State-by-state office guide to formation, registration, and business maintenance

Every state has its own rules for registering and maintaining a business. Choose your state on the map to find the official offices you’ll need.

Each state section lists:

• Business registration: where to form your business with the state
• Tax registration: sales tax permits and state payroll withholding
• Unemployment insurance: required once you hire employees
• Licensing: professional and occupational licenses
• Economic development: state grants, incentives and small business programs
• One-stop portal: a single site that handles several of these steps, if your state has one
• Local SBA resources: free advising and support near you

Alabama

• Taxes: Alabama Dept. of Revenue, revenue.alabama.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Alabama Dept. of Workforce, labor.alabama.gov
• Licensing: no single agency; licensing is handled by individual boards
• Economic development: Alabama Dept. of Commerce, madeinalabama.com

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Alaska

• Taxes: Alaska Dept. of Revenue, Tax Division, tax.alaska.gov (no statewide sales tax)
• Unemployment Insurance: Alaska Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, labor.alaska.gov
• Licensing: Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing, commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl (every Alaska business also needs a state business license)
• Economic development: Dept. of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, commerce.alaska.gov

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Arizona

• One-stop portal: Arizona Business One Stop, businessonestop.az.gov
• Taxes: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, azdor.gov (TPT/sales tax licensing via aztaxes.gov)
• Unemployment Insurance: Arizona Dept. of Economic Security, des.az.gov
• Licensing: individual boards (contractors: Registrar of Contractors, roc.az.gov)
• Economic development: Arizona Commerce Authority, azcommerce.com

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Arkansas

• Taxes: Dept. of Finance and Administration, dfa.arkansas.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Division of Workforce Services, dws.arkansas.gov
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Arkansas Economic Development Commission, arkansasedc.com

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California

• One-stop portal: CalGold (permits by city/county), calgold.ca.gov
• Taxes: Dept. of Tax and Fee Administration (sales tax), cdtfa.ca.gov; Franchise Tax Board (income tax), ftb.ca.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Employment Development Department, edd.ca.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Consumer Affairs, dca.ca.gov
• Economic development: GO-Biz, business.ca.gov

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Colorado

• One-stop portal: MyBizColorado, mybiz.colorado.gov
• Taxes: Colorado Dept. of Revenue, tax.colorado.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Colorado Dept. of Labor and Employment, cdle.colorado.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), dora.colorado.gov
• Economic development: OEDIT, oedit.colorado.gov

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Connecticut

• One-stop portal: Business.CT.gov, business.ct.gov
• Taxes: Dept. of Revenue Services, portal.ct.gov/drs
• Unemployment Insurance: Connecticut Dept. of Labor, portal.ct.gov/dol
• Licensing: Dept. of Consumer Protection, portal.ct.gov/dcp
• Economic development: Dept. of Economic and Community Development, portal.ct.gov/decd

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Delaware

• One-stop portal: Delaware One Stop, onestop.delaware.gov
• Taxes: Division of Revenue, revenue.delaware.gov (a state business license is required)
• Unemployment Insurance: Delaware Dept. of Labor, labor.delaware.gov
• Licensing: Division of Professional Regulation, dpr.delaware.gov
• Economic development: Division of Small Business, business.delaware.gov

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District of Columbia

• Taxes: Office of Tax and Revenue, otr.cfo.dc.gov (filing via mytax.dc.gov)
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Employment Services, does.dc.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Licensing and Consumer Protection (Basic Business License), dlcp.dc.gov
• Economic development: Dept. of Small and Local Business Development, dslbd.dc.gov

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Florida

• Taxes and Unemployment Insurance: Florida Dept. of Revenue, floridarevenue.com (it also handles reemployment tax)
• Licensing: Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation, myfloridalicense.com
• Economic development: FloridaCommerce, floridajobs.org

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Georgia

• Taxes: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, dor.georgia.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Georgia Dept. of Labor, dol.georgia.gov
• Licensing: Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards, sos.ga.gov
• Economic development: Georgia Dept. of Economic Development, georgia.org

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Hawaii

• One-stop portal: Hawaii Business Express, hbe.ehawaii.gov
• Taxes: Dept. of Taxation (GET license), tax.hawaii.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations, labor.hawaii.gov
• Licensing: DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing, cca.hawaii.gov/pvl
• Economic development: DBEDT, dbedt.hawaii.gov

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Idaho

• Taxes: Idaho State Tax Commission, tax.idaho.gov (one combined application covers tax and Unemployment Insurance registration)
• Unemployment Insurance: Idaho Dept. of Labor, labor.idaho.gov
• Licensing: Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, dopl.idaho.gov
• Economic development: Idaho Dept. of Commerce, commerce.idaho.gov

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Illinois

• Taxes: Illinois Dept. of Revenue, tax.illinois.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Illinois Dept. of Employment Security, ides.illinois.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation, idfpr.illinois.gov
• Economic development: DCEO, dceo.illinois.gov

