Venue Wants Proof That I Am A Licensed Business
Business By scrumdiddlycakes Updated 10 Apr 2013 , 1:27am by ShawnWeiso
Well this is a new one for me, I am doing a wedding cake in May, and the bride contacted me saying the venue wants my license number.
They are being very vague, and I tried asking for the contact's #, but they want me to pass it on through the couple.
I'm a bit weirded out, I've never been told to provide proof of my legality, but oh well. Since I can't get a straight answer from them, do I just send in my business license #? Anybody know?
They usually want proof of insurance, permit from the health department and proof you're a registered business with the city. I would make copies of all of those documents and give them to the couple to pass on, or tell the couple you could fax all the copies.
Thank you, I'll copy those and send them to her.
Is it common to be asked for proof? Even before I had built up a reputation in town, I was never asked.
AAgreed, there's no downside to providing your license number and proof of insurance.
When there are a lot of local unlicensed bakers, one tactic licensed bakers can use is talking with venues to explain the importance of working with vendors who are legal and insured, so that may be what happened here. Or they may just have had bad experiences with unlicensed vendors in the past.
Always protect yourself and by doing that you are protecting the venue and the client. I would contact the venue to clarify the situation and then deal with it accordingly. Post your license so that your customers can see them, this will put them at ease as well.
Whenever I preview a new venue, I always take a copy of my permit, food handlers license and proof of insurance for them to keep. This has surprised a few managers. I also keep a laminated copy in my work notebook. I think this helps to present myself as a professional.
Always protect yourself and by doing that you are protecting the venue and the client. I would contact the venue to clarify the situation and then deal with it accordingly. Post your license so that your customers can see them, this will put them at ease as well.
Everything is on a wall in my kitchen, it just threw me off having a vendor ask, lol.
Thank you everyone :)
They probably had an incident with an unlicensed baker recently so they're actually checking now. Some venues in town here do that and some don't.
In Washington state all you have to do is look up a business with the Department of Labor and Industries and it's public record if licenses/bond/insurance are all up to date. We actually get letters from L&I whenever there's an inquiry about our business.
In Washington state all you have to do is look up a business with the Department of Labor and Industries and it's public record if licenses/bond/insurance are all up to date. We actually get letters from L&I whenever there's an inquiry about our business.
I went to the website, and used the only search I could find, but it was only for trades like electricians and plumbers. I didn't show up, no matter how I searched, neither did a few other cake decorators that I know are also legal/licensed/insured. Maybe I'm just blind, and searching in the wrong spot, lol, or is it something you actually have to contact the DLI to do? I've never heard of that before, pretty neat.
Agreed, there's no downside to providing your license number and proof of insurance.
When there are a lot of local unlicensed bakers, one tactic licensed bakers can use is talking with venues to explain the importance of working with vendors who are legal and insured, so that may be what happened here.
Dang straight! But....they usually allow anyone in anyways. :(
Generally you can google it, like say "ABC Cakes, Anytown AZ business license". Most newspapers publish new businesses in the business section at least once a month.
What makes me take pause is the fact that the bride is being vague about the vendor contact info. That doesn't sit well with me at all and I would not provide the info without them reciprocating.
I went to the website, and used the only search I could find, but it was only for trades like electricians and plumbers. I didn't show up, no matter how I searched, neither did a few other cake decorators that I know are also legal/licensed/insured. Maybe I'm just blind, and searching in the wrong spot, lol, or is it something you actually have to contact the DLI to do? I've never heard of that before, pretty neat.
Maybe it's not L&I, but there is definitely somewhere to look up business licenses. Now it's going to bug me...
Maybe it's not L&I, but there is definitely somewhere to look up business licenses. Now it's going to bug me...
I found on the WA department of licensing site that you can at least look up active business licenses, nothing about my insurance or anything else showed up though.
What makes me take pause is the fact that the bride is being vague about the vendor contact info. That doesn't sit well with me at all and I would not provide the info without them reciprocating.
It seemed to be the venue itself acting odd about it, they didn't want to talk to me directly. She actually just forwarded me the e-mails from the coordinator, I have no problem showing my paperwork to whoever wants to see it, so I scanned it and sent it to her, and the coordinator's e-mail. (if he doesn't like that, tough luck :P)
Does make me wonder about couples who have their cakes made by family members though. I have always assumed the baker, or the couple would be liable for an 'illegal cake', not the venue. When we got married, we signed a waiver that said the venue took no responsibility for outside food or drink served on their premises.
Seems I need to do some serious brushing up on my information!
Ahttp://www.dol.wa.gov/business/checkstatus.html
Under the Search Business Licenses link. I was able to find OP's UBI number, business license status (for both businesses), the name of the owner, address, entity type, and associated DOR record, but no insurance status.
http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/checkstatus.html
Under the Search Business Licenses link. I was able to find OP's UBI number, business license status (for both businesses), the name of the owner, address, entity type, and associated DOR record, but no insurance status.
Why wouldn't insurance show up? Or is it not supposed to? I looked up a few other local people, and nothing else showed up for them either.
ASorry, I didn't mean that no insurance showing up was specific to your business...it looks like insurance info is not within the scope of the DOL or DOR searches at all. Which makes sense, as insurance is handled by private companies.
Sorry, I didn't mean that no insurance showing up was specific to your business...it looks like insurance info is not within the scope of the DOL or DOR searches at all. Which makes sense, as insurance is handled by private companies.
Oh, ok, haha. I was all worried :) That makes sense.
I don't know why the DOL doesn't have insurance information. I know the department of L&I does have that, but as you mentioned it's only for contractors. Maybe because contractors work in/on people's homes and most business are supposed to display insurance on business premises?
Either way, i think more places should ask for that information.
A
Original message sent by ShelbyLyn
I don't know why the DOL doesn't have insurance information. I know the department of L&I does have that, but as you mentioned it's only for contractors. Maybe because contractors work in/on people's homes and most business are supposed to display insurance on business premises?
It seemed to be the venue itself acting odd about it, they didn't want to talk to me directly. She actually just forwarded me the e-mails from the coordinator, I have no problem showing my paperwork to whoever wants to see it, so I scanned it and sent it to her, and the coordinator's e-mail. (if he doesn't like that, tough luck :P)
I'm glad you got the forwarded emails. An odd-acting venue would make me suspicious. My initial though was that the bride was claiming the venue wanted it but it was she that really wanted it for whatever reason, and was being vague so as to prevent you from contacting the venue and discovering they never asked for it. What she would have wanted it for and any reason for being vague was beyond me, but that was my first thought. I'm glad it has worked out!
AI had this happen last year when my daughter got married. When she made it known to the venue that she would be supplying the cake rather than buying from them, they rather rudely told her that whoever supplied the cake would have to be licensed and insured. When she informed them that her mother ( me!) would be bringing the cake from TN to MI for the wedding, they still wouldn't budge. However, when she told them either she was having me make the cake or they would lose her business, they became very accommodating! They didn't care about anything legal they just wanted to sell her an exhorbidantly priced cake!
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