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Business Licenses, Permits, and Business Names
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Start Here: Applies to ALLbusinesses
You May Need The Following:
- All businesses need a business registration number also called a business license.
- All businesses that want to buy wholesale ( i.e., buy without paying taxes), or sell retail and collect taxes, need a Seller's Permit / State Sales Tax Id Number also called a seller's permit or resale tax id number.
- All businesses that have employees, need a federal tax ID number EIN ( also called an IRS number) and a state employer tax ID number State EIN.
- All businesses are advised to get a federal tax id number and use it as a business ID number. Note that a federal tax ID number is also an employer number as well as a business ID number.
- All corporations, partnerships, and llcs, are required to get a federal number to use as a business tax ID ( though, even sole owner can use it as a business ID number).
In Short:
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO START ANY BUSINESS
- Even home businesses, online business, internet business, and ebay business are legally required to get an assumed business name, also called a trade name, and a business tax registration, business license.
- If you sell online or from anywhere items that are tangible ( you can touch) , taxable ( all tangible items are tangible), you will need a wholesale retail buyers license.
- Also, because you need to pay employment taxes to both the federal and state government, if you wil hire employees, you will need a federal employer Number, also called an IRS number and a State Employer Number, also called a State EIN.
- Finally, all businesses including home and online businesses need to get a business license or home occupation permit.
Business Licenses & Permits
State Licenses and Permits
Federal Licenses and Permits
Where do I go to get a license?
Business Name or DBA (Doing Business As)
Do I need to have a DBA?
What are the benefits to filing a DBA?
How do I go about getting a DBA?
Wholesale or Retail License
What is a Wholesale or Retail License ?
Where do I get a Wholesale or Retail License ?
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Why Do I Need an EIN?
How do I apply for an EIN?
Business License and Permits Checklist
Quiz Business Licenses & Permits
All of your licenses, permits, and business names can be handled by our filing service (including establishing your business and brand names) and you don't require the help of a lawyer. So before you start, it’s a good idea to get all your basic information so you can apply online. If you’re not sure about needing help on an issue, ask us about it first. Your small investment in taking the time to talk to us now can help you avoid later much bigger legal problems later on.
Licenses & Permits
The answer is yes. Without a business license or a DBA you may be conducting business illegally. Just about all businesses need a state, county or city license depending on the type of business or its location. There may be local, county, state, and or federal licensing requirements depending on the type of business you are in. The fees associated with getting a license from us are far less than hiring an attorney or even using competing services.
Local Licenses and Permits:
You need certain local licenses because local governments require them to raise taxes and improve business standards, locally. Your licensing requirements and will vary. You may need a permit before you can open for business. In some cases, after or before you obtain your business license, the space you own or lease is going to be inspected to determine if it is properly zoned for specific type of business you are going into.
You may need a special license if you’re conducting business out of your house, a beauty salon for example requires a state license in addition to local permits.
Normally, if you claim you are an "expert" in anything, you need to get a state license, in addition to a local, county, federal and additional tax licenses from the state. This is done because the state wants to protect the public from unauthorized or untrained professionals". There are certain businesses and professions that require a state license. State licenses are often required for the following occupations:
- Attorneys
- Doctors
- Accountants
- Building contractors
- Appraisers
- Cosmetologists
- Auctioneers
- Private investigators
- Real Estate agents
Your state may require you to have special licenses if you sell certain products such as firearms, gasoline, liquor, lottery tickets, etc.
Normally, the feds regulate activities that affect interstate commerce because federal laws provide such power to regulate in state business activities. For your small businesses, federal licensing is probably not a requirement. In businesses that are regulated by the government, federal licensing is required. Here are some examples:
- Federal Tax Identification Number
- Broadcasting
- Manufacturing tobacco alcohol, or firearms
- Drug manufacturing
- Preparation of meat products
- Ground transportation
- Selling firearms
- Investment advising
You need to hire someone to obtain the licenses for you or do it yourself. To avoid the hustle of doing it yourself, the best place to start is to click here to take a small test to see if you actually need one. Talk to one of our clerks, who should be able to tell you how to get a business license. You can also phone our clerks with questions.
There is an increasing number of home businesses because of the massive layoffs related to the serious economic situation and the credit crunch. We will Investigate business license requirements covering small or home based businesses. For example, if you have a small home office, it constitutes a home business. Some residential neighborhoods have strict zoning restrictions that may prevent you from doing business out of your home. In many areas, attitudes toward home based businesses are becoming more acceptable due to the reason mentioned above.
Business Name or DBA (Doing Business As)
All businesses using a name other than their legal name are required to file a dba. For example, if you are a sole proprietor and you are doing business online and your business internet name is your domain name ( as opposed to be doing business as your own last name), "Best Gadgets," or if an LLC or corporation is doing business under a name other than the corporate name, for example, XYZ, Inc, doing business as " xyz eBay toys," it needs to file a dba for that name.... i.e., the "xyz eBay toys," business name.
Do I need to have a DBA?
Yes, for the reason mentioned above. I.e., if you do business in a name other than your own legal last name.
What are the benefits to filing a DBA?
First, you comply with the law of your state, second, you can start printing your stationary in your business name, third, you can advertise your business name, and finally, you can file a suit or be sued under your business name.
How do I go about getting a DBA?
You need to hire someone to obtain the dba for you or do it yourself. To avoid the hustle of doing it yourself, the best place to start is to click here to take a small test to see if you actually need one. Talk to one of our clerks, who should be able to tell you how to get a business license. You can also phone our clerks with questions.
Wholesale or Retail License
If you sell anything tangible, i.e., something touchable, as opposed to something like a service, e.g., consulting, you will need a retail license to buy wholesale and sell retail. Conversely, if you sell wholesale, i.e., without charging taxes, you need a wholesale license to sell them to holders of a retail license or resale certificate. You cannot sell wholesale to anybody. All sale of taxable items, are considered retail unless you are a wholesale and selling to resellers or tax exempt entities.
What is a Wholesale or Retail License ?
It is a tax id number issued by the state government to regulate and monitor taxable transactions.
Where do I get a Wholesale or Retail License?
You need to either hire someone to obtain the Wholesale license also referred to as a seller's permit, or you or do it yourself. To avoid the hustle of doing it yourself, the best place to start is here. Talk to one of our clerks, who should be able to tell you how to get a business license.
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Simply put, employers need a federal and state ein, and corporations need a federal ein.
Why Do I Need an EIN?
If you are an employer you need it to report and pay employment taxes to the federal and state governments. If you are a corporation, you need it because a federal ein can serve as a corporation id ( a legal person), as a ss# is used to identify a natural person.
How do I apply for an EIN?
You need to either hire someone to apply for the EIN, or you or do it yourself. Talk to one of our clerks, who should be able to tell you how to get a business license.
- Get a business license;
- Get a DBA;
- If you are an employer get a Federal Tax Id Number; and a
- State Tax Id Number;
- If you are a retailer or wholesaler of taxable items, get a Seller's permit;
- If you want the corporate protection and tax advantages of an LLC, or corporation, by all means, incorporate or form an LLC.
Click to order or take a quick business license test to see if you actually need all or any of the above.
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