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Indiana

• One-stop portal: INBiz, inbiz.in.gov
• Taxes: Indiana Dept. of Revenue, in.gov/dor
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Workforce Development, in.gov/dwd
• Licensing: Professional Licensing Agency, in.gov/pla
• Economic development: Indiana Economic Development Corporation, iedc.in.gov

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Iowa

• Taxes: Iowa Dept. of Revenue, revenue.iowa.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Iowa Workforce Development, workforce.iowa.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, dial.iowa.gov
• Economic development: Iowa Economic Development Authority, iowaeda.com

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Kansas

• One-stop portal: Kansas Business Center, ksbiz.kansas.gov
• Taxes: Kansas Dept. of Revenue, ksrevenue.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Kansas Dept. of Labor, dol.ks.gov
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Kansas Dept. of Commerce, kansascommerce.gov

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Kentucky

• One-stop portal: Kentucky One Stop, onestop.ky.gov
• Taxes: Kentucky Dept. of Revenue, revenue.ky.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Kentucky Career Center, kcc.ky.gov
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Cabinet for Economic Development, ced.ky.gov

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Louisiana

• One-stop portal: geauxBIZ, geauxbiz.sos.la.gov
• Taxes: Louisiana Dept. of Revenue, revenue.louisiana.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Louisiana Workforce Commission, laworks.net
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Louisiana Economic Development, opportunitylouisiana.gov

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Maine

• Taxes: Maine Revenue Services, maine.gov/revenue
• Unemployment Insurance: Maine Dept. of Labor, maine.gov/labor
• Licensing: Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing
• Economic development: Dept. of Economic and Community Development, maine.gov/decd

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Maryland

• One-stop portal: Maryland Business Express, businessexpress.maryland.gov
• Taxes: Comptroller of Maryland, marylandtaxes.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Maryland Dept. of Labor, labor.maryland.gov (also handles occupational licensing)
• Economic development: Maryland Dept. of Commerce, commerce.maryland.gov

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Massachusetts

• Taxes: Dept. of Revenue, mass.gov/dor
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Unemployment Assistance, mass.gov/dua
• Licensing: Division of Occupational Licensure, mass.gov/dol
• Economic development: Executive Office of Economic Development, mass.gov/eoed

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Michigan

• Taxes: Michigan Dept. of Treasury, michigan.gov/treasury
• Unemployment Insurance: Unemployment Insurance Agency, michigan.gov/uia
• Licensing: LARA, michigan.gov/lara
• Economic development: Michigan Economic Development Corporation, michiganbusiness.org

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Minnesota

• Taxes: Minnesota Dept. of Revenue, revenue.state.mn.us
• Unemployment Insurance: Unemployment Insurance Minnesota, uimn.org
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: DEED, mn.gov/deed

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Mississippi

• Taxes: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, dor.ms.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Mississippi Dept. of Employment Security, mdes.ms.gov
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Mississippi Development Authority, mississippi.org

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Missouri

• One-stop portal: Missouri Business Portal, business.mo.gov
• Taxes: Missouri Dept. of Revenue, dor.mo.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Division of Employment Security, labor.mo.gov
• Licensing: Division of Professional Registration, pr.mo.gov
• Economic development: Dept. of Economic Development, ded.mo.gov

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Montana

• Taxes: Montana Dept. of Revenue, mtrevenue.gov (no sales tax)
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor & Industry, dli.mt.gov
• Licensing: DLI Business Standards Division, boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
• Economic development: Montana Dept. of Commerce, commerce.mt.gov

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Nebraska

• Taxes: Nebraska Dept. of Revenue, revenue.nebraska.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Nebraska Dept. of Labor, dol.nebraska.gov
• Licensing: individual boards (health professions: Dept. of Health and Human Services)
• Economic development: Dept. of Economic Development, opportunity.nebraska.gov

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Nevada

• One-stop portal: SilverFlume, nvsilverflume.gov
• Taxes: Nevada Dept. of Taxation, tax.nv.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: DETR Employment Security Division, detr.nv.gov
• Licensing: individual boards (the state business license is issued through SilverFlume)
• Economic development: Governor’s Office of Economic Development, goed.nv.gov

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New Hampshire

• One-stop portal: QuickStart, quickstart.sos.nh.gov
• Taxes: Dept. of Revenue Administration, revenue.nh.gov (no general sales tax)
• Unemployment Insurance: NH Employment Security, nhes.nh.gov
• Licensing: Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, oplc.nh.gov
• Economic development: Dept. of Business and Economic Affairs, nheconomy.com

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New Jersey

• One-stop portal: Business.NJ.gov, business.nj.gov
• Taxes: Division of Taxation, nj.gov/treasury/taxation
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, nj.gov/labor
• Licensing: Division of Consumer Affairs, njconsumeraffairs.gov
• Economic development: NJ Economic Development Authority, njeda.gov

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New Mexico

• Taxes: Taxation and Revenue Dept., tax.newmexico.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Workforce Solutions, dws.state.nm.us
• Licensing: Regulation and Licensing Dept., rld.nm.gov
• Economic development: Economic Development Dept., edd.newmexico.gov

