Free tool
Do I need a business license?
Pick your state. You will see whether it requires a general state business license, the official place to find every other license you need, and where to register for sales tax.
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- No account needed
- Rates checked Oct 5, 2026
- All 50 states and DC
Licensing is also local: always check with your city or county clerk, and with your state's licensing board if your trade is regulated.
Three kinds of license
- A general state license. Only 9 jurisdictions require one of most businesses: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia.
- A city or county license. The most common one. Many cities license every business operating there, home-based ones included.
- A trade or professional license. For regulated work, from contractors and food businesses to accountants and hairdressers.
Selling taxable goods or services also needs a sales tax registration (a seller's permit) with the state, separate from any license. Our sales tax nexus checker shows which states you have to register in.
Business licenses in every state
| State | General license | What to check | Official links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | State business privilege license | State and county business privilege licenses are bought at the county probate office and depend on your business activity. Most cities also require their own license. | ALDOR Business and License Division Sales tax registration |
| Alaska | Alaska Business License | Nearly every business operating in Alaska needs a state business license. | Alaska Business Licensing Sales tax registration |
| Arizona | No | No general state license. Sellers need a Transaction Privilege Tax license; cities and counties handle local business licenses. | Arizona Business One Stop Sales tax registration |
| Arkansas | No | No general state license. Licensing is by city or county, plus state boards for regulated occupations. | Arkansas Secretary of State: Business and Commercial Services Sales tax registration |
| California | No | No general state license. Cities and counties issue business licenses or tax certificates; CalGold lists the permits for your location and industry. | CalGold Sales tax registration |
| Colorado | No | No general state license. Cities and counties license businesses, and home-rule cities may require their own sales tax registration. | MyBizColorado Sales tax registration |
| Connecticut | No | No general state license. State agencies license regulated occupations, and towns may require local registration. | CT Business Sales tax registration |
| Delaware | Delaware business license | Anyone doing business in Delaware needs a state business license. Some cities, such as Wilmington, add their own. | Delaware First Steps Sales tax registration |
| District of Columbia | Basic Business License | Most commercial activity in DC needs a Basic Business License. Register with the Office of Tax and Revenue first. | DLCP: What kind of license do I need? Sales tax registration |
| Florida | No | No general state license. Cities and counties issue a local business tax receipt, and the state licenses regulated professions. | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Sales tax registration |
| Georgia | No | No general state license. Cities and counties issue an occupation tax certificate, and state boards license professions. | Georgia.gov Starting a Business Guide Sales tax registration |
| Hawaii | General Excise Tax (GET) license | The GET license is a tax license, but nearly every business in Hawaii needs one. Professional licenses come from the state separately. | Hawaii Business Express Sales tax registration |
| Idaho | No | No general state license. Licensing is by city or county plus state occupational licenses. | Idaho Business Sales tax registration |
| Illinois | No | No general state license. Cities and counties, Chicago included, issue business licenses; the state licenses professions. | Illinois DCEO First Stop Sales tax registration |
| Indiana | No | No general state license. Some cities and counties license certain activities, and the state licenses occupations. | INBiz Sales tax registration |
| Iowa | No | No general state license. Licensing is by city or county plus state occupational licenses. | Iowa Business Permit Registration Sales tax registration |
| Kansas | No | No general state license. Most licensing is by city or county, so check with your city clerk. | Kansas Secretary of State: Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Kentucky | No | No general state license. Many cities and counties require an occupational license and charge an occupational license tax. | Kentucky One Stop Business Portal Sales tax registration |
| Louisiana | No | No general state license. Parishes and towns issue occupational licenses, and local sales tax is registered with the parish separately. | geauxBIZ Sales tax registration |
| Maine | No | No general state license. State agencies license by activity and towns license locally, so check your town office. | Maine Business Answers Sales tax registration |
| Maryland | No | No general license for all businesses, but businesses selling goods usually need a state trader's license from the county Clerk of the Circuit Court. | Maryland Business Express Sales tax registration |
| Massachusetts | No | No general state license. Cities and towns handle local licensing and business certificates, so check your city or town clerk. | Mass.gov: Business licenses and permits Sales tax registration |
| Michigan | No | No general state license. The state licenses occupations, and cities or townships may require a local license. | Michigan LARA Sales tax registration |
| Minnesota | No | No general state license. DEED helps find state licenses by activity, and cities or counties issue local ones. | Minnesota DEED: Licenses and permits Sales tax registration |
| Mississippi | No | No general state license. Licensing is by profession and by city or county, so check your city clerk. | Mississippi Secretary of State: Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Missouri | No | No general state license. Cities and counties issue business licenses, and the state licenses regulated professions. | Missouri Business Portal Sales tax registration |
