Business licenses are revoked if a business has broken the law and conducted illegal business deals. Some businesses also have their license revoked if they have continuously taken money from people. To have their license revoked, businesses must have a solid case built against them. These cases are composed of consumer complaints, police reports and evidence from these incidents. As a consumer, you need to build a case and submit it to your state’s office to start an investigation into the business to determine whether a revocation can legally be done.

Visit the BBB.org/us website to see if there are other complaints about the business from other consumers.

Click on the option “Check out a Business or Charity” under the “Consumer Section” on the right side of the website.

Enter the ZIP code of the area where the business is. This will help locate the specific business. Provide all of the information you know about the company and click “Search.”

Locate the business from the search results. Click on it to find out if anyone else has filed a complaint or requested to report the company. Make a note of each complaint, as it will help you make your case to get the business license revoked.

Return to the home page and click “File a Complaint” on the BBB’s “Consumer Section.” Fill out any information you know about the business, such as the address, ZIP code, phone number and website. You should also add all of the complaints gathered in the previous step along with your own personal experiences. Submit your complaint to the BBB, so it is officially on record. Print all of the complaints along with your own for evidence.

Write down the BBB office address and contact number that will be presented to you after your complaint. Click “Next” and provide your personal information when prompted to, so the BBB representative can contact you regarding your complaint.

Wait until the BBB representative contacts you within a week of your complaint. When the representative contacts you, inform him or her that your aim is to have the business license revoked. Although the BBB cannot directly revoke the license, it can contact the state to start the process, if the evidence is legitimate.

Contact your local police to file a complaint, if applicable. You should only do this if laws have been broken in your incident. Include a description of what you have lost or been put through in the police reports. You may need to provide documentation of your claims.

Contact your local Chamber of Commerce office with your documentation of the complaints and the police report. Inform the representative of your incidents with the business and what you have done before coming to the Chamber of Commerce office. If appropriate, the state will take action against the business in question.