Apply In-Person

1. Trading licenses can be obtained at the commercial affairs office at the district or town/city council’s office. (Contact details are listed below).
2. Collect and complete the forms, Application form for Trade License, Forms are available for free at the Enquiries Desk at any of the commercial municipality/council offices or directly download it via this link;Link (Application form for Trade License)
3. Submit the duly completed application forms along with the relevant attachments (mentioned below under the ‘Required Documents’ section) to the attending officer at the commercial departments of district or town and city councils in your locality.
4. The officer will then verify, if all the necessary information and documents have been provided and that the applications comply with the selection criteria, if everything is in order, the application file will be registered and recorded, upon payment of the application fee {non-refundable), you will then be issued with an acknowledgment letter containing details of the application.
5. The completed application file will be forwarded to the Business Registration and Licensing department/section, where the application is reviewed and consideration made which is within 5 working days.
6. The applicant will be notified of the outcome of the application via mail, SMS, or phone call.
7. If the Trade license has been approved, the applicant can pick up the license from the District Council commercial office, where the application was filed, upon payment of applicable license fees and against his/her identity document and the acknowledgment slip.
8. Once you have acquired the Trade license, display it on your business premises as the law requires

• If the applicant is a business, a copy of the certificate of incorporation.
• If the applicant is an individual or a partnership, submit a certified registration certificate.
• The latest copy of the annual returns form was obtained from the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property.
• Proof of availability of the business premises (either a title deed or a written lease agreement).
• A certified copy of a valid National Identity card (Omang) for owners, shareholders, or directors who are citizens.
• Certified copy of passport for owners, shareholders, or directors who are non-citizens.
• The original or certified copy of the physical planner's report validating zoning for the plot upon which the activities will occur. Physical planners are employed by the District Council and should be booked by the applicants to validate zoning.
• The original or a certified copy of the environmental health report for the business premises in question. The report must be completed by health inspectors employed by the District Council and the applicant must book the health inspector for inspection.

PLEASE NOTE: The Town/District Council commercial office reserves the right to request for additional document/s as applicable.

Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry
Private Bag 004
Gaborone
Botswana
Plot 54380, Central Business District
Tel. (+267) 3601200
Fax. (+267) 3971539
Email. mitipru@gov.bw

Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs
Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry
Plot 54380 
Central Business District (CBD) 
Private Bag 00252
Gaborone
Tel. (+267) 3911233
Fax. (+267) 3975239

Ministry of trade and Industry contact details link:*Link

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
District/Sub-District Councils /Town/City Council Commercial Office contact list link Link

Ministry of local government and Rural Development contact details link:Link

Opening hours: 07:30 to 12:45 and 13:45 to 16:30, Monday to Friday, except public holidays

• Citizens and non-citizens who are above the age of eighteen (18) years and above or companies that are wholly owned by citizens of Botswana.

• Please use this link below and scroll down to allocate the license fee charges for different businesses Link
  

• The trade license is valid for one year and renewable thereafter

• Link (Application form for Trade License)
• Link (Trade License Annual Fee Payment Form)

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

• The time around for processing the application is 5 working days

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

PROPOSED BUSINESS

• Type of business/license applied for
• Location of the proposed business

PARTICULARS OF APPLICANT

• Business names
• Business address
• Company registration certificate details
• Trading name of the company (if applicable)
• Particulars of all shareholders (Name/nationality/address/ % Share in Equity holding)
• Level of Investment (Capital to be invested in the business)
• Anticipated number of employees

PARTICULARS OF LAND PREMISSES

• Plot No. or Land board Certificate No
• Date of Plot Allocation
• Is the plot zoned Commercial or Industrial
• If the premises are leased, state the name of the owner
• Size of premises (sq.m of floor space)

RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMITS DETAILS (FOR NON CITIZEN APPLICANTS ONLY)
DECLARATION BY THE APPLICANT

• Signature/date

• For any business to operate and without hitches and interference from the authorities you as the business owner must comply with the rules set for the specific business type whether by the central government or by the local authority.
• In Botswana, there is a range of trade licenses and business permits that an entrepreneur is expected to have for them to be considered to be running a legitimate business.

Enter other informations which might help.

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

• Government procedure link: Link
  
• Botswana Investment and Trade Centre: Link
  

More information which might help people.