Save time finding and managing the business licenses you need
Save time finding and managing the business licenses you need
LegalZoom has partnered with Wix to make it easy to find the right licenses, permits, and registrations to operate legally and to effortlessly manage your ongoing licensing requirements. Plus, get end-to-end compliance coverage with required filings, attorney-informed updates, and personalized guidance from specialists. Starts at $99/year.
To learn about our full service Compliance Concierge, call (833) 998-5141.
Why use LegalZoom to find and manage business licenses?
With such complex licensing requirements to research, it can be hard to know where to start. Get specialized help so you can be confident you'll find the licenses, permits, and registrations you need to operate legally.
Speed
Access to required license and permit applications, simplifying and expediting the process of having to navigate over 75,000 federal, state, and local jurisdictions, saving you time and hassle.
Ease
Notifications about changes to your license report requirements as well as reminders about upcoming renewal deadlines to help you maintain ongoing compliance.
Choose a plan to meet your compliance needs
Choose a plan to meet your needs
Business License Report and Management
Business License Report & Management
Identify the licenses and permits needed to operate legally, and get help staying on top of year-round licensing requirements.
Identify the licenses and permits needed to operate legally, and get help staying on top of year-round licensing requirements.
$99
/yr*
Auto-renews. Cancel anytime.
Find my business licenses
Included:
A customized summary of the federal, state, and local licenses, permits, and registrations required for your business
Details about each license, permit, and registration, and its importance to your business
Ongoing notifications of license report updates for licensing requirement changes and deadlines
Effortlessly manage your licenses by uploading, viewing, and sharing all from one place
Personalized licensing support from our experienced specialists
Recommended
Business License Report plus Compliance Filings
License Report & Management, plus Compliance Filings
Get licenses, plus ongoing compliance with required annual reports, filings, attorney-informed updates and alerts.
$299
/yr*
Auto-renews. Cancel anytime.
Get compliant now
Everything in Business License Report and Management, plus:
Ongoing annual reports to satisfy state filing requirements
Amendment filings with the Secretary of State for any business changes
Customized compliance alerts tailored to your business needs
Filing of your Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR) and ongoing updates to stay compliant
Attorney-tracked and analyzed updates on changes to federal and state filing requirements
Personalized compliance support from our experienced specialists
Peace of mind with our our 100% Accurate Filing Guarantee†
Full service
Compliance Concierge
Compliance Concierge
Get peace of mind with unlimited handling of your compliance needs, start to finish, by a trained & dedicated concierge.
$999
/yr*
Auto-renews. Cancel anytime.
Get concierge now
Everything in Business License Report + Compliance Filings, plus:
White-glove, hands-on management of your compliance by a concierge who is trained & dedicated to your business
Unlimited phone & email access to your concierge partner
Regular check-ins to proactively identify gaps & risks, keeping an eye on your compliance so you don’t have to
Initial review of your business standing, a plan for your needs, and end-to-end filing and compliance execution
Timely updates on the actions we are taking on your behalf to help ensure compliance
Quick responses to address compliance issues as soon as possible
Access to all full-service solutions, suggested and managed by your concierge—Certificate of Good Standing, Foreign Qualification & more
100% Accurate Filing Guarantee
Tell us about your business
Answer a few simple questions about your business and where it operates so your report is personalized and as accurate as possible.
Receive your custom report
You’ll get a personalized report with helpful details about each of the licenses, permits, and registrations you may need.
Apply for your licenses
Your report includes links to apply for each license or permit, as well as helpful instructions on how best to do so.
For example, if you want to operate your business from home, you may need a home occupation permit. A restaurant might need a health department permit in addition to an alcohol and food service license—and may even want a music license to host shows. If you open a shop, you may need a seller's permit and a sales tax license.
Licenses and permits protect your business from penalties and risk of closure, as well as help customers feel reassured it's safe to do business with you.
Why get help with your business licenses?
Avoid fines
Not having the right licenses and permits in place can result in penalties and fines, costing your business money and risking potential closure.
Feel confident and secure knowing that your business is operating legally with the licenses, permits, and registrations for your specific needs.
You need to register for a federal license if a federal agency requires one for your specific business activity.
