Federal, State, and Local Licenses and Permits

When starting a business, the primary step is to secure all necessary business licenses, permits, registrations, and tax IDs at the Federal, State, County, and City levels as required. Each business may have specific federal, state, county, and local requirements.

The links below (not all-inclusive) will provide the information needed and guide you in acquiring your licenses and permits. 

• State Govt. websites via the IRS

• licenses, permits, registrations & tax

• licenses, permits, registrations & tax IDs

• Small Business Resources 

• Types of Federal Licenses & Permits

• If a Federal agency regulates your business activities, you will need a Federal License or Permit from the appropriate issuing authority. You can review the Federal Licenses & Permits list on the SBA website.

• You will also need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) available thru the IRS website. The EIN is a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) or Tax Identification Number (TIN). This number is used to file your income tax return and employment taxes and is also used frequently in the application for other licenses, permits, and registrations.

• Types of State & Local Licenses

• State Tax ID for income & employment taxes & benefits. Use the SBA website to connect with your State government website.

• Local/City Business License or Tax Certificate (to operate a business)

• Professional or Occupational License (for Doctors, Lawyers, CPAs, Contractors, etc.)

• License to sell “specific” products & services like Alcohol, Firearms, Gasoline, Tobacco, Prescription Drugs, Catering, Cleaning/Janitorial, Landscaping, etc.

• State Employer Identification Number

• Unemployment Insurance

• Types of State & Local Permits

• Licenses & Permits information by State, click on the link.

• Alabama 

• AtlasAlabama

• Dept. of Revenue - Business and License

• Alaska  

• Alaska Department of Commerce - Business License

• Arizona  

• Arizona Commerce Authority - Business License  

• Arizona Department of Revenue - License Fees & Cancellations

• Arkansas - 

• Arkansas State Govt. - Start a Business

• AR City Applications - Business License

• California - 

• CA.gov - Business License

• CalGold - Licenses & Permits

• Colorado - 

• MyBizColorado - Start a Business 

• Checklist for New Businesses - Checklist

• CO.gov - Apply for a License or Permit

• Connecticut

• CT.gov Business - Doing Business in CT

• CT.gov - Business License & Permit

• SBDC Connecticut - Business Guide

• Delaware

• OneStop Delaware - Register & License your Business

• OneStop Delaware - Requirements

• OneStop Delaware - Portal

• Florida

• DBPR - Portal

• DBPR - Online Services

• State of Florida.com

• Georgia

• Secretary of State - Business Division

• Secretary of State - Licensing

• Secretary of State - Business Guide

• START

• Hawaii

• Hawaii Business - Portal

• Hawaii Business Express

• Hawaii County

• License & Permits

• Idaho

• Idaho.gov - Business Portal

• Idaho.gov - Online Services

• License & Permits

• Illinois

• Illinois.gov - Business Portal

• Illinois.gov - Registrations, License & Permits

• License & Permits

• Indiana

• IN.gov - Business Owner’s Guide

• Iowa

• IAsourcelink.com - Business Guide

• Kansas

• KS Business Center

• Kentucky

• KY Business Portal

• Occupational License & Permits

• Louisiana

• Secretary of State

• Maine

• Maine.gov

• Maryland

• Business Express - License & Permits

• Types of Business Licenses

• Massachusetts

• Mass.gov - Starting New Business

• Mass.gov - Professional Licenses & Permits

• Michigan

• Michigan SBDC - Starting a business

• Michigan SBDC Guide - PDF

• Michigan.gov - LIcensing Search

• Michigan.gov - Business

• Minnesota

• MN.gov - eLicense

• SOS.state.mn.us - Starting a Business

• Mississippi

• Corp.SOS.ms.gov - Business Services

• MSSBDC.org - Business Services

• Missouri

• BSD.SOS.mo.gov - Online Business Filing

• SOS.mo.gov - Steps to Start a Business

• Professional Registration

• Montana

• MTrevenue.gov - Montana License lookup

• SBDC.MT.gov - Small Business licensing information

• Nebraska

• Secretary of State - Small Business Services

• Nebraska.gov - Business licensing

• Nevada

• Nevada Business License - Step-by-step guide

• Business Startup - Step-by-step guide

• New Hampshire

• Dept. of Revenue - New Business Tax, License & Permits

• NH.gov - Business information

• New Jersey

• NJ.gov - Business Guide

• NJ.gov - Licensing & Certification Guide

• New Mexico

• NM.gov - License & Permit application

• SOS - Start a Business

• TAP - Taxation & Revenue

• New York

• NY.gov - Start a business 

• NY.gov - Business checklist

• North Carolina

• NC.gov - Start a business

• SOS - License & Permits

• North Dakota

• ND.TAP - Business portal

• ND.gov - Business Registration

• Ohio

• SBDC.oh - Starting your business guide

• SOS - Business portal

• Oklahoma

• SOS - Business services

• OK Commerce - Business Licensing

• Oregon

• SOS - Starting a business

• OR.gov - License directory

• Pennsylvania

• BPOA - Licensing

• BPOA - Business portal

• PA.gov - Registering your business

• Rhode Island

• RI.gov - Business Regulations

• RI.gov - Business License & Registration

• SOS - Business services

• South Carolina

• SC.gov - License, Permits & Registration

• SCBOS - Business portal

• SC.gov - Licensing Regulations

• South Dakota

• SD.gov - Start your business

• SD.gov - Tax & License application

• Tennessee

• Dept. of Revenue - Registration & Licensing

• Texas

• TX.gov - License and Permits

• TX.gov - Start a business

• SOS - Guides and Resources for small business

• Utah

• UT.gov - Business Registration

• UT.gov - Occupational & Professional Licensing

• UT.gov - Business Guide

• Vermont

• SOS - Register a Business

• VT.gov - Register for Business License

• Virginia

• VA.gov - Business License

• VA.gov - Professional and Occupational Licenses

• Washington

• Dept. of Revenue - Apply for a Business License

• Dept. of Labor - Licensing

• Washington D.C.

• DCRA

• DC Business Center

• West Virginia

• WV.gov - Business Portal

• Wisconsin

• WI.gov - Business portal

• WI.gov - License

• WI.gov - Occupational & Professional Licensing

• Wyoming

• Business.org - Licensing & Permitting

• SOS - Start a Business

US Small Business Administration (SBA)

• SBA - Business Guide

• Plan your business

• Launch your business

• Manage your business

• Grow your business

• Free Business Counseling

• Choosing a Business Structure

• Apply for License and Permits

• Contact SBA

Disclaimer:

Your Books Live (YBL) provides links to official Federal, State, and Local government websites as a convenience. We do not verify any information on these websites for anyone and are not legally liable for any website data. If you are still looking for specific details OR need help finding the correct information, contact the source or the website listing it.

If you find an incorrect or expired link on our website, please email us at info@yourbookslive.com  so we can correct it promptly.