Once you have registered your business entity in North Dakota, the next step is to check if your business requires a license or a permit in the state of North Dakota. A business license or permit is required by most states for businesses to operate. Some businesses require a single license while others require multiple licenses or permits.

There are different types of licenses and permits in North Dakota and they are mostly issued by different state agencies. Some of the agencies responsible for issuing a North Dakota company license or permit are:

• Secretary of State (SOS)
• State Attorney General
• Regulatory boards or commissions

How to Get a Business License in North Dakota

Where and how do you apply for a business license in North Dakota? Do you need permits as well or license? Does your business entity require multiple permits or licenses? Who is the issuing authority for these licenses or permits? The only way to answer these questions is by understanding the process of business licensing.

Here is a step-by-step approach towards acquiring a business license in the state of North Dakota:

Step#1: The Industry or Business Type

How would you know what type of business or professional license is required to operate in North Dakota? The type of industry or the activities of a business entity helps in identifying the type of business license required.

Let’s take a look at some examples to understand this better:

Industry or Type of Business

• Food and Beverage Establishments, Bed and Breakfast Facilities, Lodging Establishments and Assisted Living Facilities, Tattoo and Body Art Facilities – These include restaurants, lodging facilities, bars, campgrounds, mobile home parks, bed and breakfast facilities, meat markets, retail food stores, salvage food establishments, bakeries, tanning facilities, small food manufacturers/ processors, tattoo and body art facilities, and electrologists. A business license in North Dakota for these types of industries or businesses is issued by North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Food and Lodging. So, if you are planning to establish your business in the food establishment industry then you will require a license to be issued by the DHHS.
• Alcoholic Beverage, Tobacco, Amusement Games Fireworks, Manufacturing or Distribution of Gaming Equipment and Supplies, Gaming – These include Coin Operated or Other Amusement Games and Devices, Retail Alcoholic Beverages, Fireworks Wholesalers, Tobacco Distributors, Tobacco Sellers, Cigarette Making Machines, manufacturers of charitable gaming equipment and supplies, and North Dakota Lottery among others. A North Dakota company license for the above industry or business activity is issued by the office of the North Dakota attorney general.
• Aircraft Dealer, Aerial Applicators – The ND license is issued by the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.

Step#2: Licenses issued by City/County

If you were to establish a business focusing in Soft serve ice cream or a Mobile Food Vendor then you will require a North Dakota company license from the Environmental Division of Fargo Cass Public Health. This license and the regulations will be applicable to your business if it is situated in the cities of Fargo and West Fargo.

Some of the other licensed establishments in the cities of Fargo and West Fargo include Food Event Vendors, retail establishments selling groceries, bakeries, establishments that prepare and serve food at venues of entertainment, and manufacturing, processing, preparation, storage, handling or selling of meat.

The license fee will depend on the tier classified for your business type e.g., Food Tier 1 has a fee of $200 while the fee for Food Tier 3 is $400. The license gee for soft serve ice-cream is $100.

Read more about different tiers.

Step#3: Issuance of a Business License

How is a business license in North Dakota issued? You have to identify the following to complete the process:

1. The type of business or industry
2. Do you need a license or a permit or multiple licenses?
3. Will it be issued by the state or the city?

Once you have identified the above, all you need to do is either download the application online or contact the concerned state department or city of clerk office.

It is important to note that a business license or permit will have to be renewed annually unless specific dates have been mentioned, to keep the business operational.

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The economy is one of the primary reasons for increase in incorporation in North Dakota but some of the other factors include the variety of industries that businesses can grow in and expand. One of the largest industries is the agricultural industry and it plays a key role in the economy as well. Manufacturing is another industry that is ranked among the best in the nation and generates revenue in food processing, construction machinery, farm machinery, aircraft and motor vehicle parts among others. The new entrant in the list of top industries is the travel industry and is considered the third biggest in the state thanks to a revenue generation of $4.6 billion in 2010

Why Choose North Dakota for Incorporation?

What makes incorporation in North Dakota a good business decision? A report by WalletHub has ranked North Dakota #1 best state to start a business using a variety of key indicators like overall business costs. The “Flickertail State” is ranked #11 in Business Costs by Forbes and is ranked #4 in terms of Labor Supply. The business climate along with a stable economy and variety of tax incentives provides small businesses with the opportunity to grow and expand.

Now let’s take a look at some of the salient benefits that are responsible for fuelling growth of small businesses:

• North Dakota Opportunity Zones: The ND Opportunity Zones is a program aimed at especially those that have set up companies in North Dakota or any new business. This is a community development program that was established by Congress in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017. The objective of the program is to encourage long-term investments in low-income tracts as well as urban communities in the state. North Dakota has 25 opportunity zones and forming your business in this zone will open doors for a variety of tax incentives. List of Tracts
• North Dakota Tax Incentives: There are several tax incentives including exemptions and tax credits that you can benefit from post company incorporation in North Dakota. These tax incentives are being made available by the North Dakota Department of Commerce and the most popular incentives include:
  – Corporate Income Tax Exemption
  – Sales & Use Tax Exemption
  – Property Tax Exemption
  – Renaissance Zones Tax Incentives
  – Research Expense Credit

How do you incorporate in North Dakota?

