The General Vendor License is mainly for honorably discharged veterans or their surviving spouses or domestic partners who live in New York State. The number of licenses given to non-veterans is limited by law to 853.

Non-veterans who want a license can apply to be on a waiting list only during specific application periods. Currently, the waiting list is closed and won't reopen until the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has run through the current pool of non-veteran applicants. The deadline to apply for the last application period was November 15, 2016.

 If you applied by the application deadline:

• DCA will notify you in writing of your waiting list number. You don't need to do anything further at this time.
• DCA will notify you in writing if you are determined, based on your position on the waiting list, to be eligible to apply for a General Vendor License. DCA will mail a notice with instructions to your most recently provided contact address

More information about the waiting list is available by phone.

Online

Visit the Department of Consumer Affairs' license page.

By Mail

Online

To apply online, you need a Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) account.

Log in or register for a DCA account.

In Person

If you’re applying in person, you will have to complete an application and bring it to the Department of Consumer Affairs Licensing Center or the NYC Small Business Support Center.

• DCA Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Wed: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The centers are closed on major holidays. If you need to take an exam, you should arrive before 3 PM.

About three months before your license expires, the Department of Consumer Affairs will mail you a renewal package.

You can complete and submit the application DCA sent you in person, or you can renew online. Once your license expires, you are considered unlicensed and you may get penalties if you continue to operate. If you don’t renew your license within 59 days of expiration, you will have to reapply for a new license.

Online

To renew online you need to have a DCA online account and a Personal Identification Number (PIN). The PIN is required to link information about your DCA records to your online account.

Log in or register for a DCA account.

If you don’t have a PIN already, you can request it by phone.

In Person

You can drop off your completed application and any required documents at the Department of Consumer Affairs Licensing Center or the NYC Small Business Support Center.

• DCA Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Wed: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
   
• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

The centers are closed on major holidays. If you need to take an exam, you should arrive before 3 PM.

By Phone

You can:

• Get answers to questions about renewing
• Report if you haven’t gotten a renewal package within 30 days of the license expiration date

Online

You can check the status of your application through your DCA account.

Log in or register for a DCA account.

By Phone

Online

On the DCA website you can:

• Live chat with a DCA representative
• Learn about laws you need to know and obey
• Learn about other licenses you might need
• Download valuable publications, tips, and FAQs
• Request an inspection
• Read checklists to learn what DCA inspectors look for in your industry and avoid violations
• Learn how to handle consumer complaints
• Pay fines by credit card
• Resolve a DCA violation
• Update important business information, including your contact information, your name or business name, or corporate officer information
• Request the replacement of a lost, stolen, or damaged DCA license document
• Download DCA's model contracts and model receipts, required signs, and other templates

Go to the DCA Business Toolbox.

With a DCA online account, you can:

• Access your DCA records
• Renew a license
• Change address
• Change name
• Change officer information
• Request license replacement
• Follow the status of applications
• Submit additional documents as part of your license application (if you submitted your application at the DCA Licensing Center)

Log in or register for a DCA account.

In Person

• DCA Licensing Center
  42 Broadway
  New York, NY 10004
  Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Wed: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
   
• NYC Small Business Support Center
  90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 4th Floor
  Jamaica, NY 11435
  Mon: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The centers are closed on major holidays. If you need to take an exam, you should arrive before 3 PM.

By Phone

If you’re using the online services portal to submit applications and other requests to the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), you can get help with technical problems, including:

• Log-in problems
• Resetting user names or passwords
• Problems uploading documents
• Error messages
• Web page not loading
• Button not responding

You can get answers to license-specific questions and information about application requirements.