How to Get an Ohio Vendors License

All businesses in Ohio that sell a product or service and collect sales tax are required to obtain a vendor's license. The type of license required depends on the type of business. Ohio taxation laws break the categories of licenses into vendor, service vendor, transient vendor, delivery vendor, seller, direct pay permit holder and consumers use tax account. A standard vendor's license for a fixed-location business is issued by the county auditor of the county the business is located in and is valid only in that county, while others are issued by the Ohio Department of Taxation and are valid statewide.

Instructions

1. Determine the type of vendor's license your business must register as to legally do business. A list and description of each license type is available on the Ohio Department of Taxation's website.

2. Download the appropriate vendor's license application form from the Ohio Department of Taxation's website or obtain one from the County Auditor's office if applying for a license for a fixed-location business.

3. Complete the vendor's license application with all requested information. This includes name, address, federal employer identification number, projected amount of taxes collected and other information about the business.

4. Return the completed vendor's license application to the appropriate office. Fixed-location vendor's license applications must be submitted to the county auditor's office in the county the business is located in, either by mail or in-person. All other applications must be mailed directly to the Ohio Department of Taxation.

Tips & Warnings

• Tax returns may be filed with the Ohio Department of Taxation monthly, quarterly or semi-annually depending on the amount of tax monies collected by the business.

• As of 2010, the license fee is $25 for most businesses.

References

• Ohio Department of Taxation: License & Filing Requirements
• Ohio Department of Taxation: Application for Vendor's License To Make Taxable Sales

Resources

• Ohio Department of Taxation: Vendors -- Sales Taxes Laws in Ohio
• Ohio Department of Taxation: Application for Transient Vendor's License
• Ohio Department of Taxation: Application for Service Vendor's License
• Ohio Department of Taxation: Application for Delivery Vendor's License
• Ohio Department of Taxation: Application for Consumers Use Tax Registration