Applying for Business Permits Online Made Easy

While similar, licenses and permits are different. Understanding the differences between the two is the first step in identifying the permits your business needs.

‍

Licenses tend to be general and apply to activities that require competence, such as offering medical services or building homes. Licenses are often awarded after completion of a test.

‍

Permits focus more narrowly on safety and may require an inspection. For example, running a restaurant requires a health permit which you can get after the facility passes inspection.

‍

There are over 150,000 local jurisdictions, such as cities, townships, municipalities and other types of local government. You can save a ton of time by joining LegalShield and having your lawyer tell you exactly what permits you need and help you apply. It’s far less stressful.

‍

The list below highlights some of the most common permits LegalShield members need.

• Building and zoning permits for investment property
• Fire department permits for flammable materials
• Health permits for restaurants and commercial kitchens
• Sign permits that dictate size, location, etc.
• One-time special event permits
• Sales tax permits
• Vendor permits
• Doing business as permit (DBA)
• Home occupation permits
• Environmental permits

If you’re launching a new business, sign up for Launch by LegalShield. An experienced lawyer will create your legal entity and help you secure all the business permits you need.

‍

If you’re business is already formed, get a standard small business plan from LegalShield and you’ll have access to all the legal help you need for a monthly fee as low as $49.

‍

View all plan benefits and pricing

Every business permit has its own rules, fees and processes for applying. Conducting research on county, state or federal websites is the best first step. That said, it can take a long time and you may never be completely sure you’ve applied correctly.

‍

As a LegalShield member, you can call your lawyer to discuss the permits you need, the requirements you must meet for each permit and where to find the applications. After you’ve filled out the applications, you can submit them to your lawyer for review and feedback.

‍

If any of your applications are denied, you fail an inspection or otherwise have issues with a business permit, a lawyer that can help you resolve the situation is only one click away.