PROCEDURES FOR LICENSING HOTELS IN THE BAHAMAS

APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF LICENCE (EXCLUDING FREEPORT)

(Click here for Application for Renewal of Licence and ancillary forms)

An annual hotel licence is required by all hotel operators (except Freeport) to operate a hotel in The Bahamas.

Licences for hotels on Nassau & Paradise Island and Grand Bahama Island expire on December 31 of each year, while licences for hotels on the Out Island hotels expire on March 31 of each year.

Note: If a hotel has been closed for one year or more and is re-opening, the hotel operator would be required to make Application For A Licence To Operate An hotel.

Refer to section on Licensing Procedures, First Time Applicant.

In order for a hotel to qualify for a renewal of licence, the following is required:-

STEP I

  1. Application for Renewal of Licence (Form V) – to be completed in duplicate.
  1. Form IB - Requires particulars on the hotel e.g. name of hotel, name of manager, address, total number of bedrooms etc.
  1. Part 1 Hotel Winter Rates Return (Form X1)
  1. Part 11 Hotel Summer Rates Return (Form X1)
  1. Proof of Bahamian citizenship for Bahamian manager or copy of work permit for a foreign manager (if changed since application of previous year).
  1. Copy of current Business Licence or receipt indicating that application was made

for the Business Licence.

The address for the Business Licence Unit can be obtained from the section on Government Agency Contacts.

  1. For the Information of Guests [Hotel Rate Card] (Form Xll).
  1. Copy of contract/agreement for the servicing of fire equipment – (if changed since application of previous year) - hotel operators are required to have their fire equipment serviced semi-annually by a company approved by the Ministry of Works & Utilities.

A listing of Firms Approved by the Ministry of Works for the Servicing of Fire Equipment and Installation of Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems is attached.

Hotel operators on Nassau & Paradise Island should submit completed documents, along with the annual licence fee, to the Chief Licensing Officer, Hotel Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism, P.O. Box N-3701, Nassau, Bahamas or, in the case of Grand Bahama Island and the Out Islands, the Government Administrator in the relevant District, no later than three (3) months prior to the expiry date of the licence.

Refer to section on Taxes & Fees for specific information regarding the renewal licence fee.

Note: All forms pertaining to Application for Renewal of Licence, as cited above, can be obtained as follows:-


a) can be downloaded from this Web site as indicated above

b) the Hotel Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism, Nassau and Grand

Bahama

c) the Government Administrator in the relevant Local Government District

STEP II

The property must be inspected by the following four (4) Government Agencies:-

1. Hotel Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism

2. Department of Environmental Health Services, Ministry of Health

3. Buildings Control Division, Ministry of Works & Utilities

4. Royal Bahamas Police Force Fire Department

and receive the following:-

a) A favourable report from the Hotel Licensing Inspector, Ministry of Tourism.

b)   A Sanitation Certificate from the Department of Environmental Health Services.

c)   An Occupancy Certificate and a favorable report from the Buildings Control

Division, Ministry of Works & Utilities.

d)   A favorable report from the Royal Bahamas Police Fire Department.

Refer to section on Licensing Inspection Agencies/Hotel Inspections for contacts and responsibilities of each Inspector.

For inspection of hotels on Nassau & Paradise Island, the owner/hotel operator/manager is required to contact the Chief Licensing Officer, Hotel Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism, Nassau, who will coordinate the inspections by all respective Government Agencies. For inspection of hotels on Grand Bahama Island, contact the Hotel Licensing Unit, Ministry of Tourism, Freeport, or the Government Administrator in the relevant District, who will coordinate the inspections by all respective Government Agencies.

Refer to sections on Hotel Licensing Department/Contacts or refer to section on Government Agency Contacts for address/contact.

STEP lII

When the application form, relevant documents and satisfactory Government Agency Inspection reports have been submitted, the Secretary to the Board will arrange a Hotel Licensing Board Meeting, to present the application documents for review. The Board will exercise its power to grant, refuse or defer the licence.

Refer to section on Hotel Licensing Boards for more details.

Should the Hotel Licensing Board grant a licence, the Secretary to the Board will issue a new Hotel Licence Certificate on behalf of the approved property. Upon receipt, the Licence should be conspicuously displayed in the hotel. Should, however, the licence be refused or deferred, the applicant will be notified in writing.

STEP V

All hotel operators must collect from the guests the Hotel Guest Tax, which is 6% of the room rate. A Monthly Return of Hotel Guest Tax Form (Form X) is to be completed and submitted along with payment to the respective Government Agency.

Refer to section on Taxes and Fees for more details.

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