What is the process of incorporation in North Dakota? What type of documentation is required? These are some of the common questions that you will be confronted with if you are planning to start a new business in the state. The following steps will enable understanding of the entire process:

Business Type

The first step towards incorporation in North Dakota is choosing the type of business you want to form. The different types of business structures that you can form in the Flickertail State include Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership (GP), Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Limited Liability Limited Partnership (LLLP), Professional Limited Liability Partnership (PLLP), Limited Liability Company (LLC), Farm Limited Liability Company, General Business Corporation, and Farm Corporation among others.

The type of business entity you want to form can be domestic or foreign entity. The forms and fee will be different for each type of entity.

Business Entity Name

One of the most important steps towards incorporation in North Dakota is naming your business entity. You have to start by identifying, searching, reserving, or registering the business entity name. There are 3 steps towards business name formation and they are:

• Naming Requirements: A corporate name governed by ND CENT CODE § 10-19.1-13 and an LLC name under North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 10-32.1-11 should contain words like “corporation”, “incorporated”, “limited liability company” or abbreviations like “corp.”, “inc.”, “ltd.”, “L.L.C.” or similar abbreviation.
• Business name search: You need to search for a business name that is not currently in use. You can conduct name search here.
• Name Reservation: Once you have identified a business entity name, you can reserve a corporate name pursuant to ND CENT CODE § 10-19.1-14 and an LLC name pursuant to North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 10-32.1-12. The form for reservation of name has to be submitted with the Office of the Secretary of State and it will be effective for a period of 12 months.

Choose a Registered Agent

Whether you form a corporation or an LLC business entity, in order to transact business in the state of North Dakota, you will have to maintain a registered agent pursuant to North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 10-32.1-16 for LLC and ND CENT CODE § 10-19.1-15 for Business Corporations.

We are one of the respected registered agents in North Dakota and will be responsible for initiating incorporation in North Dakota through processing of your “Articles of Organization”, and “Articles of Incorporation” for domestic entities and “Certificate of Authority” for foreign business entities. Know more.

Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority

You will be required to submit “Articles of Incorporation” pursuant to ND CENT CODE § 10-19.1-11, if your business is a domestic corporation. If your business entity is a foreign corporation then you will have to submit a “Certificate of Authority” pursuant to ND CENT CODE § 10-19.1-134 through 136. In order to streamline the process of incorporation in North Dakota, we can file documents on your behalf.

Date Stamped Copies

As a part of the process of company incorporation in North Dakota, we will ensure, you receive date-stamped and filed copies that verifies the state has filed as well as formed your corporation.

Costs and Fees associated with North Dakota Incorporation

What would it cost to set up company in North Dakota? Check Fees here!

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Once your company is set up, you will need:

1. Tax ID (EIN) – free over the Internet or phone.
2. Yearly Requirements and Fees for Illinois companies – Within 15 days after the Secretary of State mails your filed Articles of Incorporation, you must record it with the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of the County in which the registered office of your corporation is located. If recording cannot be accomplished within 15 days, record the Articles of Incorporation as soon as possible
3. Company Minutes & Stock Certificates – are included in incorporation. You will have access to documents generated on your client account.

Illinois additional services

• Registered Agent
• Annual Report
• EIN (Tax ID)
• More Additional Services

• Why Illinois?
• Illinois Registered Agent
• Illinois Annual Requirements
• Illinois Corporation Statutes: Illinois Statutes: 805 ILCS 5 (Corporations) and 805 ILCS 180 (Limited Liability)

• Why Illinois?
• Illinois Registered Agent
• Illinois Annual Requirements
• Illinois Corporation Statutes: Illinois Statutes: 805 ILCS 180 (Limited Liability)

Pricing $89.00 per year, special for pre-pay $40 per year

Don’t get fooled by companies claiming the lowest price and increasing it later. Our pricing is very simple. We charge $89 per year. We also have few specials. Whenever you decide to pre-pay additional years you get them for $40/year.

Why you need a Registered Agent?

Illinois State laws require business entities to maintain a Resident Agent in the state that you form your business. The agent’s name and office address are included in the Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization to give public notice of where to send important documents to your business entity.

If you need Registered agent in other State than Illinois click here.
We offer Registered Agent service in all 50 States.

State Fee for changing Illinois Registered Agent

No fees for change of registered agent noted

Registered Agent Requirements

The registered agent must be either (1) a resident individual of this state whose business office is the same as the registered office or (2) a corporation with authority to transact business in this state that is authorized by its articles of incorporation to act as such agent and whose business office is the same as the registered office.