Bookkeeping and Accounting Setup
Assess whether your new business has a bookkeeping system, chart of accounts, and process to keep clean records from the start.
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For founders, new owners, and anyone starting out
Licenses, Zoning, and Home-Based Business
Clarify licenses, zoning, and home-based business as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
6 guided steps
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Official guidance links
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Your free guided checker
Answer a few quick questions below. It is private - nothing is submitted or stored - and takes about a minute.
General information only; not legal, tax, insurance, cybersecurity, or investment advice. Confirm formation decisions with qualified advisers in every applicable jurisdiction.
The questions this tool walks you through
Here is what the checker asks and why each step matters. Prefer to talk it through? Contact us and we will help directly.
Have you checked federal, state, county, city, professional, zoning, lease, HOA, signage, and home-occupation rules for the exact activity and location?
Answer based on what you genuinely know today. A “No” identifies a question or task; it does not mean you made a mistake.
Continue to the next control. Note this item for your final action list, then continue.
Official guidance: SBA apply for licenses and permits
Have you searched by the exact service, product, profession, and home address—not just for a generic business license?
Answer based on what you genuinely know today. A “No” identifies a question or task; it does not mean you made a mistake.
Continue to the next control. Note this item for your final action list, then continue.
Official guidance: SBA apply for licenses and permits
Could client visits, inventory, deliveries, signs, noise, food, children, animals, or hazardous materials trigger a home-occupation or zoning restriction?
Answer based on what you genuinely know today. A “No” identifies a question or task; it does not mean you made a mistake.
Continue to the next control. Note this item for your final action list, then continue.
Official guidance: SBA apply for licenses and permits
Have you checked lease and HOA clauses for business use, client visits, signage, and inventory at the exact address?
Answer based on what you genuinely know today. A “No” identifies a question or task; it does not mean you made a mistake.
Continue to the next control. Note this item for your final action list, then continue.
Official guidance: SBA apply for licenses and permits
Do you know which approvals must exist before the first client visit versus which can follow shortly after launch?
Answer based on what you genuinely know today. A “No” identifies a question or task; it does not mean you made a mistake.
Continue to the next control. Note this item for your final action list, then continue.
Official guidance: SBA apply for licenses and permits
Have you built a permit register naming each authority, fee, renewal date, and proof of approval for your exact activity and location?
Answer based on what you genuinely know today. A “No” identifies a question or task; it does not mean you made a mistake.
Apply for every required permit before the first client visit Search by exact NAICS/activity and address
Official guidance: SBA apply for licenses and permits
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