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New York

• One-stop portal: NY Business Express, businessexpress.ny.gov
• Taxes: Dept. of Taxation and Finance, tax.ny.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: NY Dept. of Labor, dol.ny.gov
• Licensing: NYSED Office of the Professions, op.nysed.gov; Dept. of State, Division of Licensing Services
• Economic development: Empire State Development, esd.ny.gov

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North Carolina

• Taxes: NC Dept. of Revenue, ncdor.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Division of Employment Security, des.nc.gov
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: NC Dept. of Commerce, commerce.nc.gov

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North Dakota

• Taxes: Office of State Tax Commissioner, tax.nd.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Job Service North Dakota, jobsnd.com
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: ND Dept. of Commerce, commerce.nd.gov

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Ohio

• One-stop portal: Business.Ohio.gov, business.ohio.gov
• Taxes: Ohio Dept. of Taxation, tax.ohio.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services, jfs.ohio.gov
• Licensing: eLicense Ohio, elicense.ohio.gov
• Economic development: Ohio Dept. of Development, development.ohio.gov

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Oklahoma

• Taxes: Oklahoma Tax Commission, oklahoma.gov/tax
• Unemployment Insurance: Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, oklahoma.gov/oesc
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce, okcommerce.gov

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Oregon

• Taxes: Oregon Dept. of Revenue, oregon.gov/dor
• Unemployment Insurance: Oregon Employment Department, oregon.gov/employ
• Licensing: individual boards (the Oregon License Directory is run by the Secretary of State)
• Economic development: Business Oregon, oregon.gov/biz

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Pennsylvania

• One-stop portal: PA Business One-Stop Shop, business.pa.gov
• Taxes: PA Dept. of Revenue, revenue.pa.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor & Industry, uc.pa.gov
• Licensing: Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, dos.pa.gov
• Economic development: Dept. of Community and Economic Development, dced.pa.gov

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Rhode Island

• Taxes: Division of Taxation, tax.ri.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor and Training, dlt.ri.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Business Regulation, dbr.ri.gov
• Economic development: Rhode Island Commerce, commerceri.com

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South Carolina

• One-stop portal: SC Business One Stop, scbos.sc.gov
• Taxes: SC Dept. of Revenue, dor.sc.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Employment and Workforce, dew.sc.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, llr.sc.gov
• Economic development: SC Dept. of Commerce, sccommerce.com

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South Dakota

• Taxes: SD Dept. of Revenue, dor.sd.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor and Regulation, dlr.sd.gov (also oversees many licensing boards)
• Economic development: Governor’s Office of Economic Development, sdgoed.com

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Tennessee

• Taxes: TN Dept. of Revenue, tn.gov/revenue
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, tn.gov/workforce
• Licensing: Dept. of Commerce and Insurance, tn.gov/commerce
• Economic development: Dept. of Economic and Community Development, tnecd.com

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Texas

• Taxes: Comptroller of Public Accounts, comptroller.texas.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Texas Workforce Commission, twc.texas.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Licensing and Regulation, tdlr.texas.gov
• Economic development: Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism, gov.texas.gov/business

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Utah

• One-stop portal: OneStop Business Registration, osbr.utah.gov
• Taxes: Utah State Tax Commission, tax.utah.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Workforce Services, jobs.utah.gov
• Licensing: Division of Professional Licensing, dopl.utah.gov
• Economic development: Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, business.utah.gov

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Vermont

• Taxes: Dept. of Taxes, tax.vermont.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Vermont Dept. of Labor, labor.vermont.gov
• Licensing: Office of Professional Regulation, sos.vermont.gov/opr
• Economic development: Agency of Commerce and Community Development, accd.vermont.gov

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Virginia

• One-stop portal: Virginia Business One Stop, bos.virginia.gov
• Taxes: Virginia Tax, tax.virginia.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Virginia Employment Commission, vec.virginia.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Professional and Occupational Regulation, dpor.virginia.gov
• Economic development: Dept. of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, sbsd.virginia.gov; Virginia Economic Development Partnership, vedp.org

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Washington

• One-stop portal: Business Licensing Service (Dept. of Revenue), dor.wa.gov
• Taxes: Washington Dept. of Revenue, dor.wa.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Employment Security Department, esd.wa.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Licensing, dol.wa.gov
• Economic development: Dept. of Commerce, commerce.wa.gov

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West Virginia

• One-stop portal: WV One Stop Business Center, business4.wv.gov
• Taxes: State Tax Department, tax.wv.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: WorkForce West Virginia, workforcewv.org
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: WV Dept. of Economic Development, westvirginia.gov

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Wisconsin

• One-stop portal: Wisconsin One Stop Business Portal, openbusiness.wi.gov
• Taxes: Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue, revenue.wi.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Workforce Development, dwd.wisconsin.gov
• Licensing: Dept. of Safety and Professional Services, dsps.wi.gov
• Economic development: Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, wedc.org

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Wyoming

• Taxes: Wyoming Dept. of Revenue, revenue.wyo.gov
• Unemployment Insurance: Dept. of Workforce Services, dws.wyo.gov
• Licensing: individual boards
• Economic development: Wyoming Business Council, wyomingbusiness.org

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