| Montana | No | No general state license and no state sales tax. Licensing is by profession and by city, so check your city or county. | Montana Secretary of State: Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Nebraska | No | No general state license. Licensing is by profession and by city, so check your city clerk. | Nebraska OneStop Business Registration Sales tax registration |
| Nevada | Nevada State Business License | Most businesses, LLCs included, need a State Business License, usually filed with formation and renewed with the annual list. Cities and counties issue their own licenses too. | Nevada Secretary of State: State Business License Sales tax registration |
| New Hampshire | No | No general state license and no general sales tax. Licensing is by profession and by town; meals and lodging businesses need a Meals and Rooms license. | New Hampshire Secretary of State: Corporation Division Sales tax registration |
| New Jersey | No | Every business registers with the state for a Business Registration Certificate, which is a tax registration rather than a license. Towns may require local licenses. | New Jersey Business Portal Sales tax registration |
| New Mexico | No | No general state license; the gross receipts tax ID is a tax registration. Most cities require a local business license. | New Mexico Economic Development: Business Development Sales tax registration |
| New York | No | No general state license. State agencies license by activity, and New York City runs its own licensing. | NY Business Express Sales tax registration |
| North Carolina | No | No general state license. State boards license occupations, and cities or counties may license locally. | NC Commerce: Start a business Sales tax registration |
| North Dakota | No | No general state license. Some trades need a state license, and cities or counties may require local permits. | ND Secretary of State: Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Ohio | No | No general state license. Sellers need a vendor's license, and cities may license some activities. | Ohio Business Sales tax registration |
| Oklahoma | No | No general state license. Licensing is mostly by city or county plus occupational licenses. | Oklahoma Commerce: How to start a business Sales tax registration |
| Oregon | No | No general state license and no sales tax. Portland and other cities require local registration. | Oregon License Directory Sales tax registration |
| Pennsylvania | No | No general state license. Many municipalities, Philadelphia included, require local licenses or tax registration. | PA Business One-Stop Shop Sales tax registration |
| Rhode Island | No | No general state license. Licensing is mostly by city or town plus occupational licenses. | RI.gov Business Services Sales tax registration |
| South Carolina | No | No general state license. Most cities and counties require a business license. | SC Business One Stop Sales tax registration |
| South Dakota | No | No general state license. Sales tax registration is the main state step; some cities and trades require licenses. | SD Secretary of State: Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Tennessee | Business tax license | Most businesses above a small level of gross receipts register for business tax through TNTAP and get a license from the county and/or city clerk. | Tennessee: Business tax registration and licensing Sales tax registration |
| Texas | No | No general state license. Other licenses depend on your industry, city or county. | Texas Business Permits Office Sales tax registration |
| Utah | No | No general state license. Most cities and counties require a local business license. | Utah Business Portal Sales tax registration |
| Vermont | No | No general state license. The Office of Professional Regulation covers professions, and some towns require permits. | Vermont Secretary of State: Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Virginia | No | No general state license. Most localities levy a business license (BPOL), so check with your locality's commissioner of the revenue. | Virginia.gov Business Services Sales tax registration |
| Washington | Washington Business License | Most businesses need a state business license, which also registers you for state taxes. Many city endorsements are added in the same application. | Washington DOR: Open a business Sales tax registration |
| West Virginia | Business Registration Certificate | Every person or business doing business in West Virginia needs a Business Registration Certificate. Cities may add local licenses. | West Virginia One Stop Business Portal Sales tax registration |
| Wisconsin | No | No general state license. Licensing is otherwise by industry, city or county. | Wisconsin One Stop Business Portal Sales tax registration |
| Wyoming | No | No general state license. Cities or counties may require local licenses. | Wyoming Secretary of State: Start a business Sales tax registration |
Form the LLC first
Licenses are issued to the business, so form it first. $399 in any state, with the state fee, EIN and operating agreement included.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a business license for my LLC?
Forming an LLC is not a business license. Whether you need one depends on your state, your city or county, and what the business does. A few states require a general state license of most businesses; everywhere else licensing is local, plus licenses for regulated trades and professions.
Which states require a general business license?
Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia. Some of these are tax licenses that work like a general license.
Do I need a license for an online business from home?
Often yes, at the city or county level: many cities license home-based businesses, and if you sell taxable goods you need a sales tax registration with the state. Check your city or county clerk and your state’s business portal.
Is a seller’s permit the same as a business license?
No. A seller’s permit (sales tax registration) lets you collect sales tax, and is separate from any business license. Most states require it before you sell taxable goods or services.
Does a professional license replace a business license?
No. A professional or occupational license (contractor, cosmetologist, real estate) licenses you to do the work. The business may still need a city, county or state business license.