Starting a small business is exciting and challenging. However there are some not so exciting requirements that you have to meet before you open your doors for business. This will teach you what types of business licenses you may need for your business and go about obtaining them.
Instructions
1. Look into the zoning laws related to the type of business you would like to open and where you would like to operate it. This is especially important for home-based businesses as many cities have restrictions on what types of businesses may be operated in residential areas.
2. Unless you will be operating the business under your own name, and have good reason to do so, you will need to file for a fictitious business name. This is also referred to as a DBA or "doing business as". You can research names that are available at your local government offices and find out about filing for your DBA there.
3. Once you have registered a name for your business you must have the new business name published in a local newspaper. This is a service that will be provided to you for a small flat fee. Simply contact your local paper for more information on publishing your new business name.
4. Contact the city you will be operating the business in and find out if you need to file for a business license with them. In some cities only some professional will need a license to operate a business while in other cities all businesses will be assessed a license fee. Often the license fee is based on the expected quarter income of your business. The specific details will vary from city to city.
5. If you business sells retails goods you will need to contact your state government and apply for a state sales tax license or seller's permit. The requirements and details are specific to each state.
