The City of Branson brings online services to help businesses.

The full release from the city is below:

The City of Branson’s new Tourism Tax and Business Licensing module in Citizenserve is officially live today, delivering a fully online, streamlined process for business licensing and tourism tax submission. 

This launch represents a major step forward in the City’s ongoing efforts to modernize regulatory services, improve transparency, and create a more user-friendly experience for Branson’s business community. 

Beginning today, business owners can:

Apply for and renew business licenses online
Submit and remit tourism tax electronically
Pay licensing fees, bonding, and cigarette tax through secure online payment options
Receive automatic reminders and status notifications
Access and manage existing licenses through a centralized dashboard

The new system replaces the previous manual process that required downloading PDF forms, emailing or delivering paperwork, and coordinating payments separately. As part of the transition, approximately 4,000 existing licenses have been migrated into Citizenserve to ensure continuity and ongoing account management. Business license renewal will begin on Tuesday, March 3. Businesses should expect to receive an email next week with instructions on how to access their Citizenserve portal, along with detailed information on how to complete their renewal online.

“This launch reflects our commitment at City Hall to improving how we serve our business community,” said Cathy Stepp, City Administrator. “By integrating licensing and tourism tax services into Citizenserve, we are strengthening consistency, improving efficiency, and providing a modern platform that supports both compliance and growth in a user-friendly manner.”

The licensing and tourism tax module builds upon the City’s broader Citizenserve enhancements, including the recent permitting rebuild and system upgrades designed to streamline workflows, improve user experience, and ensure long-term system reliability. In addition to convenience, the platform provides structured workflows and accurate fee configuration to improve regulatory consistency and transparency. The move to online processing also reduces manual handling and allows staff to focus on customer service and timely review.

The Planning & Development Department has worked closely with Finance, IT, and other City departments to ensure a smooth rollout. Training resources and guidance will be available within the platform to assist users during the transition.

Businesses are encouraged to log in to Citizenserve to verify their account access and begin utilizing the new online tools. For questions regarding the new update to Citizenserve, please contact the City of Branson Planning & Development Department at 417-337-8549 or visit bransonmo.gov.