What'south required to practice business organization in New York City?

Select your business organization type for a summary of key steps for meeting government regulations when starting your business.

Use this roadmap for information nearly starting a contracting business in New York City.

  • Develop your concern idea. Every business concern starts every bit an idea. Take advantage of costless Concern Planning courses to interpret your business thought into a concern program. REGISTER FOR BUSINESS PLANNING COURSES
  • Seek out advice.Get feedback on your business idea and plan. SBS offers hands-on, intensive educational activity for your business programme and connects you lot with a business organisation coach. SIGN UP FOR CLASSES
  • Understand your industry.Each manufacture has different demands. If you lot are a NYCHA resident, SBS offers specific programs to aid build a food or childcare business. Learn MORE Near PROGRAMS FOR NYCHA RESIDENTS
  • Write your business concern plan.A business concern programme is a living document that serves as a roadmap for your business. Hither is an online guide to create your business plan. LEARN About WRITING A Business organisation PLAN
  • Cull a legal structure.This will decide who will own and exist legally responsible for your concern, and affects how you file your taxes.  Go free legal advice to help you choose your legal construction.  Go Costless ADVICE ON LEGAL STRUCTURES
  • Register your business. Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Limited Partnerships register with New York Country.  Full general Partnerships and Sole Proprietorships annals with the appropriate County Clerk.  Get free legal advice to help you file your paperwork. Get FREE LEGAL ADVICE
  • Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a Federal Revenue enhancement ID Number.  If you are a sole proprietor, y'all may be able to use your Social Security Number instead. LEARN More than Near EIN
  • Annals every bit a Sales Tax Vendor with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance in order to sell products and services.  Apply early on to avoid delays receiving other permits. LEARN MORE Most THE SALES Revenue enhancement VENDOR Certificate
  • Inquiry required insurance such as workers' bounty, liability, and disability insurance.  Some are needed for permits and licenses and protect you from loss, fines, and lawsuits.
  • Register with the NYC Department of Buildings based on the blazon of work your business volition perform.  Some work may require multiple registrations.REGISTER HERE
  • Go a Home Improvement Contractor License from the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs if your business concern will construct, repair, or remodel residential properties. Larn MORE About THE Abode IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR LICENSE
  • Industries that discharge 25,000 gallons or more of procedure h2o per 24-hour interval are required to take an Industrial Wastewater Discharge Allow, and must initially submit a Baseline Monitoring Report to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. LEARN More Almost THE Permit
  • Select businesses, ordinarily in the construction industry, may need to submit a Wastewater Quality Command Awarding if they need to temporarily belch groundwater to a sanitary or combined sewer. LEARN More than Nearly THE WASTEWATER QUALITY CONTROL Awarding
  • Get a Secondhand Dealer General License from the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs if your business concern will buy or sell used goods. Acquire MORE Virtually THE SECONDHAND DEALER General LICENSE
  • Make up one's mind your financing needs.To start your business, you will need money or capital to purchase equipment and run your operations. SBS tin can increment your chances of getting financing for your business. GET HELP WITH FINANCING
  • Understand your insurance.Managing risk is an essential role of your business. SBS tin assistance you acquire more most your insurance coverage and the claims process. Acquire MORE ABOUT INSURANCE
  • Identify incentive programs. Your business can benefit from incentive programs that allow you to lower your cost of doing business organisation. SBS tin assist you identify and access energy cost savings, tax credits and other incentives. Learn MORE Nearly INCENTIVES
  • Find a location zoned for your business. LEARN More than ABOUT ZONING REQUIREMENTS
  • Learn more most zoning in your neighborhood with the Department of City Planning'due south ZoLa map. Utilise THE ZOLA MAP
  • Learn well-nigh City facilities that can help your business organisation on the Facilities Explorer from the Department of Urban center Planning. Utilize THE FACILITIES EXPLORER
  • Become assistance in signing your lease.Before signing, talk to a lawyer to make sure the timing is right, the terms are legal, and the agreement is good for you.  Get costless legal advice to consummate a lease. GET FREE LEGAL Communication
  • Review your building plans for major and minor construction within your space.The NYC Department of Small-scale Business organisation Services (SBS) offers free plan examinations, and experienced client managers tin aid you navigate the process. GET HELP WITH PLAN EXAMINATIONS
  • Work with licensed professionals to plan any changes and to ensure that your infinite complies with building and fire codes.  Make certain your builder or contractor is licensed.
  • Ensure that your space has a Certificate of Occupancy or acceptable alternative from the NYC Section of Buildings that meets your business needs before you apply for licenses. Larn More than ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY
  • Professional Certification or "Pro-Cert" could save you weeks in receiving permits. Pro-Cert allows a professional to self-certify projects without initial review from the NYC Department of Buildings. LEARN More ABOUT PRO-CERT
  • Digitally program submissions and review save time.  Have your professionals use the NYC Development Hub, including for Pro-Cert. VISIT THE NYC DEVELOPMENT HUB
  • Changes to a landmarked property or edifice in a historic district must be canonical past the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission before work can begin.  Allow time to receive blessing. LEARN MORE Virtually WORK ON LANDMARKED PROPERTIES
  • If your location will host events where 75 people or more will gather, you volition need a Place of Associates Permit. Acquire More than Nigh THE PLACE OF ASSEMBLY Permit
  • Most property owners must install backflow prevention devices on each service line to protect the New York City h2o supply from contamination or pollution. Learn MORE Nearly APPROVAL OF BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICES
  • Limit air pollution. If you lot release fumes into the air, you lot are subject to the New York City Air Pollution Control Code (also known as the "Air Lawmaking"). Larn Well-nigh THE AIR Code
  • Businesses that operate equipment or appoint in activities regulated by the New York Metropolis Air Pollution Control Lawmaking (also known every bit the "Air Code") may be required to obtain an Air Permit. LEARN ABOUT AIR PERMITS
  • Plan to limit racket from your institution to avoid fines and exercise not play music in front of your business to concenter customers. Larn MORE Virtually THE Noise Lawmaking
  • Limit structure dissonance. You must create and postal service a noise mitigation programme to keep noises from bothering neighbors. Failure to do so tin result in fines. LEARN Nearly CONSTRUCTION Noise REGULATIONS
  • Supervise site rubber.  Make certain a licensed site condom supervisor is present on your jobs. Larn More ABOUT SITE SAFETY COORDINATORS
  • Gratis bike racks for the sidewalk exterior your business can exist requested from the NYC Department of Transportation. Acquire More Well-nigh BIKE RACKS
  • Hire a private carting service and set upward your space to comply with commercial recycling rules. Acquire More Most HIRING A PRIVATE CARTER
  • Canopies must be approved by the property owners and the NYC Department of Transportation. LEARN More Almost Canopy Approval
  • Your construction should friction match what your business permits require. Make sure your licensed professional plans spaces and utilities connections to match the requirements of your business concern permits.
  • Consult your licensed professional about progress inspections and their cost, which may not be included in your project bid.
  • Accelerate the plan review process for new buildings or major alterations that change a building's egress past directing your licensed professional person to submit digital plans to the NYC Section of Buildings Hub. Utilize THE HUB
  • To protect public air quality, businesses must get a work permit and document to operate, and/or registration for boilers, water heaters and industrial equipment. Please note that boilers, water heaters, and multiple dryers (for laundromats) must exist registered with DEP only if they have a rated input of greater than 350,000 but less than 4.ii 1000000 BTUs/hour. LEARN MORE Nigh THE AIR Lawmaking
  • If your business organization intends to annihilate a edifice or construction, you must obtain a Registration for Sabotage from the NYC Section of Environmental Protection ten days before starting demolition activities. LEARN More Nearly THE REGISTRATION FOR DEMOLITION Class

