Know the Law: Permits & Licensingboth the state and the

Know the Law: Permits & Licensing
both the state and the federal government, and must comply with local ordinances. Knowing what these rules are and being prepared to fulfill them are expected before you open your doors.
The business permit is a license that authorizes your company to do business. These are available from the county or city that you are doing business in. Be aware that you may need to obtain licensing from both authorities depending on your location. Depending on what type of sales you are conducting, you may also require state licensing and, more infrequently, federal licensing. If, for example, you are selling motorcycles, you will need to obtain an auto dealer's license from the state authorities. If you are opening a butcher shop, you will be required to contact the Food and Drug Administration for appropriate inspections and permission to conduct business. The safest course of action is to contact all offices at the city/town, county, state, and federal levels to ensure that you have not overlooked any of these essential requirements. Failure to do so can result in the temporary or permanent closure of your store.
The second item to be aware of as a retail business is your function to collect state sales tax. Involved in this process is your application to receive a resale certificate. The resale certificate authorizes you to purchase goods for resale - meaning that your vendors do not collect sales tax from you. Only the final purchaser of a product, your customer, is required to pay sales tax as the item can only be taxed once. Typically, when you apply for a resale certificate, the state issuing authority will assign you a resale number that will also be used to file your collection of tax from your customers. The process varies from state to state, but you will usually receive a coupon book with forms for turning that money in every month. The tax is typically broken down with percentages for your state and local responsibilities. If you sell items, like tires, you may be required to charge an extra tax for disposal. For every new tire, one is thrown away, and even if you are not disposing of the item for your customer, they must pay the additional tax. Cigarettes are another example of an item that requires a special tax. Make sure of the requirements before you open your doors, otherwise you will have to pay the tax that you did not charge your pennsylvania mortgage customers.
Make sure that the space in which you are conducting business is properly authorized to do so. First, check with your local zoning office to ensure that your space is zoned not only for retail business, but for your type of retail business. Do not assume that because a similar business is across the street that you are properly zoned. The laws may have changed and that establishment may have been grandfathered in. A rezoning process can take months and may not turn out in your favor. Secondly, check with the police and fire departments to make sure that you have the proper safety inspections and occupancy limits. You can be fined or held liable for damages incurred to your customers if you do not adhere to these rules. Get a building inspector involved in any modifications that you make to the property. If you are dealing with a licensed contractor, they should be doing this for you. Finally, if you are selling any type of food product, contact the local health department to get authorized to do so. There are certain physical requirements that your store will need to have and regular inspections will be made.
There are other special licensing requirements that may be necessary based on the type of store that you are running and which state you live in. For the best protection of your investment, leave no stone unturned in your quest for understanding how your business will be regulated. The alternative is to find out that too late that your customers cannot even park in front of your store.


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