is this legal?

13 years ago

Originally Posted by skeetermcgee

My question is this, are there places that require you to buy some kind of license to create and sell info products online?

Pretty much all of them do. It's not expensive; I pay about $60 annually for my business licensing.

Check with your local, county, and state government websites about what you need when starting a business. You don't need a lawyer for this, generally, and you can usually get all the licensing you need online with just one or two forms to fill out. You may need to make a good old-fashioned phone call to the county clerk's office, or even get in the car and go there.

But I licensed my business almost 25 years ago, at the age of 16, with an hour-long bus ride and $20. It's not hard.

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Alexa Smith

Banned 13 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

I licensed my business almost 25 years ago, at the age of 16, with an hour-long bus ride and $20.

Did that include the bus-fare and the licensing? Inquiring minds will want to know ...

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CDarklock

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

Did that include the bus-fare and the licensing?

It was a ride on the Fairfax Connector, which was only a quarter. And I got change back from the $20, so chances are it did include bus fare.

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Alexa Smith

Banned 13 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

It was a ride on the Fairfax Connector, which was only a quarter.

Fair enough - "just testing". And just think, if I hadn't asked you, I'd have continued being a skepchick when people told me that 25 years ago you could get an hour-long bus ride for a quarter.

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CDarklock

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

And just think, if I hadn't asked you, I'd have continued being a skepchick when people told me that 25 years ago you could get an hour-long bus ride for a quarter.

Only within Fairfax County; the full-blown DC Metrobus system was charging 85 cents for similar rides at the time, and $1.15 across transfer zones.

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"The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers

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sbucciarel

Banned 13 years ago

None that I've ever heard of. I haven't had one since I had a business out of my home where clients came for consultation.

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tpw

13 years ago

I heard that if you live in Chicago and you have a blog, there is a business license in the range of $300.

In Colorado and North Carolina, you cannot be an affiliate for Amazon.

Other than this, I have not heard anything.

But I am not a lawyer in your jurisdiction, so in a court of law, my opinion means squat.

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Bill Farnham 13 years ago

Originally Posted by tpw

I heard that if you live in Chicago and you have a blog, there is a business license in the range of $300.

That's Philly, you Okie...

In Chicago you need "protection"...

~Bill
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- tpw 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Bill Farnham
  
  That's Philly, you Okie...
  
  In Chicago you need "protection"...
  
  ~Bill
  
  Sorry. I guess I assumed that draconian legislation like that would come from a city govt that was historically corrupt.
  
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  Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
  Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
  
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Wealthyclark 13 years ago

Originally Posted by tpw

I heard that if you live in Chicago and you have a blog, there is a business license in the range of $300.

You just might be the funniest guy on the forum, lol
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Michael Oksa

13 years ago

If you are in the US, then you can see if your municipality is listed here:

Municode Library

You can learn a lot about local ordinances, too. We have some really interesting ones here that I never knew about.

However, you should only consider this site as a starting point. If nothing else, you may be able to contact your Clerk of Courts, BUT there's a chance that they won't quite understand the true nature of your business, so be patient.

All the best,
Michael

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kindsvater

13 years ago

Many cities and/or counties (need to check both) require licenses for home businesses.

One main reason is to make sure the home business is not a neighborhood nuisance.

- Will clients be stacking up cars in the neighborhood?

- Are you storing toxic materials?

- Is Risky Business your model?

Often it is a nominal fee, although some places jack the license fee to generate revenue.

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rts2271

13 years ago

A business that isn't licensed is not a business in the US. Every state and most counties have a licensing requirement for ALL businesses.

From a business perspective who do you want to deal with, a business? or a hobyist?

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sbucciarel

Banned 13 years ago

Originally Posted by rts2271

A business that isn't licensed is not a business in the US. Every state and most counties have a licensing requirement for ALL businesses.

From a business perspective who do you want to deal with, a business? or a hobyist?

Funny ... none of my customers never ask to see my "business" license or my hobby license. :p

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Rich Struck 13 years ago

Originally Posted by rts2271

A business that isn't licensed is not a business in the US. Every state and most counties have a licensing requirement for ALL businesses.

This is not true at all. In fact, it is very, very untrue.
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donhx

13 years ago

Originally Posted by skeetermcgee

I have been studying and working at making money online for about 7 months now. However, it wasn't until very recently I've come across a couple instances where someone posted about 'check your local laws on internet trading' when talking about starting your online business.

My question is this, are there places that require you to buy some kind of license to create and sell info products online? if so, what's a good website to find my local laws related to this issue? I really don't want to pay a few hundred bucks to ask a lawyer.

Almost all cities and town in the U.S. require a business license. The fee varies as you can see from posts here. Check with your local City Hall. By the way, most Counties don't have such laws, so if you live outside the city limits you may not need one, but check.

One thing that does apply to everyone in virtually every state is the collection of sales tax. You must register with your state government for that. You will find you are required to pay sales tax on product sales made within your state, but not elsewhere at this point. Most states have heavy pentaties if they discover you are not collecting sales tax and remitting it to them.

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skeetermcgee

13 years ago

thank you everyone for the input.

I just emailed my city planning dept for more info. I just never thought that selling info products online from my kitchen table would be treated the same as brick and mortar business with a physical location, products, and employees.

But hey, if you don't ask, you won't know.

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Rich Struck

13 years ago

Originally Posted by skeetermcgee

thank you everyone for the input.

I just emailed my city planning dept for more info. I just never thought that selling info products online from my kitchen table would be treated the same as brick and mortar business with a physical location, products, and employees.

But hey, if you don't ask, you won't know.

Well you've just overcomplicated a very simple thing.

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Gary King

13 years ago

Originally Posted by sbucciarel

Funny ... none of my customers never ask to see my "business" license or my hobby license. :p

Mine either. It's typically not the customers that care if there's a requirement... it's the folks that get the revenue from the licensing.

Originally Posted by skeetermcgee

I just emailed my city planning dept for more info. I just never thought that selling info products online from my kitchen table would be treated the same as brick and mortar business with a physical location, products, and employees.

In many cities, there's a small business development organization (usually not for profit) that may shed some light on things for you with a phone call or email if you don't get any joy... not sure the planning dep't is the right place, but maybe you'll get somewhere.

Good luck!

Gary

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upto20

13 years ago

Laws? I really don't guess so..there a lot of successful IM people today who were just using free elements for their sales and promotions but why not search on the internet everything is here though!

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is this legal?

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