* Incorporating and Registering a Business
The Small Business Administration (SBA) can lead you through the entire process of incorporating and registering in their online guide to Incorporating and Registering Your Business.
What does it mean to incorporate and register?
- Incorporating and registering are important early steps in the life of a business. They will be done differently depending on what type of business you are starting and what state you are in. Incorporating is actually a step in registering
- Incorporating a business means choosing the structure of your business, such as Limited Liability Company or Partnership. The SBA provides a list of the most common ways to structure a business
- Registering a business means getting all the licenses, permits, and registrations that you need to legally operate. You must (1) determine the legal structure of your business (incorporate), (2) register your business name, (3) obtain your Federal Tax ID, (4) register with your State Revenue Agency, and (5) obtain licenses and permits. The SBA explains these five steps for registering your business
To see if the business name you want is already used:
- Search the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Search System
- Find and search your state trademark search system
For alcohol and tobacco licenses, contact your state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. For food licenses, contact your county health department. Find your county government.
Need More Information? Try These Additional Resources:
- Starting a Business
- Finding a Lawyer
- Small Business Questions - Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Small Business and Self-Employed Resources
- International Business
- Small Business Resource: All Veterans
- U.S. Census Bureau - Small Business Resources for Market Data
The short link for this FAQ is http://1.usa.gov/yulFgK
Was this useful? Click on a star to rate this answer.
(more stars = better)