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  • Schedule your pre-operational inspections with the City, including NYC Department of Wellness (DOH) and NYC Fire Section (FDNY). SCHEDULE PRE-OPERATIONAL INSPECTIONS
  • Avert common violations and fines.SBS offers gratuitous compliance consultations that tin can save you time and coin. Get HELP WITH LICENSES AND PERMITS
  • Enquiry specific requirements.Brand sure you lot and your employees have all permits and licenses applicative to your business organization.  Use Stride by Stride, a tool that helps you lot build a customized listing of requirements. USE THE Footstep By Step
  • Hazardous materials in a higher place threshold amounts must be registered under NYC Section of Ecology Protection's Right-to-Know plan. Many mutual materials such as paint, solvents, inks, puddle chemicals, and cleaning products can have chancy characteristics. LEARN MORE About RIGHT-TO-KNOW
  • Get a Tow Truck Visitor License from NYC Department of Consumer Affairs if your business volition tow vehicles for profit within New York City. Acquire More than Almost THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY LICENSE
  • Mail service applicative worker protection posters. Follow Federal equally well as New York State requirements. DOWNLOAD POSTERS
  • Post prices, refund policy, and other required signs from the NYC Section of Consumer Affairs. Larn More ABOUT POSTING AND SIGNAGE REQUIREMENTS
  • Register your commercial vehicles with the NYC Section of Transportation. Larn MORE ABOUT PARKING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
  • Equip your commercial vehicles with items like fire extinguishers and redundancy warnings, as required by New York Land.
  • Display licenses and required posters.
  • Give customers clear invoices. Evidence prices and print your business name and address.
  • Set up and pay your taxes. LEARN ABOUT TAXES IN NYC
  • Supervise site prophylactic.  Make sure a licensed site safety supervisor is present on your jobs.
  • Remove waste. Construction waste product must exist taken out past a commercial hauler.  Postal service sorting instructions at your site.
  • Get permits and limit air pollution. If you release fumes into the air, you may be subject to the New York Metropolis Air Pollution Control Code (Air Code).
  • Chancy materials must be registered with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.  Many common materials, like spray pigment, are hazardous at large quantities.
  • All vehicles may only idle equally permitted or face fines. Equally a general rule of pollex, no person should let the engine of a motor vehicle to idle for longer than three minutes while parking, unless it is an authorized emergency motor vehicle, or a vehicle using an engine to operate a loading device. The legal idling time is reduced to one minute if the vehicle is parked adjacent to a school facility. Learn More ABOUT IDLING REGULATIONS
  • Watch for asbestos. A licensed asbestos investigator must determine if asbestos is nowadays, and if so then a licensed abatement contractor must comprise it and give observe to NYC Department of Environmental Protection earlier you can annihilate or renovate the construction. Learn More than Almost ASBESTOS RULES AND REGULATIONS
  • Train your employees on sexual harassment prevention. You must do so nether state law. LEARN More than ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING
  • Construction businesses and contractors must obey the Fair Play Deed. This police force protects workers and subcontractors. LEARN MORE Well-nigh THE FAIR PLAY Act

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Learn which permits, licenses, and regulations matter to you

Use the Step past Step Tool to get an exhaustive listing of requirements that thing to yous.

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  • Avoid Fines & Complaints

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  • Resource and Incentives

    Many businesses authorize for money-saving incentive programs. For some incentive programs, you tin can try the Incentives Computer to provide dollar-value estimates of the benefit that you might receive.