The business · Lesson 10 · 6 min
Register the business
Registering a business is paperwork, not a ceremony. Most of it is the same four questions in every state. The answers are not, so this lesson tells you what to ask and where, not what to file.
Pick a structure, and a name
Decide how the business is set up: a sole proprietorship, an LLC, or another structure your state offers. The choice changes how you pay taxes and how far a business problem can reach what you own yourself. The SBA's guide walks through the options. An accountant can tell you which fits your situation.
If the business uses a name that is not your own, register it. Depending on the state, that is a DBA, an assumed name, or a fictitious business name, filed with the state or the county. Check that nobody nearby already uses it before you paint it on the truck.
A tax ID, and the local license
An EIN is the business's federal tax number. You need one to hire anyone, and banks usually ask for one before they open a business account. The IRS issues it for free, online, on its own site. A site that charges you for an EIN is a middleman.
Then find the license your city or county requires to operate a business there. It is separate from any state rule about pool service, which the lesson on insurance and your state covers. Sales tax on chemicals or service, and whether the business needs its own bank account, are questions for your state's tax agency and an accountant, not for a website.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. The office that issues the form is the authority on it.
Sources
- Launch your business, U.S. Small Business Administration. Checked October 29, 2026.
- Get an employer identification number, Internal Revenue Service. Checked October 29, 2026.
Updated October 29, 2026.