Register Your Business

There are a number of ways to set up a business, each with its own benefits and requirements. Common types of business structures include: Corporation, Partnership, Cooperatives, Limited Liability Company (LLC), and Sole Proprietorship. New business owners will need to register their business with their county or state government. Depending on the business structure, entrepreneurs may need to complete a Doing Business As (DBA) name form, also known as "Trading As" name form, which allows a business owner to file a company under a name different from the owners. To determine if a business has already been registered with the same or similar name use a state's business entity search. Businesses also usually need an Employer ID Number (EIN) when filing taxes, which can be obtained freely online through the IRS website.

Tips

Starting points:

Research the type of business you want to form, including the pros and cons.
Decide which state you will register your business in, and follow that state's guidelines.

Suggested strategies:

Use your state's government website to find the most accurate information about registering your business.

Select Resources

The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.

Advising the Small Business by Jean L. Batman
ISBN: 9781641051538
Published/Created: 2019
Advising the Small Business, Third Edition, is a guide for general practitioners, small firm attorneys, and young lawyers engaged in providing legal counsel to small, privately held businesses. This third edition includes many updates and new forms. It provides extensive guidance on a number of issues that small businesses commonly face as well as sample documents, checklists, and resources for obtaining additional forms and information. A valuable guide whether a lawyer is approaching an issue from scratch or dealing with an existing situation, this book will assist counsel in providing more effective legal and strategic services, creating relevant documents, and identifying issues that require further research or a specialist. Book jacket.
Small Time Operator by Bernard B. Kamoroff
Call Number: HD62.5 .K344 2019
ISBN: 9781493040209
Published/Created: 2019
For a guide on bookkeeping, taxes, and legal issues with starting a business, written by a tax accountant, this book is surprisingly easy to read, humorous, and comprehensive. At the back is an appendix of different accounting ledgers.

The subscription resources below marked with a padlock are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress. If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.

Legal Forms Library External This link opens in a new window
The Legal Forms Library provides thousands of legal forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues, and with more forms being added daily. The legal forms available include business, personal, litigation and federal forms. General Business Forms are forms, which may be used in all 50 states with little modification. General Litigation Forms are various litigation forms covering many diverse causes of action. These forms are easily modified by Attorneys to apply in their state. State Specific Forms are forms provided by Participating Attorneys, form companies, or forms specifically adapted to a particular state. Federal Forms are business and litigation forms used in the Federal system. Some of the basic forms provided on this site cover the following categories: (1) Real Estate, (2) Leases, (3) Corporations, (4) Employment, (5) Wills, (6) Sale of Property, (7) Loans & Financing and (8) Other Business Forms.
To access other states click on the link at the top for Other State Subscriptions and select a state. The website also includes an Attorney Directory. Public users should consult an attorney in their state for serious legal matters.
Access to this site is available in the Law Library Reading Room.

These are freely available online sources provided by government agencies, trade publications, and organizations.

Business Taxes, Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The form of business you operate determines what taxes you must pay and how pay them. This IRS document explains the five general types of business taxes: income, estimated, self-employment, employment, and exise.
Register Your Business, Business Guide, U.S. Small Business Administration
This SBA guide provides links to assist you in determining if you need to register your business, with information on how to register with federal, state and local agencies.
State Government Websites
This IRS website provides state by state links on doing business in each state, with information on doing business in the state, taxation, employer links, and general information.

The following guide was created by the Library of Congress to give an in-depth list of resources on a specific topic.

Entrepreneur's Reference Guide: Registration
This page provides resources on choosing and registering different types of business structures, and information on trademarks and copyrights.

Small Business Hub: A Research Guide for Entrepreneurs

Business Reference: Ask a Librarian

Register Your Business

Tips

Starting points:

Suggested strategies:

Select Resources