Lawyers Specializing in Commercial Law – Legal Support for Businesses
Business Licensing
In Israel, many businesses must issue a business license to operate legally according to the Business Licensing Law, 1968 -which enumerates the types of companies subject to a permit. This is not a simple bureaucratic procedure, as, in recent years, there has been reform on this issue, which seeks to make it easier for business owners to obtain a license. Which businesses need a business license? What is the difficulty in obtaining a business license, and what changes has the reform made in this area?
מאת עו״ד ונוטריון יגאל מור
דיוק בייעוץ המשפטי. מצויינות בליווי המשפטי.
Which businesses need a license?
Want to start a business and know if you need a license? The Business Licensing Act sets out the list of businesses required to obtain a license. However, it is not advisable to rely solely on what is stated in it, and it is advisable to consult an expert lawyer in this matter. First, whether a business needs to obtain licensing is because running a business without a license exposes its owner to administrative sanctions of business closure and fines, and criminal proceedings. Second, as long as the business needs a license to operate legally, the business owner will receive full legal assistance in this complex procedure, which is characterized by a lot of bureaucracy and not one exhausting one. Which businesses need a business license? There are food businesses such as cafes and restaurants, accommodation businesses such as hotels, hostels, B & Bs, pharmacies, and more.
Issuing a business license
For many years, the field of business licensing in Israel has been cumbersome and problematic, which has made it very difficult for business owners who want to start a business and need a license to operate it legally. This state of affairs materially infringes on a person’s right to freedom of occupation in general and the right to establish an independent business in particular. This is reflected, among other things, in the lack of uniformity throughout the entire licensing process: first, between the local authorities themselves, when each one determines the business licensing policy that will apply to it. Second, the authority itself, which has often had difficulty implementing a uniform standard for granting business licenses and has changed its policy, has created discrimination between businesses with the same data, with one being granted a license and refusing the other without justification. Third, there is often a lack of uniformity in the requirements involved in licensing, such as different standards when it comes to fire and Ministry of Health issues.
Business Licensing Reform
The purpose of the Business Licensing Law is to maintain public safety. Still, in recent years the insight has permeated that the difficulties described above in obtaining a business license have violated other and no less critical interests: encouraging the opening of new businesses and assisting their growth. As a result, there has been a reform in business licensing, in which many changes have been made, which are intended to make it easier for business owners to obtain a license. Among the changes made: creating different routes for licensing procedures according to business classification. While before, the business licensing procedure was the same for all types of businesses, small and large, simple as complex, a uniform national specification was created to list requirements for each type of business. Similar types of companies were merged, the license periods for many companies were extended, and more.
Legal assistance
Starting a business is not an easy matter, and among all the tasks required by the business owner, he must act to issue a business license, as required by law. Although the business licensing reform has created significant changes in the procedure, it is still a complex procedure, often resulting in refusal to grant a license, unreasonably restricting it, etc. Therefore, if you want to start a business, contact a legal representative who will assist you in obtaining the permit. As effective as possible in dealing with the parties involved in the proceedings, including filing an appeal, administrative petition, etc., the lawyer will represent you and act to exercise your rights in the best possible way. Our firm accompanies many businesses and provides them with a complete legal envelope, from the stage of issuing a business license and representation to the drafting of agreements between suppliers, franchisees, employees, etc.
Contact us today for legal advice about obtaining a business license
Legal Advice on Business Licensing Matters
Did you encounter difficulty in arranging a business license?
Let’s talk about your options in a legal consultation.
Adv. Mor & Co.’s commercial law department has experience in representing various entrepreneurs, businesses, and corporations from Israel and abroad in a wide variety of legal areas.
