Last updated
Idaho's business pages talk about registering a business, not about licensing one. The license part depends on what you do. Selling taxable goods leads you to the Tax Commission. Practising a regulated occupation leads you to DOPL. Everything else usually starts and ends with a Secretary of State filing and local rules.
Where does Idaho start you?
At the Secretary of State's Starting a Business page. It offers a Business Wizard that asks a few questions to explain the requirements for your business, and a Resource Wizard for funding, training and support. Registration itself happens in SOSBiz, the office's online system at sosbiz.idaho.gov. Under Additional Support the page also lists the Small Business Development Center, SCORE mentoring, the SBA, the Department of Commerce and Business.Idaho.Gov.
Before you register, the page says to have a business name, an Idaho registered agent and your business structure. You can be your own agent if you have an Idaho address. Our Idaho registered agent guide has the rules.
What does registration cost?
An LLC or corporation filing costs $100 online or $120 on paper. The forms page says paper submissions carry a $20 manual processing fee, and forms sent without it are rejected. The annual report is due by the last day of the anniversary month. Our Idaho LLC guide covers the filing step by step.
None of this is a license. The Secretary of State says a certificate of existence is not required to operate in Idaho, and that you can order one for $10. Treat any letter that says otherwise as suspect.
How do I get Idaho tax permits?
The State Tax Commission is the place. Its "For Business" menu lists TAP, Temporary Seller's Permits, Other Tax Permits, Changing Business or Permit Info and Validating Tax Permits. A separate menu item, Getting Tax Permits, sits under the business heading. We did not open those pages, so we quote no fees or timing. You will usually need a federal EIN for the application. Read the EIN guide first.
The Tax Commission's front page also carries a reminder for event promoters. If you organize a festival, bazaar or other vendor event, register the event so your vendors can register and get permits to collect and pay Idaho sales tax.
Who licenses Idaho occupations?
The Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses lists occupational licenses by board. The list includes accountancy, acupuncture, the athletic commission, barber and cosmetology services, chiropractic physicians, counselors and marriage and family therapists, driving business licensure, massage therapy, morticians, outfitters and guides, shorthand reporters and social work examiners. Apply or renew through its online services. The page also lets you purchase an electrical, HVAC or plumbing permit, so contractors should look there before they start a job.
How do I check a license?
DOPL's home page has a Search for a License or Registration link, plus a way to get a list of licensees. Use it for the occupations above. For a business entity, search SOSBiz, as covered in our Idaho business search guide. A tax permit holder can be checked through the Tax Commission's permit validation page, which we did not run. A clean SOSBiz result says nothing about a tax permit or an occupational license, because each office keeps its own records.
What is not covered here?
City and county licenses, alcohol rules, contractor registration and the fees for each occupation are not covered, because we did not read those pages. A trade name is its own filing, described in the Idaho business guide. Compare Washington, Oregon and Nevada. This is general information, not legal advice.