An overview
Starting your investment comes along with a lot of expectations and positivity. You aim to offer quality services to your clients while generating a profit. Before you get started, you need some things for your business to run well. Acquiring licenses and permits is an essential step that differs from one municipality or county to another. Securing a business license is a way of promoting smooth operations.
A license is a document offered to a business person, doctors, lawyers, engineers etc., that shows the applicant’s legitimacy in the trade’s operation. Most people cannot tell the differences between a license and a permit. On the other hand, a permit is a particular type of license regulating public safety. The government inspects then grants you the permit: the federal government, county government, state government and city government issues licenses concerning your business operations. An individual seeking to obtain a builder, company, and a trade license within the Australian cities such as Victoria and Western Australia can get application assistance from License2Build companies.
When do you need a Federal business license?
A need to obtain a federal license arises if your business has a relation to the activities regulated and supervised by a federal agency. There is a need to contact an identified agency if your business incorporates a certain type of industry. It will help you learn more about specific requirements that differ from one industry to the other. They include:
Broadcasting: A business that broadcasts information by television, wire satellite, and radio should obtain silence from the Federal Communications Commission.
Alcohol: Any business dealing with the import, wholesale, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages at a retail location, requires a registration with Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Bureau that helps obtain certain federal permits at any given location.
Agriculture: An application for a permit from the U.S Department of Agriculture is required if you transport or import biologics, animals, animal products etc., across state lines.
Meat products and other foodstuffs: The U.S Food and Drug regulates foods and all ingredients offered for sale in the interstate.
Advising investment: You must register with the Securities and Exchange Commission if your firm engages in a business of providing advice to others.
Registering with the state you select for your investment
Some business types required to register with the state agencies include Corporations, Limited liability partnerships or companies. However, a business that operates as sole proprietorships is not a must. They register at the state level. They can use their name for their business unless there is a formal filing of another name.
Registering your business under your name legalizes its operations. An individual running their business as a sole proprietorship or partnership can select a business name or DBA name. A (DBA) name is also known as a trading name or assumed business name. A DBA name different from your name requires a registration with the state government or the county clerk’s office, which depends on your business location. In some states, the DBA name needs filing that makes it public to protect the consumers running a business with the entity. However, in other states registering DBA names is not a requirement.
You can skip the process if the business operates under your name. Some states also avoid filing DBA if an individual can use their name and describe their services. A DBA is not required if you filed to become a limited liability company(LLC) unless planning to conduct business using a different name other than the name you filed with your articles of incorporation documentation.
