Starting a business is an exciting prospect. You have many decisions ahead of you, including testing out business ideas, choosing an entity structure (will you go with a corporation, LLC, partnership, or something else?), picking a business name, and finding a location for your shop or office.
Apart from the more fun choices, you'll also have some legal legwork ahead. If you decide to form a corporation, LLC, or other registered business, then you'll need to form your business with the state. You'll probably also need to apply for some kind of federal, state, or local business license and register for state tax accounts. Apart from these legal requirements, you might want to open a business bank account, invest in business insurance, and hire employees.
Check out the Business Formation section of our store to access to our online LLC and corporation formation services and to find do-it-yourself forms and books to help you cover every aspect of your business.
Most of the requirements for forming a business vary by state. Our state guides below will help you get your business up and running.
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
D.C.
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Most of the requirements for forming a business vary by state. Our state guides below will help you get your business up and running.
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At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.