Many nurses wonder whether they need a license or permit to start a nurse entrepreneur business and they don't know where to go to find the answer. There may be local, county, state, and federal licenses or permits that you may need to obtain. It typically does not cost much to get any of these licenses or permits.

A local business license is a license that allows you to legally operate a business in your city or county. Before you obtain your business license you will want to have the following documents:

• Your business paperwork including your business structure (sole-proprietor, DBA, corporation, partnership, or LLC)
• Certification of the registration of your business name
• Your employer identification number

Call your city government office (typically this will be your city hall) and your county court house to determine if you need a license. If you do need a license, complete the necessary application to apply for a license.

Many businesses will also need a permit. You can contact the same agencies you contacted about the licensing requirements to determine the permit requirements. You will probably actually want to do this with one phone call to each agency and ask about licenses and permits at the same time. The types of permits you may need could be one or more of the following:

• Seller's permit
• Building permit
• Health and safety permit
• Zoning or variance permit
• Home based business permit
• Local Business permit
• Fire permit
• Signage permit
• CPR certification

Licenses and permits are not issued for an indefinite period of time. They generally expire periodically. Know when your licenses and permits are expiring so you can renew them on time.

Once you determine the local permits and licenses you need your next step will be to research state and federal licenses. Read more about these topics on the Nurse Entrepreneur Network.

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