The Requirements to Start a Business in Meigs County, Ohio

You can complete most of the requirements for your Meigs County business with an Internet connection and a telephone.

Many of the required applications for starting a business in Meigs County, Ohio, are accessible online. With a high speed Internet connection, you can have your applications completed in less than one day. Reach out for help if there is anything you do not understand. The Ohio Small Business Development Center of Ohio University has a satellite office in the Meigs County Chamber of Commerce, with counselors who can provide free one-on-one assistance.

Instructions

1. Conduct a name search to make sure your desired name does not conflict with other company names registered in Ohio. If no conflict exists, register for a corporation, partnership or limited liability company with the Ohio Secretary of State. A sole proprietorship or general partnership registers for a fictitious or trade name with this office. Registered fictitious names can have the same name as other business types and vice versa.

2. Obtain an employer identification number from the Internal Revenue Service. Many state agencies use this number to identify your company. Register for a tax number from the Ohio Department of Taxation to pay the commercial activity, employer withholding and sales and use taxes, as applicable. You can register either online through the Ohio Business Gateway's Electronic Filing System or by telephone at 888-405-4089.

3. Use the Ohio Business Development Coalition's "Ohio InSite" search engine to find a Meigs County location for your business type. Select an acceptable business location.

4. Obtain a regular vendor's license from the Meigs County Auditor's office. This license only applies to one location. It is not applicable for delivery, transient or services businesses. Check your village's or township's ordinances for rules, regulations and permits required for your new company. Review the Ohio Business Gateway's Licenses and Permits website to ensure you have the proper state professional licenses and business permits to open your company's doors.

Tips & Warnings

• Delivery, transient and services companies obtain their vendor's licenses through the Ohio Department of Taxation.

• Use the 1st Stop Business Connection offered by the Ohio Department of Development for a condensed summary of state requirements to open your specific type of business.

• Find many local ordinances for Meigs County towns in the W.H. Drane Company's Municipal Codes database.

References

• Ohio Small Business Development Centers: Sattellite Office of SBDC at Ohio University Meigs County Chamber of Commerce
• Ohio Secretary of State: Name Availability Guide
• Secretary of State: Business Filings
• Ohio Business Gateway: Starting a Business
• Ohio Department of Taxation: Business Registration
• Meigs County Auditor: Vendor's License

Resources

• Ohio Business Gateway: Licenses and Permits
• Internal Revenue Service: Apply for an Employer Identification Number
• Ohio Business Gateway: Electronic Filing Services
• Ohio Department of Development: 1st Stop Business Connection
• Ohio Means Business: Ohio InSite
• W.H. Drane: Municipal Codes