[Jonnyinga]

I know this is the Leopard Gecko sub-forum, but I couldn't find a suitable sub-forum for business questions. And since it's gonna be a Leo business I figured here was best.
Okay, I have a website host and the domain already. I have the business license from my county and registered with FedEx for shipping. I'm running it out of my house and have a room dedicated solely for my Leos, crickets, roaches etc. Does anyone know what is required to make my business legal? I've been trying to figure it out, looking at IRS websites, department of revenue etc... but I can't figure it out. Some places say I need to register the business name and it costs like $400, while my local county clerk office said I didn't have to and it was up to me if I wanted to or not. So confusing >< Might be able to better understand it if I wasn't in constant pain from migraines and on 6 different meds... lol.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated! Helpful links or anything

[acpart]

It depends on your state. Where I live in MA, I chose to become a "sole proprietorship" which means that I pay my city $60 for 4 years and am "official". I make so little that I don't have enough income from it to report, though I keep my receipts and keep track of income and expenses. Some states like NY require you to have a vendor permit to collect sales tax and then to file quarterly (even if you didn't sell in NY that quarter). Since I occasionally sell in NY I do that as well. You best bet is to check out a small business website in your state or town government pages.

Aliza

[Riverside Reptiles]

There's a ton of ways to set it up. Most people who are trying to make a legit business out of it either do a sole proprietorship or a LLC (limited liability corporation). You can trademark your name if you want to. It keeps others from being able to use it. Keep in mind that if you make more than $3,000 per year (total, from any job(s), business etc) the federal gov't requires that ALL income is reported. So, if you plan on really making it an above board legit business, you will need to keep track of all of your financial stuff. Needless to say, many people just pocket their money and don't report it. There's web sites like legalzoom.com now that can cheaply help you establish a corporation.