How to Obtain a Copy of an Existing Business License
A business license is a form of legal permission to operate a business on a local, state or federal level. Business licenses are supplied in a paper document and can be obtained at the county clerk or state government offices of the locality or state in which the business is formed. All local businesses are required to have a county- or city-issued business license. Once a business is in existence, a copy of the license is kept on file with the local, state and federal government licensing divisions.
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Things You'll Need
- Contact information for local court clerk's office
- Contact information for state licensing regulation office
Instructions
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Obtain the correct name of the business. If the business is a sole-proprietorship, verify whether the business is a "Doing Business As" (DBA). A DBA means that the business is operating under a name other than the name of the owner.
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Verify the type of business and the products or services that are provided. This information will help determine whether to search on a local, state or federal level for the license.
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Verify the city and county where the business is located. Knowing this information will narrow the search criteria when locating the existing business license.
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Access the city and/or county clerk's websites where the business is located. Go to the public records page and enter the business name. Some small-town offices do not offer this technology. If this is the case, you will need to visit the office in person. When you visit, ask for the public records department. A clerk will either research this information for you or direct you to an area where you can do your own research.
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Access the website of the state licensing agency where the business is located. Go to the public records page for business licensing and enter the business name. You can also call the state agency licensing division and have someone there research this information for you.
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Tips & Warnings
Knowing the existing business's Employer Tax Identification (EIN) will also help with finding the business license. The EIN is a federal tax identification number that is used to recognized businesses. This number is issued and kept on file with the IRS.
There are businesses that operate without a license, which is illegal.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit business colleagues preparing for business meeting image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