For example, federal agencies issue industry-specific licenses to companies in certain sectors, like alcohol manufacturers and commercial fishing firms.
What is a state business license?
You may need to apply for a state business license if your state is responsible for regulating any of your business activities.
This varies between different industries and sectors, but state requirements can generally include seller’s permits and liquor licenses. You may be subject to certain environmental regulations that require you to submit a business license application.
What is a local business license?
You may need to apply for a local business license if some or all of your business activities are regulated at city, county, and local government levels.
Local authority rules vary, but business activities that are regulated at the local level typically can include zoning permits, building permits, fire alarms, and sales tax permits.
With our service, you get a personalized report of which licenses, permits, and registrations your business needs. You'll also get direct access to the relevant applications and helpful instructions to help you save time and money.
To help speed up the process, you can get a customized report on which licenses you may need. This can help you save time researching complex licensing requirements and get straight to applying.
Do I need licenses for my business?
You may need licenses, permits, and registrations to legally run your business and meet all local, county, state, and federal requirements. The exact number of business licenses you need to register for depends on your industry, location, and business activities. On average, our business license customers require at least 6 licenses to operate legally.
When do I need a business license?
You typically should get every license or permit you need before you start operating your business or open your doors to the public. Otherwise, you could face fines and other penalties. Once you have your permits, it’s important to display them properly, as well as make copies for your records and keep track of renewal dates.
Who issues business licenses?
They're issued by all levels of government—city, county, state, and federal—so you might need to apply with various agencies and departments. Our service makes that part easy by finding the permits you need at every governmental level and providing easy access to apply.
Why are business licenses required?
There are two common reasons: A business license helps protect the public's health and safety and identifies businesses so they can be held accountable for their actions. To cover each of these requirements, most businesses have multiple licenses, especially in more complex industries.
Do all businesses need licenses?
Most businesses need at least one, and determining which licenses you need for your business and location can be complicated. Fortunately, our service helps make this easier for you.
What are some common licenses and permits?
Common examples include a home occupation permit, zoning permit, building permit, seller's permit, fire and police department permit, and health permit.
What business licenses do I need?
It depends what kind of business you run and where you're located. We can make this easier by determining this for you based on your business info.
How much does a business license cost?
Our service to help you find which licenses and permits you may need costs $99/year, but the cost of the individual business license application varies, depending on where you are, the type of business you operate, and the permit you need. One license may cost nothing while others can get quite expensive. Keep in mind that securing the required licenses is necessary to protect your business from fees, penalties, and potential closure.
Do I need a license to operate my business from home?
It depends on the type of business you run and where you're located. In many locations, you may need a home occupation permit. Running your business out of your home doesn't necessarily exempt you from needing certain licenses or permits and may result in additional requirements.
Do I need a business license to sell online?
Whether you need a business license to sell online depends on your product, service, and location. Generally, business licenses like a seller's permit or a sales tax permit are required for online sellers.
Business licensing rules vary between states and cities and the sale of specific items may be subject to additional regulations.
Do you need a business license to sell on Etsy?
If your Etsy operation is a business as determined by the IRS, you will likely need business licenses as required by the state, county, and local agencies in your specific location. Generally, business licenses like a seller's permit or a sales tax permit are required for online sellers.
Business licensing rules vary between states and cities and the sale of specific items may be subject to additional regulations. We can help you figure out what your Etsy business needs.
What do I need to do to stay compliant with business licenses and permits on an ongoing basis?
Managing business licenses involves maintaining up-to-date records of all licenses, tracking expiration dates, promptly renewing licenses before they expire, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. You'll also need to monitor for any changes to your licensing requirements and respond accordingly to avoid penalties or disruption to your business. Our Business License Report & Management service helps ensure you meet these requirements and keep your business operating legally.
As a first-time LLC owner, I was extremely impressed with how easy and straightforward LegalZoom made it for me
— Edward H., business license customer
I needed to get compliant and licensed fast for partnership programs. LegalZoom made sure I didn't miss a beat.
— Jordan S., business license customer
LegalZoom was great to work with when forming my LLC. They made the process very easy and quick.
— Lindsay W., LLC customer
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