Business Licenses and Permits

The restaurant industry is one of the more heavily regulated industries in the country. Restaurants are almost always required to be licensed at Federal and State levels, while often times needing county and local licenses as well. But for restaurants in New Hampshire, certain types of seafood will warrant additional licensing.
Typically in New Hampshire restaurants …

After numerous complaints from the public, the Birmingham City Council voted to close the Continental Ballroom and revoke its business license. The Council voted unanimously to shut the business down because of reoccurring problems, which required law enforcement to intervene.
The club’s owners pleaded with the Council to change its ruling, arguing that ever since more …

Nothing says 4th of July like fireworks, whether it be a professional display or consumer fireworks for private use.  Forty states plus the District of Columbia allow use of some or all consumer fireworks.  Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York prohibit all consumer fireworks, while Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Ohio and Vermont allow only …

Dunes City, Oregon is one step away from requiring a business license for certain businesses to operate in the city.  The city plans to require contractors, septic and plumbing inspectors, landscapers, and lawn care businesses to have a business license.  The license would cost $85 per year and any violators will be charged $500 in …

A nurse in Farr West, Utah was given approval to give care to up to two elderly patients at a time in her residence without a business license. Had the city approved the care for a third patient, a license would have been required.
Farr West’s current ordinances do not allow for any type of assisted …

Thanks to the rise in popularity of the History Channel’s Pawn Stars, pawn shops and secondhand dealer stores are starting to gain a better reputation in the public eye. Some pawn shops like Pawn America, have grown into nationwide companies, and have shed the seedy reputation that is often associated with this type of business.
Despite …

It’s a time tested business model – buy wholesale, sell retail.  From home based internet businesses to mature intermediary businesses who repackage commodities before bringing their product to the market place, the concept is viable and common.
However, if you are engaged in business in California as a retailer, who pays the sales tax?  Are retailers …

Today we had two great webinar sessions explaining the basics of business licenses and permits.
Companies can’t operate without business licenses and determining what business licenses you need can be a tremendous challenge. Every state, county and municipality has laws and regulations that determine what type, if any, of businesses needs license or …

Do employees working at home for their employers need a business license? In most cases these individuals would not need one, however, some jurisdictions do require a permit or license in this situation.
If you’re a business owner and have employees that work from home, it is reasonable to have licensing concerns. However, a good rule …

Something as innocent as not having a business license can lead to trouble. Not having a license alone can lead to heavy fines and a shut down of one’s business, but not having a proper license or permit, while engaging in illegal activities is plain stupid.
Police in Crossville, TN were initially sent to investigate if …