Licenses
As a new business owner, you will face a number of legal issues, including licenses and permits, zoning, name and trademark registration, and others. You should consult an attorney with experience in business planning and these areas in order to protect your legal rights.
When naming your business, you should first see whether the name is legally available. Your state’s secretary of state can inform you whether the name you’ve chosen for your business is taken. Often, this information is readily available from the secretary of state’s website. You can also find contact information for these companies. You should also determine if your name conflicts with a registered trademark, by visiting the federal Patent and Trademark Office’s website at www.uspto.gov.
You may require a license or permit to operate your business, depending on what your business is and where your business is located. You should carefully research all regulations and laws governing your business; your state and local governments (and your local Chamber of Commerce) can help you find the requirements you need to fulfill.
In most cases, you need a state license to work as a:
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