easier to stay out than to get out. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/42 "2008-12-21T06:51:57Z")
> [@gnagtcha](#): > > … The funny thing is, it was one of the judges who put our card up on the bulletin board. We had done a job at a judges conference. They liked us, so he said he would try to help us get gigs… IANAL. Do you or your wife know the judge well enough to call him up, explain the situation, and ask for advice? I’m thinking that, worst case scenario, the judge tells you how to CYA (and his). Best case scenario: The judge takes care of it. IANAL. You should probably wait for feedback from lawyers in this thread (who are used to dealing with judges) before calling any judges. IANAL. ---
**Author:** ![gnagtcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@gnagtcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnagtcha)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/43 "2008-12-21T08:19:17Z")
Gfactor, I did go to [lawguru.com](http://lawguru.com), Nv. business law, and posed the question: if my band plays only in local bars, do we need to get a business license? Response: 1st lawyer: If you are earning money doing these gigs og course you need a local business license. 2nd lawyer: Yes Apparently they were unfamiliar with 4.04.011 5. No license is required for an entertainment group hired by a licensed establishment. Monday we have band rehearsal and we’ll try to figure out what the heck to do. As a somewhat paranoid person, I would really like to stay out of the city system as much as possible. ---
**Author:** ![gnagtcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@gnagtcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnagtcha)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/44 "2008-12-21T08:26:15Z")
Rucksinator, it was the bass player who knew the judge and gave him his business card with his name on it. And, yes, I am thinking of having him call the judge and explain what’s going on and see what happens. We’ll see ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/45 "2008-12-21T23:17:10Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > If one member of your band lives outside the city limits, you may be able to claim that you are not in his jurisdiction. I don’t think that will fly. If they are playing in the city, then they’re subject to the city’s laws and regulations for the time they are there. I often do work in neighboring towns, and I have to get a business license (and keep a copy in the truck), “just in case.” I’ve also refused to go to certain towns for field work, insisting the customer come to me instead, because the terms of obtaining a license in those towns is so onerous. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/46 "2008-12-24T01:44:40Z")
> [@gnagtcha](#): > > Rucksinator, it was the bass player who knew the judge and gave him his business card with his name on it. And, yes, I am thinking of having him call the judge and explain what’s going on and see what happens. > > We’ll see Any updates? I was thinking that, worst case scenario, the judge says “What the hell!?! You guys didn’t have a business license?!? Who is this? I don’t know you! Prank caller!! Prank caller!! [slams phone down]” Best case scenario: Judge says “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” And it’s taken care of. ---
**Author:** ![gnagtcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@gnagtcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnagtcha)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/47 "2008-12-25T21:16:26Z")
Well, at band rehearsal last Monday night we pretty much decided to not do anything at this point. We’ll see if the guy contacts the bass player again and if that happens (probably will) he’ll be asked for the ordinance number that is requiring us to get a business license. We’ll just have to take it from there. We did tell Bill (BP) that he should at least call the judge to let him know what’s going on. They do know each other, so, hopefully he might be able to help out. I don’t see anything happening until after the holidays. > [@commasense](#): > > Before you get the license, you might want to see what could follow from having it: will the municipality start taxing the band’s income or property? If there is a legitimate exemption, I’d recommend you take it. Once you’re in the government’s database, who knows what they’re going to try to get from you? At first, I wasn’t terribly concerned about actually having to get a license, I just thought, along with every other person I’ve talked to, that this was a definite “WTF??” situation. But now, Commasense, you’ve put the fear of gov in me and if I can avoid getting stuck in the system, I’ll be happy ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/48 "2008-12-26T10:40:01Z")
It seems to me that the problem is the fact that there was advertising for the band. If that’s the only problem, you could always disband and reform under a new name that you make sure you never advertise for. If a subset of the members are the owners of the current name, have the new name be owned by a different subset, which would make it a different “person” legally. The disadvantage of this is that you lose much of your reputation in the community by changing the band name. Your income may go down if you can’t pull in the same numbers under the new name. But then your income is going to go down if you have to buy a business license every year. Eventually your reputation will recover, but the business license fees are unlikely to go down. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843/49 "2008-12-26T23:04:33Z")
FTR, you were required to pay taxes on your income already. That’s another thread, though… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-license-to-play-in-a-bar-band/477843.md?page=2)