How to Get Your Business Licensed in Utah

Licensing Required for Running Business in Utah

There are three tax ID numbers that you need to do business in Utah:

1. A Federal Tax ID Number – This is required for employers and corporations as well as partnerships, though sole proprietors may get one. A Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN or FIN) might look like this EIN 27-0168789)

2. A State Employer Number ID — Required for businesses with employees. If you don’t have any employees as yet, but are just owners, you don’t need one until you do have employees. When you hire employees you need to get Federal and State Employer numbers so taxes for Social Security, Medicare, Federal, State and Local Income Tax can be withheld.

3. A State Sales Tax ID – This is required for retailers and wholesalers of taxable items. A sales and use tax license number from the State of Utah might look like 12733789-002-STC. You can also use that number as a re-sale certificate number, but will need to file a form TC-721 for any items you re-sell.

There are also other licenses a business needs.

4. You need a business license. You will need to obtain a business license from the city or municipality where your business is located. If you don’t have a physical location for the business, use the address of your Registered Agent to determine the municipality from which to obtain the license. For example if your business was located in Layton or the address of your registered agent was listed as being in Layton, then an example of what this might look like would be City of Layton Business License # 6789)

5. You need an assumed business name or DBA (Doing Business As) name. If you have formed an LLC and are doing business under that name, you don’t need a DBA, just the LLC number. For example if you had a LLC called Brawny Construction and were doing business under that name, an example of a Business Registration Number for that LLC might be 7347891-0160. But if you had incorporated as Brawny Construction LLC, but your business forms and website identified you as doing business under the name Superior Windows, you would need to file a DBA with the state linking the Superior Windows name with the LLC number for Brawny Construction. Then you could do business under that name. Note an LLC may have several DBA names if they own several business entities.

Since Utah is a business friendly state you can do business licensing online. Go to http://www.utah.gov/services/business.html and click on One Stop Business Registration which will take you to the https://secure.utah.gov/osbr-user/user/welcome.html link.