Many businesses in Massachusetts need licenses or permits to operate legally. A Doing-Business As Certificate (DBA) is a quick and easy way to establish your business through your city or city clerk's office. It's important to know if you need one and how to apply. A Massachusetts business license is not required at the state level, but certain occupational categories do require special licenses.
The first step in forming your LLC in MA is to select an original name that is not being used by another company in the state. There are a variety of licenses, permits, and registrations that you may need to purchase before starting a business in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, there's no central place to find out if you've met all of your licensing and permit requirements, so this part of running your business requires time and a lot of research. In addition, the Occupational Licensing Division oversees 39 professional boards that require state licenses for 167 professions.
The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards administers several workplace safety and health programs and issues licenses to individuals and businesses that provide temporary employment services or perform lead or asbestos reduction work. If you have started a new business in the Commonwealth, you may need to obtain a business license to operate legally. When it comes to the burden of meeting your business licensing obligations, you don't have to go it alone. You and your professional business partners should keep up to date with the applicable professional licensing requirements.
Even if your company doesn't need a general business license, it's very likely that your company will still need some type of license or permit to operate. The purpose of a service mark, trade name, or trademark is to identify the services or goods provided by your company or by your own company. Prior to joining the team, she was a content producer at Fit Small Business, where she served as an editor and strategist covering marketing content for small businesses. It's important to understand the different types of licenses and permits required for businesses in Massachusetts so that you can ensure that you are operating legally. Doing so will help protect you from any potential legal issues down the line.
