Do I Really Need A Business License And Tax ID?
I’ve gotten quite a few emails recently from ebusiness owners who seem to think that just because their business is conducted online or from the comfort of home that the rules and regulations that govern brick and mortar businesses do not apply to them.
The ebusiness questions I get most often do not involve building websites or conducting ecommerce.
They are more what I call the “Do I Really Have To” line of questions, such as:
“Do I really have to get a business license?”
“Do I really have to get a tax ID number?”
“Do I really have to pay taxes on income from my website?”
Yes, yes, and yes.
Do I really have to get a business license? This is one requirement that many ebusiness entrepreneurs think they can skirt because they don’t have a brick and mortar establishment.
Sorry Charlie. Operating an ebusiness out of your office or out of your home does not get you off the hook when it comes to licensing.
Depending on your location you may need a city and county license.
Luckily, such licenses are...