Real Life in Paradise

So, I have been working this last week on getting the Uso de Suelo done and getting the building completely ready to open.  The Licencia de Uso de Suelo is a Playa Del Carmen legend, anyone who has opened a business can tell you how difficult and time-intensive the this license is.  I didn’t have that experience.  I got the contract from the notary on Monday, which was the first requirement.  I took this to the accountant’s office and he helped me add a business location to my company’s tax information, therefore giving me the go-ahead from Hacienda (the tax authority) to set up a business where the shop is going to be.  The accountant then gave me a basic format for a letter I needed to write to the director of urban development asking for permission for the Uso de Suelo.  I had already gotten a list of all the paperwork I would need to take to the city for the license.

That afternoon, I took pictures of the interior and exterior of the building, including bathroom space and all identifying features around the building.  I put these pictures on in a MS-Word document and formatted them nicely and printed them out with the letter.  I had to get copies of various records, previous licenses that were given to the building owner and paid tax bills, etc. 

I got everything bundled up nicely in a folder and put on a collared shirt and went to the city the next morning at 9am.  I was told to expect to wait in line the whole day, again I didn’t have that experience.  I think I was in line for 15 minutes tops, then was called to the counter where a very pleasant woman looked through everything that I had, it seemed like she expected me to be missing some paperwork, but she was quite pleased that I turned everything in that she was asking for.

After she told me that I had everything I needed and I could come back in 8 business days to get the license, she made sure that I know about the publicity license that is required in Playa Del Carmen.  She got the list of requirements for these licenses and went through them step by step with me, explaining them all in depth.  She told me that it is much easier if I submit this paperwork right after I submit my Uso de Suelo paperwork, and explained how to do that without actually having the Uso de Suelo, which is the first requirement for the sign license.  She sent me away to get my paperwork done and said to come back the next morning.

The sign tax is something that everyone pays and if they do not the city inspectors come around and put big “CLAUSARADO” stickers all over your signs, so it is pretty necessary, but I was expecting it to be a much bigger hassle than it was. We had already prepared a space to put the new signs, but hadn’t painted anything on them yet.  This turned out to be a really good thing because one of the requirements for the sign license is a design plan of what the sign is going to be, how it is constructed, etc.  I took pictures of the sign spaces minus any writing and then did a separate page explaining the signs.

So, that next day I went into the urban planning department again to turn in the paperwork for my signs, while I was was there the inspectors from the city came and looked around at the shop.  They talked to Valentin, the guy who has been doing most of the real work while I am running around like a crazy person, they took pictures of the place and looked at the tax-permit that I had posted on the wall, then they told Valentin to tell me that I could come get the permit next week.

When I talked to the accountant about how easy the whole process was going for me he didn’t believe me, then he suggested (jokingly?) that should do all the license work that he has to do because it never goes that well for him.  I think that opening a business in July must be the key.

During all this we got our first truckload of furniture, a bed and a sofa and some plant stands, but this week while I am waiting for all the paperwork to clear I will be going around looking at other furniture and hopefully filling PlayaResale with stuff so we can open our doors for business soon. 

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