Permitting and Incentives

Getting set up for business in Oklahoma City is easy. Some types of retail businesses require a City license, and you may need a state or county license before you can obtain a city license. You’ll also want to make sure your location is appropriately zoned for your project. If you’re looking to build new, you’ll need to apply for a commercial building permit. The City’s website has a good guide on how to obtain building permits.

Incentives will be considered for retailers who meet the following criteria:

1. Destination Retail Project: is a development that contains a retailer or group of retailers who will offer a product or good unique to the market and otherwise not available for purchase at a retail business physically located in Oklahoma City. Each destination retailer must have a minimum of $20 million in annual sales.
2. Regional Retail Project: is a development that contains at least 250,000 square feet of net usable retail space that attracts at least 50 percent of its customer sales from outside a 25-mile radius of the center of Oklahoma City and is not within 100 miles of the nearest competitor.
3. Underserved Area: a project that provides retail development to an under-served area. The retail establishment must contain at least 5,000 square feet of usable retail space and offer an essential product that would improve the quality of life for the residents and businesses located in the area.
4. Redevelopment Area: is a development with at least 5,000 square feet usable of retail space located within an area that has been predetermined by a public process to require strategic redevelopment such as an area plan or sector plan prepared by the City and/or through the establishment of a TIF district and/or an area.

For more information on the Retail Incentive Policy, please contact Tammy Fate.