Good to Grow  Business owners and entrepreneurs face many challenges.  Often, they simply are not familiar with local laws and business requirements.  The City of Dayton makes it easy to conduct business by providing access to information and resources in the community.  The following information may be useful for those starting their business in Dayton.

Conducting Business in Dayton

The City of Dayton does not require any special license to conduct business in Dayton. Depending on the nature of your business, the State of Ohio or Montgomery County may require special permits and/or a vendor's license for your company.

The City of Dayton does require a Certificate of Use and Occupancy (CUO) for occupied buildings.  For more information about getting a CUO in your company's name, please contact the City of Dayton Building Services Division at (937) 333-3871.

The income tax rate for businesses as well as those who live and/or work in the city of Dayton is 2.25% of taxable income (wages).   For more information or tax forms, please contact the City's Finance Department at (937) 333-3500.

Please contact the Office of Economic Development at (937) 333-3634 if your business needs assistance with any of these issues, or if you would like information about business incentives and our other business development services.

Doing Business with the City of Dayton

Companies interesting in doing business with the City can contact the City's Purchasing Department at (937) 333-4030 for information about bidding opportunities for goods and services.  

Professional services and other consulting contracts may be administered by individual City departments as needed, which are usually advertised in the Dayton Daily News.  

For the latest contract awards, businesses can review the weekly Dayton City Commission meeting agendas. Companies in the construction industry can also read the latest civil engineering construction bid documents.

All companies doing business with the City of Dayton must complete an annual Affirmative Action Assurance Form (AAA) through the Human Relations Council (HRC). For more information, please contact HRC at (937) 333-1403.

The City of Dayton has special procurement opportunities for Minority-owned, Woman-owned, Small, and Dayton Local Small Business Enterprises (M/W/S/DLSB). Only M/W/S/DLSB's certified by the Human Relations Council (HRC) may participate.  HRC also administers the Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC). For more information about these programs, contact the Human Relations Council at (937) 333-1403.

If your business needs any additional assistance, please contact the Office of Economic Development at (937) 333-3634.