Licensing - What's the deal?

SME · #1 (**permalink**) 09-10-2006, 07:48 PM

Ok, so I was walking a parade a couple years ago and this lady yells to me "are you licensed?" Not knowing what she was talking about but still in perfect clown form I replied "Well, you don't see my clown car, do you?" :lol:

But anyway, my question to you seasoned veterans is: What is licensing; How do you license; How does it help me; and what does it cost?

saphireSue · #2 (**permalink**) 09-10-2006, 10:02 PM

business license. Cost can vary check out your city, [town]. in some areas you are required to have a business license to set up booths etc. It's more progessional if you're setting this up as a business.

SME · #3 (**permalink**) 09-11-2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphireSue

business license. Cost can vary check out your city, [town]. in some areas you are required to have a business license to set up booths etc. It's more progessional if you're setting this up as a business.

Yeah I suppose the municipality wants their take of your talent too. But what a friend of mine thought "licensing" to a clown was like a copyright or trade mark. Is there such a thing?

saphireSue · #4 (**permalink**) 09-11-2006, 09:42 PM

I'm not sure how to go about it, You can have your face registered [using an egg, you'll have to look at old post to find the site], Some clowns do have certain things copywrighted, ie a doll of their clown, many charaters are copywrited, as of late there has been some reports of clowns getting into trouble with other character portrayal ie a purple dinosour [Barney], etc. Depends on the arrena you work in, I'm in a small town and I think I look pretty unique but I'm not gonna worry about some one copying me, If I every make it big time then I might look at it differently, Check and see how the other feel on this.

Willace-the-Clown · #5 (**permalink**) 09-11-2006, 10:12 PM

i seen somewhere you can get a card with your name & Face on it but i cant remember at this time where it is

SME · #6 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willace-the-Clown

i seen somewhere you can get a card with your name & Face on it but i cant remember at this time where it is

Yeah, I got one of those ... from the Department of Motor Vehicles ... :lol: :lol:

I'm probably not gonna worry too much about it - 'specially since we are pretty far from "professional"

I just thought it would be cool to be able to "legally" say - The one, the only....

8)

BIPS · #7 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006, 11:06 AM

I think I can safely say that there won't be too many clowns with my name...

There is one on one of the forums called BIPPY, but thats the closest I've seen...

PremierSparkles · #8 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 12:08 PM

In most cities a business license is required if you are going to make an income clowning. You can not legally charge anybody for your services unless you have a business license. The fee is minimal. You will also register the name of you business at the time of applying for your permit. If you get caught without this, the fines are huge!!! I can tell you people are looking specifically for fly by night "business" who don't carry a license. Especially if you ever perform in a public place, you must be prepared to show your business permit/license, such as at a mall, restauraunt, school, park, etc.

tobie · #9 (**permalink**) 10-03-2006, 10:18 PM

All kidding aside, you may want to look into insurance coverage for your clowning, in this craxy day and age it is a good idea to protect yourself and your group( such as a clown ministry group), from any kind of civil suit should you, as an entertainer, accidently hurt someone. Sorry to rain on your parade but it happens. tobie