Who signs the certificate application?

• A. The sole proprietor
• B. The sole proprietor, by each partner of a partnership, or by an officer of a corporation
• C. An authorized agent
• D. The building owner

Answer: (B)

Signing authority on a certificate application depends on the structure of the business. For a sole proprietor, the proprietor themselves signs to bind the business. For a partnership, each partner must sign to bind the partnership. For a corporation, an officer of the corporation who has authority to bind the company signs. This arrangement makes sure the person who signs has real authority to commit the entity and to comply with the licensing or permitting requirements.

Other options don’t fit all cases. A sole proprietor alone isn’t adequate for partnerships or corporations. An authorized agent could sign only if they’re explicitly empowered, which isn’t assumed by default. The building owner isn’t automatically the party applying or responsible for the entity’s licensing.