Starting a business
Planning to start a new business in Downtown Salisbury? Here are a few resources to help:
The Small Business Center (SBC) at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is at the heart of small business resources in Concord, Kannapolis, Salisbury and surrounding towns. Whether you want to start a small business or grow an existing business, the SBC can help you develop a plan and connect you with vital resources for your journey.
To register a business, submit a Certificate of Registration (COR) application to the Development Services office. Development Services is located on the first floor of the City Office Building at 132 North Main Street, Salisbury, NC 28144. Or contact development services directly by calling (704) 638-5208 or emailing 1stop@salisburync.gov.
Do you need a permit? By law, permits are required for building/development projects when occurring within the City of Salisbury limits.
Find requirements for city infrastructure, community plans and municipal codes that pertain to your project, as well as information for your residential or business development.
Learn more about obtaining sales tax permits and paying your sales and use taxes for your business.
Business Link North Carolina BLNC, or “blink,” is a business resource ACCESS point for an extensive network of experts who can help your business succeed. Business Link North Carolina can connect you to services provided by state-supported agencies, many of which are free. Call BLNC toll-free, 1 (800) 228-8443, or local at 919-807-4280 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of their business counselors, or visit www.blnc.gov for more information.
U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration provides financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their business. SBA is the nation’s largest single financial backer of small businesses. Please call 1 (800) 827-5722 or visit www.sba.gov for more information.
Many local banks and credit unions offer small business loans and assistance on how to best utilize your personal assets. Many also work directly with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Please contact your local banker for assistance and guidance. DSI works closely with several institutions with business lending capabilities.
Downtown Salisbury offers an original main street experience! We have walk-able streets, multiple historic districts, unmatched connectivity, and prime access to talent. Centrally located between Charlotte and Greensboro, we are a hub for commerce. Downtown Salisbury is a sound investment.
Attracting and retaining investment is crucial to the long-term success of Downtown. The City of Salisbury provides several grant programs:
For more information on federal and state historic preservation tax credits, contact the State Historic Preservation Office in Raleigh at 919-807-6590.
The purpose of this report is to give Downtown Salisbury the baseline information for a better understanding of its current market. The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center Staff studied the retail marketplace date within a 5- mile radius of and 20- minute drive time to the downtown area. The retail leakage analysis examines the quantitative aspects of the retail opportunities.
Click below to view the 2023 Main Street and Small Town Main Street Reinvestment Stats:
A new program with the potential to attract investment capital into low-income areas of North Carolina was created by recently passed federal tax legislation, known as The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R.1). North Carolina Opportunity Zones will offer qualified investors certain tax benefits when they invest unrealized capital gains into these areas.
- Temporary tax deferral for capital gains reinvested in an Opportunity Fund
- Step-up in basis for capital gains reinvested in an Opportunity Fund
- Permanent exclusion from taxable income of long-term capital gain
Click here to view the Federal Opportunity Zone Website
- Investment funds defer federal tax gains on the sale of Real Estate, Stocks/Equities/Businesses/Other
- Investor must be placed in OZ Fund within 180 days of asset sale
- Investor Federal Tax Gain Reduced:
- 10% after 5 years
- 15% after 7 years
- 100% after 10 years
- No federal taxes on the appreciation of the project after 10 years
- Renewal School District
- City-wide 10 Gbps FTTH Broadband Network
- Natural Area of Expansion
- Mid-way Between Greensboro and Charlotte, NC
- Transportation Hub, Featuring Upcoming Amtrak Expansion
- Salisbury listed as #13th Best Small Cities to start a small business (Wallet Hub, April 2019)
