How to Receive a Business License
There are various types of business licenses for small businesses in the U.S. A general business license is issued when you register your business with the state, but this license only gives you legal permission to have a business. Additional business licenses are required to actually run specific businesses, like child care, health care and restaurants. Finding the proper licenses for your business can be frustrating, as there are over 19,000 separate licensing jurisdictions across the nation with their own licensing requirements, according to HomeBusinessCenter.com
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Instructions
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Visit the Business.gov website. The site will help you determine what requirements are necessary to register your business within your given state. For example, New York-operated businesses must register if using a name other than the owner's name. In addition, any business structure besides a sole-proprietor must register with the New York state Secretary of State. Sole proprietors must register with the local county. Registering a business gives you a basic business licence, which allows you to operate a business in the registered state.
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Use the online business license and permit tool on Business.gov to find out what permits and licenses are required in your given state. For each type of business, specific permits or licenses may apply. For example, restaurants or caterers need a permit to prepare food, while a health care specialist or child care facility each need a specific license to operate. Even independent contractors producing products or services in the home, such as website design, may need a permit to do so in some states.
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Write down the list of permits and licenses required for your business. For example, a beauty salon located in Beverly Hills, California will need a tax registration license, local permits issued by the county, incorporation filing if applicable, withholding taxes, a I-9 Form and new hire reporting and employer requirements licenses. Underneath the list, the Business.gov website will offer you a description of each of the permits or licenses and direct you to the proper department to apply. For example, while a financial advisor needs to contact the Department of Commerce to obtain an operating license, a child care center owner needs to speak with the Department of Human Services in the state of Tennessee.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are registering in person, ask for a copy of the business license. The clerk will print a hard copy of the license to prove you are indeed allowed to run a business in the given state. If you register online, a copy of the business license will be mailed to you. If you have done any of the above examples and have yet to receive your business licenses in the mail, contact the department responsible for issuing the license to find out an estimated arrival date.
