Firleaf Lending Group, a small-business funding broker in Bowling Green, Kentucky, wrote this checklist for owners gathering Bowling Green, KY occupational license and Warren County, KY occupational tax records before a funding request. It explains which records to collect and which questions to put to the city and county offices; it does not give tax or legal advice.
What owners are searching for
The searches owners type tell the story: "bowling green ky occupational license", "bowling green ky business license renewal", "warren county ky occupational tax" and "what is occupational tax in kentucky". In Kentucky, local business licensing and local taxes are often discussed together under the word occupational.
This page does not describe the tax itself. Ask the city and county offices, and your accountant, what applies to your business.
Why a funding partner may care
Partners want to know the business is current with every government office it deals with. Local license and tax records can show that the business is operating where it says it is, and filed returns can support the income figures in your request. An unresolved local balance can raise questions during review. The steps of a request show where these checks happen.
City or county: check where the business really sits
A Bowling Green, KY mailing address does not mean a business is inside the city limits. The city covers only about 7.4 percent of ZIP 42101's land, 13.8 percent of 42103 and 16.8 percent of 42104 (Census 2020 ZIP code relationship file). The rest of the land in those ZIPs lies outside the city.
So the first question is which jurisdiction the business location is in. That decides which local offices you deal with. If you are unsure, the city or county can usually confirm from the street address.
Records to gather
- The current city or county license or registration record for the business, if one applies
- Copies of recent local returns or filings, with confirmation they were received
- Any notices or balances from the city or county
- The business's legal name and address exactly as each office has them
- Your federal EIN and Kentucky account numbers, matching across offices
Questions to ask the offices
- Is this address inside city limits, county-only, or another town's jurisdiction?
- Which local filings apply to a business like mine, and how often?
- Is the business current, and can I get that in writing?
- How do I update the name or address on file?
- Who handles renewals, and how are reminders sent?
Warren County government's website is warrencountyky.gov (checked 2026-10-16); start there for county offices.
A simple records log
| Record | Which office | Last filed or renewed | Copy saved? |
|---|---|---|---|
| License or registration | City or county, by location | Your date | Yes or no |
| Local returns or filings | City or county, by location | Your date | Yes or no |
| Address on file | Each office | Last updated | Matches the state record? |
| Notices received | Each office | Date resolved | Yes or no |
Keep the log with your funding folder. It answers most of the local questions a partner might raise in one page.
If the business changed recently
Moving the business, changing its name, adding a partner or converting from a sole proprietorship to an LLC can leave records out of step. Partners compare names and addresses across bank, state and tax records, so mismatches slow review. Update each office before you apply, not after a partner asks.
State entity records are covered in the Kentucky annual report guide.
Towns outside Bowling Green, KY
Businesses in Franklin, Morgantown, Scottsville and other nearby towns deal with their own city and county offices, not Bowling Green's or Warren County's. The same records questions apply.
Local records inside a Warren County, KY funding file
Local records are one item on a longer list. The Kentucky loan checklist has the rest; a term loan request usually involves the closest review. The Bowling Green, KY page has county figures, and the resources page lists every guide.
By Firleaf Lending Group · Updated