| Answer | What is an Activity License?
A Commercial Activity License (CAL), formerly known as a Business Privilege License (BPL), allows a company, organization or individual to conduct business legally within Philadelphia.
This is the first license every business must apply for to do business in the City of Philadelphia. Once you have obtained the activity license, you then need to apply for the licenses relevant for your business which include but are not limited to: vending, retail, food handling, etc.
You Should Know:
There are 3 types of Activity Licenses: Commercial, Non-Profit and 2-4 Unit Owner-Occupied Housing.
- Commercial Activity License (CAL): It is the mandatory license needed by a company, organization or individual when applying for other business-specific licenses with Licenses & Inspections (L+I). {You need this license before applying for any other licenses}
- Non-Profit: Any organization operating as a not-for-profit business in Philadelphia will need to apply for this license.
- 2-4 Unit Owner-Occupied Housing Activity Licenses: This license is created, and does not need to be applied for within L+I's eCLIPSE system. This license is created when a 2-3 Unit Owner-Occupied landlord associates their information for the first time. This license is most often needed for rental property.
Further Information:
To find an existing license, check the paperwork you received when you first applied for it. If you do not have the paper, you may search online by business location or name.
Click this link to search eCLIPSE.
Your CAL will be visible under the Activity License Number column.
Example:
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