Business license lookup.
Pick your state + industry to see which federal, state, county, and city licenses you may need. Results are guidance, not legal advice; confirm with applicable agencies.
Three things that make Business license lookup useful in the real world.
Not a calculator that ships you to a paywall after the result.
Pick state + city + industry
We surface the federal, state, county, and city licenses that actually apply to you.
Renewal dates auto-tracked
License renewal cycles drop into your compliance calendar alongside corporate deadlines.
Apply through partner network
Hand off the application to a partner that handles your state, or DIY with our guide.
Licenses are stacked.
Federal
Required for specific industries: alcohol (TTB), broadcasting (FCC), aviation (FAA), transportation (FMCSA), agriculture (USDA). Most businesses do NOT need federal licenses. File.Business does not service firearms (ATF FFL) per AUP.
State
Sales tax permit (if selling taxable goods). Professional licenses (lawyers, doctors, accountants). Industry-specific (food, daycare, contractor). Each handled by relevant state agency.
County
Many counties require a general business license ($25-$300/year). Health permits for food service. Environmental permits if applicable.
City
Most cities require business tax certificate ($50-$500). Zoning permit if operating from non-home address. Signage permit. Home occupation permit for home-based businesses.
Need help with licenses?
We map federal/state/county/city requirements for your specific business and file each one. $99 per license. Ongoing renewals tracked.
How we deliver, end-to-end.
Four-step path from request to confirmation. State and IRS turnaround varies; our steps run in parallel where possible to compress the timeline.
Intake + scope
You tell us what you need through a short intake form (or a call for complex matters). We confirm scope, surface any gating issues (deadlines, missing documents, entity status), and quote any state fees that pass through at cost.
Prepare + verify
Our specialists draft the filing, verify entity details against state databases, run internal QA, and route any items needing your sign-off. You see drafts before anything gets submitted.
File with the authority
We submit directly to the state Secretary of State, FinCEN, IRS, USPTO, or whichever authority your filing requires. We pay state fees at cost and track the submission identifier in your account.
Confirmation + vault
Stamped certificate, IRS notice, or filing receipt arrives in your SOC 2 encrypted document vault the moment we receive it. Next filing deadline auto-added to your compliance calendar where applicable.
Built on the same infrastructure used by 220,000+ businesses.
SOC 2 Type II audited
Independent annual security audit covering access control, change management, incident response, and data handling. Current report on request.
All 51 US jurisdictions
Every state plus DC plus Puerto Rico - direct filings, not third-party reseller. We hold registered-agent qualifications in every state we operate.
Deadline guarantee
If we miss a filing deadline on a service you pay us to manage, we pay the state penalty. Specific to each plan and the filings it includes.
4.9 from 8,200+ verified reviews
Independently verified by Trustpilot + Google + our own NPS infrastructure. Customer success team within reach by email, chat, or phone.
60-day money-back promise
Change your mind in the first 60 days and we refund our service fee in full. State filing fees pass through at cost and are non-refundable once paid to the state.
E&O insured
Errors and omissions coverage protects you from service errors. Carrier and certificate available on request for enterprise clients.
Recommended add-ons
Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.
Registered Agent
Most orderedRequired for every registered business entity in every state.
Compliance Monitoring
Best valueTrack every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline.
Annual Report Filing
RecommendedAuto-file your state annual report. Never miss a deadline.
Premium compliance, no service-fee markup.
Trust you can verify
SOC 2 Type II audited platform. 220,000+ businesses served. 60-day money-back on service fees. State fees passed through at cost with no hidden markup. Explicit AUP on restricted industries.
A compliance partner, not a transaction
Most providers go quiet after checkout. We auto-track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across your entities. The Business OS dashboard keeps your compliance score visible year-round.
Premium experience competitors cannot match
Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state or federal filings. Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state filings.