Shelved by trade
The paperwork is the same. The licence on top of it is not.
Forming the entity is one filing and it does not change by industry. What changes is everything that sits on top: a state licence, a bond, a board registration, or in most trades nothing at all.
The shelf
Trades, and what sits on top of the filing
Nothing is published yet. These are the shelves the write-ups will fill. The call numbers are a classification so things can be found again; they are not an order of merit.
Trades that need a state licence
Contractors, electricians, plumbers, cosmetology. The entity is the easy part; the licence is the gate.
licence before tradingTrades that need a bond or insurance
Where a state or a client requires cover in the entity's name before work can begin.
cover in the entity nameRegulated professions
Health, law, accountancy. Several states restrict which entity type a licensed professional may use.
entity type restrictedFood, alcohol and premises
Where the permit attaches to the location as much as to the business, and transfers badly.
permit follows the premisesOnline and service businesses
The largest shelf, and the one where the filing really is the whole requirement in most states.
usually nothing furtherA trade appearing here does not mean it is regulated everywhere. Where a requirement is specific to a state, the page says which state and cites the office that publishes it.
Scope
What this site does and does not do
Not legal or licensing advice
What a board requires is a matter of record. Whether it applies to your situation is a question for someone qualified to look at it.
Requirements are cited and dated
Anything stated about a licence is sourced to the board or office that publishes it, with the date it was read.
Nothing is scored
No ratings and no difficulty grades. Trades are classified so they can be found, not ranked.
Affiliate links are disclosed
Some links earn a commission. It never changes what a requirement says, and it is stated wherever it applies.