Small Business Licenses and Permits

State-by-State Small Business Registration Information

Happy woman with laptop on park bench
  marrio31 / Getty Images

The process of starting a small business involves a number of steps, one of which is registering your business and acquiring the necessary licenses and permits.

Most small businesses in the U.S. must register in their local counties, then follow the licensing restrictions set by the state, depending on the type of business being registered. Each state has its own website that outlines the requirements for business registration and provides resources that will help business owners in each state.

Licenses, Permits, and Regulations for Your Small Business

The list below includes links to state pages on the Small Business Administration (SBA) website. The SBA has compiled state-by-state information on small business registration, license, and permit information. We have also included links (where available) to each state's small business division that provides the most accurate and up-to-date small business information for each state, including details on starting and growing a small business.

A State-By-State Listing

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • Louisiana Secretary of State Commercial Division

Maine

Maryland

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits

Massachusetts

Michigan

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • Michigan Business One Stop

Minnesota

Mississippi

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • State of Mississippi - Secretary of State - Business Services

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • Starting a Business in New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits

Pennsylvania

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • Pennsylvania Open for Business

Rhode Island

South Carolina

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • South Carolina Business One Stop

South Dakota

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

  • SBA - Business Licenses and Permits
  • State of Wisconsin Business Services

Wyoming