DeKalb County staff: addresses given on business filings can be subject to open-records; register where you operate to qualify for county programs
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Summary
County staff told small-business attendees that addresses listed on county filings and business-license applications may be released under open-records (sunshine law). Staff advised using a PO box or virtual address for privacy and emphasized that to qualify for DeKalb County programs businesses should register where they physically operate.
DeKalb County staff told small-business attendees that addresses provided on county business listings and license applications may be subject to open-records requests, and that registering a business where it physically operates is the requirement for county programs.
The guidance came during a small-business summit question-and-answer session when a participant raised concerns about having a personal address posted on the Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE) listing. LSBE staff said the county had removed addresses from the LSBE listing and advised using a PO box or virtual address if privacy is a concern.
LSBE staff said the county verifies the physical address used for a business license and that taxes and qualification for county services are tied to where a business is operating, not where it presents itself. “We have removed the address from the LSBE listing,” the staff member said. A separate attendee warned that “if open records come to DeKalb County, we are governed by sunshine law,” meaning information provided to the county could be disclosed under public-records law.
Speakers urged business owners to review what they list with the Secretary of State and whether they rely on a registered agent or a PO box for mailing. County staff emphasized that the application asks for the physical address where the business actually operates and that failing to register in DeKalb County when doing business there can prevent a firm from qualifying for county programs.
The session did not produce a formal vote or policy change; staff advised attendees to make business decisions about using PO boxes or commercial mailing services to balance operational needs and privacy. County representatives said they do not publish business addresses on the LSBE listing but cautioned they cannot guarantee an address will never be released if requested under the county’s open-records process.