Dover Business Filing Deadlines & Ongoing Requirements
What a business in Dover keeps doing after it opens: recurring filings, renewals and the events that trigger new obligations. Change the business details to fit yours.
Where Dover, DE filings and renewals are tracked
- Pay the City of Dover business license fee · City of Dover Department of Planning and Inspections (city)
- Annual reports: Delaware Division of Corporations
- Tax returns and payments: Delaware Division of Revenue
- Unemployment insurance filings: Delaware Department of Labor
Renewals, filing triggers and recurring deadlines in Dover
13 items in the example plan repeat on a schedule. Each one lists its authority and when it comes due.
Recurring filings and renewals
- File federal income tax return: Form 1040 with Schedule C · every year · April 15 · IRS
- Deposit federal payroll taxes · every month · 15th day of the following month · IRS
- File Form 941 (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return) · every quarter · April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31 · IRS
- File Form 940 (Federal Unemployment Tax) · every year · January 31 · IRS
- Issue Forms W-2 and file W-3 · every year · January 31 · IRS / SSA
- Pay LLC annual tax (Delaware) · every year · June 1 · Delaware Division of Corporations
- Register for and file Delaware entity-level taxes · every year · Delaware Division of Revenue
- Delaware business license and gross receipts tax · every year · Delaware Division of Revenue
- File wage reports and pay unemployment insurance contributions (Delaware) · every quarter · Delaware Department of Labor
- File the annual unclaimed property holder report (Delaware) · every year · March 1 · Delaware unclaimed property program
- Obtain food service establishment / health permit · every year · Kent County health department (Delaware)
- County/city business license — Dover, Kent County, Delaware · every year · County or municipality: Dover / Kent County
- Pay the City of Dover business license fee · every year · August 1 – August 31 · City of Dover Department of Planning and Inspections
Filings triggered by an event
- Complete Form I-9 for each new hire: applies when Business has employees
- Report new hires to the Delaware new hire directory: applies when 3 employees in Delaware
- Notify residents and regulators of a data breach within 60 days (Delaware): applies when Business operates in DE
Federal
State
County
City
Common questions about Dover
The state licenses your industry through its own regulator, and the city and county add local permits. These are the authorities and local items on record for Dover:
- Contractor licensing: Delaware Division of Revenue (contractor business license)
- Real estate licensing: Delaware Real Estate Commission
- Alcohol licensing: Delaware Office of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner
- Child care licensing: Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
- Health facility licensing: Delaware Division of Health Care Quality
- Pay the City of Dover business license fee (City of Dover Department of Planning and Inspections, city)
In the example restaurant plan above, the licenses and permits are: Delaware business license and gross receipts tax; Obtain food service establishment / health permit; Ensure certified food protection manager on staff; County/city business license — Dover, Kent County, Delaware; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Dover; Pay the City of Dover business license fee. Change the industry in the form to see yours.
Sources: corp.delaware.gov, revenue.delaware.gov, labor.delaware.gov
In the example plan for Dover, requirements come from four levels. Delaware sets formation, state taxes and employer rules; the city and county add local licenses and taxes.
- Federal (8): Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN); File federal income tax return: Form 1040 with Schedule C; Deposit federal payroll taxes; File Form 941 (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return)…
- State (14): Maintain a registered agent in Delaware; Pay LLC annual tax (Delaware); Register for and file Delaware entity-level taxes; Delaware business license and gross receipts tax…
- County (1): Obtain food service establishment / health permit
- City (3): County/city business license — Dover, Kent County, Delaware; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Dover; Pay the City of Dover business license fee
Sources: corp.delaware.gov, revenue.delaware.gov
- Register for unemployment insurance with Delaware Department of Labor.
- Workers' compensation: Delaware Office of Workers' Compensation. Required when: 1 employee
- Delaware Paid Family and Medical Leave contributions: applies from 10 employees.
- Register to withhold Delaware income tax from wages.
- The example plan adds these employer steps: Report new hires to the Delaware new hire directory; Carry workers' compensation insurance (Delaware); Display required federal labor law posters; Complete Form I-9 for each new hire; Display required Delaware workplace notices.
Sources: labor.delaware.gov, labor.delaware.gov, revenue.delaware.gov