The Access Accelerator, Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) is aiding persons having issues applying or renewing their business licenses on their own through the online process.

The business license process is entirely digital and is accessible from any smart device via The Department of Inland Revenue's website. The department has also put in place a Call Center that helps persons over the phone. 

However, the move to create an appointment-based system came after the SBDC office continued to see a significant influx of persons physically coming to the location for business license assistance. 

Now, business owners who require additional assistance, after trying to complete the process on their own and contacting the Call Center, can make an appointment through the SBDC. 

According to Davinia Grant, Executive Director of the SBDC, while the number of persons applying and renewing business licenses is a good sign, the requests for assistance is overwhelming. 

Grant said, "The number of persons we have seen coming in to apply or reapply for business licenses is promising and shows that Bahamians are serious about starting and continuing their businesses the correct way. We are finally to a point where the business license process is entirely digital. There is no need to visit the SBDC or Department of Inland Revenue physically. 

"However, persons are still coming in to receive assistance. It can be that many individuals are still unaware that the process is online or persons are having issues understanding the online process." 

Grant continued, "The appointment process is the final option for assistance and should be considered the last option. Doing the process online and receiving assistance where necessary via the Call Center is quicker than booking and waiting for a specific date and time for assistance."