Switzerland County

Here are the forms to make your business legal. When you have completed this paperwork, you are ready to open a bank account, lease space, and sign any contracts.

If you have any specialized leases or contracts, you will need to find a business attorney. You should also review your business risks and determine whether you need business insurance or whether you need to trademark, patent, or copyright elements of your business.

Forming a Business Entity

• Overview of Business Requirements
• Fictitious Name Statement

Obtaining Licenses and IDs

• Business Registration
• Federal ID: SS-4 form. A federal ID is not required for sole proprietors, but it is a good idea to get one to protect your personal identify. You can use this number instead of your social security number for vendor applications and other requests.
• Business License and other local Requirements
• State Licenses
• Get a D&B number
  This is optional, but recommended because D&B information is used by global tracking (Google Maps) to help people find you and it is used to track business credit.
• Selling Alcohol and other State Permits

Protection

• Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks
• Business Insurance