Business owners in Morgan County have almost the entire month of January to renew business licenses in municipalities.

In Hartselle, business license renewals were sent out a few days ago.

City Clerk/Controller Rita Lee said business licenses must be renewed by the end of the month to avoid penalties.

“A 15 percent penalty plus one percent of interest will be charged on Feb. 1 if the licenses isn’t renewed in January,” Lee said. “Another 15 percent penalty plus one percent interest will be enforced on March 1. So it’s best to go ahead and renew it before it becomes delinquent.”

In the town of Priceville, City Clerk Kelly Dean said bills were sent out in mid-December to remind business owners that they will have to purchase new licenses for 2012.

“Our business licenses expire on Jan. 1 just like other cities,” Dean said. “You have until the end of the month to renew before the licenses become delinquent.”

For those who do not renew their licenses in January, the city enforces a 15 percent penalty plus 1 percent of interest per month beginning Feb. 1. The penalties increase by another 15 percent on March 1.

Those who are needing new business licenses can either come by Priceville town hall Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and pay using cash or check. They can also be mailed back to city hall by Jan. 31.

In the Town of Falkville, the date business licenses becomes delinquent is one day earlier. The last day to pay for business licenses without a penalty is Mon., Jan. 30, and the penalties will be enforced on Tue., Jan. 31.

Those business licenses must be either postmarked by Jan. 30 or paid for in person by Jan. 30 during regular business hours.

Morgan County business licenses are also renewed in the month of January. They can be paid for in person or at the courthouse.

However, the office of Sue Baker Roan, commissioner of licenses, offers county business owners the option of paying for licenses online at http://www.morganlicensecommissioner.org/.

The online license renewal service will accept Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express, debit cards and electronic checks.

If you need to request a change of address, you must visit the commissioner’s office located at 302 Lee St. N.E. in Decatur or at satellite offices located in the Crestwood Shopping Center in Hartselle or the Morgan County District 4 Shop 423 Union Hill Road in Somerville.

The Somerville office is only open Monday through Thursday from 6:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. while the Hartselle and Decatur offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.