Starting a Business in the Greater Hickory Metro Area of North Carolina

Licenses, Permits, and Other Requirements

Local Requirements

To legally operate a business in the State of North Carolina, the business owner must secure a proper business license. Most cities and towns require a business license if you are located within the city limits.   In addition,your location, including a home business, must meet city, town or county zoning and building requirements. 

Contact your city or town for information about their requirements.

Alexander County info

Burke County info

Caldwell County info

Catawba County info

 

State Requirements

Department of Commerce Business Servicenter: Anyone wishing to operate a business in North Carolina needs to contact this office to learn whether or not a license is required by the State for their business…………………(800) 228-8443   www.nccommerce.com/servicenter

Corporations Division, 300 N Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC    www.secretary.state.nc.us/corporations

NC Department of Revenue: For information on State Income Tax regulations call ………(828) 327-7474

Sales and Use Tax Permit: Issued by the Dept. of Revenue. Required if manufacturing or selling (wholesale or retail) a tangible product. Enables a retailer to purchase tax-free …………………………………(919) 733-4626

www.dor.state.nc.us

Employment Security Commission of NC: If you will be hiring anyone in your business you should contact the ESC. They will inform you of what forms you need to file with their agency.

http://www.ncesc.com

Alcohol Beverage Service: If you will be serving or selling alcoholic beverages in the course of doing business you must contact the Federal Bureau of ATF, Greensboro, NC ………. (336) 547-4150

Workman’s Compensation: Contact a local insurance agent.

Other Licensing Boards whose web sites might help you locate specific types of specialists you need to get started

• NC Licensing Board for General Contractors www.nclbgc.com/pages/index_txt.html
• State Board of Refrigeration Examiners www.refrigerationboard.org
• Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors www.ncbels.org
• Board of Examiners for Electrical Contractors www.ncbeec.org/LicSearch.asp
• Board of Examiners for Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors www.nclicensing.org/OnlineReg.htm
• Board of Architecture www.ncbarch.org

Federal Requirements

Employer Identification Number: Required for partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies; optional for sole proprietorships, which may use owner social security number. 

Internal Revenue Service....................................................................................................(800) 829-1040

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/display/0,,i1=2&genericId=20186,00.html

Internal Revenue Service: For information on federal tax regulations call………….(800) 829-4933

Employers are typically responsible for three types of federal collections:

http://www.irs.ustreas.gov

Occupational Safety & Health (OSHA): OSHA requires that if your firm employs more than 10 people, you maintain a record of on the job injuries on OSHA Form 200, which must be available for inspection and retained for five years. For more information contact:

NC Department Of Labpr, OSHA, 4 W. Edenton, Raleigh, NC 27601…… (919) 856-4770

US Department Of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Room S1212, Washington, DC

http://www.osha.gov

Other Requirements

Alexander County - (828) 632-3152

Burke County - (828) 438-5450

Caldwell County - (828) 757-1310

Catawba County - (828) 465-1573

Additional name protection, beyond protection in your local County with an assumed name certificate, can be obtained statewide or nationally.

State Trademark.....(919) 807-2162
www.secretary.state.nc.us/trademark

Federal Trademark...(800) 786-9199
www.uspto.gov