Does your business need a Sales License?

Depending on your business, products and the services you provide, your business may also need a business license (sometimes referred to as vendor's license); in addition to your state registration/incorporation. This license process is usually overseen by the state agency that collects taxes, and sometimes issued by county auditors. For Ohio business owners, this will be the Ohio Department of Taxation and the County Auditor from the county you do business in.

You may need an Ohio sales license if your business falls into one of these categories:

1. Vendor: If you have a fixed place of business in Ohio and you charge sales. Check with your county auditor for license issuance.
2. Service Vendor: If you provide automatic data processing, computer services, telecommunications services, lawn care services, private investigation, security services, building maintenance and janitorial, employment placing, extermination, broadcasting and snow removal services. The license will be issued by the Ohio Department of Taxation.
3. Transient Vendor: If you transport stock of goods to temporary places of business in order to make sales. You would want to check with the Ohio Department of Taxation.
4. Delivery Vendor: If you do not have a showroom, or concrete location where merchandise is offered for sale; or when merchandise is displayed in catalogs, or can be picked up by customers. This license is issued by the Ohio Department of Taxation.
5. Seller: If you are a retailer outside of Ohio who makes retail sales of property or service for storage, use or consumption in Ohio.
6. Direct Pay Permit Holder: Manufacturers or other consumers who purchase tangible personal property for which the tangible status cannot be determined at the time of purchase.

About the Author: Cheryl Isaac is the writer of this blog and a Startup Business Consultant & Owner of Isaac Business Services, an agency that offers startup concierge & business planning services for small businesses