“Do I Need A Business License?”

One of the most frequent questions our office receives regarding starting a business in Colorado is, “Do I need a business license?” Unlike some places, the State of Colorado does not have a general “business license.” However, that doesn’t necessarily mean your business won’t need a license of some kind. The State of Colorado regulates some, but not all, professions, occupations, and industries. The agency that does this is called the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Their website has a searchable list of professions and industries regulated by the State of Colorado.

After checking with DORA, there are a few more places to check online: DORA’s list of “Other Licenses & Regulatory Resources” and The Occupational License Database. It’s also a good idea to check with your local city and county to see if there are any local licenses, permits, or tax requirements they might have! When in doubt, always ask when it comes to questions about licensing or permits. If you have any questions contact DORA.

Finally, with all of this talk about licensing, do not confuse a general “business license” with a Sales Tax License. In Colorado, if you are selling tangible goods, you are required to collect State Sales Tax and will need a Sales Tax License. You can apply for a Sales Tax License via the Colorado Department of Revenue.

Timberleaf Trailers

Kevin Molick is a custom cabinet contractor and outdoorsman. The idea of building a teardrop trailer for his camping adventures intrigued him, so he built one to suit his needs. It wasn’t long before he was getting inquires on social media about how one of these trailers could be purchased. By the end of 2016 he had built and sold 12 of these custom made trailers. “The consulting and direct assistance from the Small Manufacturing

Read More »
Southern Ute Cultural Museum

Lynn Brittner, Executive Director, started planning the Southern-Ute Cultural Center and Museum over ten years ago. The Center’s opening this past May was her reward for years of dedicatedly holding the vision. Brittner’s relationship with the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center started way back at the beginning. She needed help and only had three staff. A grant from the Administration for Native Americans provided funds for her to take Board members to visit other

Read More »
Colorado Safety Supply

Starting out as a dream in 2012, Valerie Boyd developed her knowledge and contacts within the safety equipment industry to move forward with confidence in 2014. Valerie started to make the dream a reality. Coming from a family working in the structural steel industry, Valerie’s top priority is to keep families safe by keeping workers safe. Colorado Safety Supply does just that, providing safety training and equipment for construction job sites. Located in Aurora, Colorado

Read More »
Montrose Manor B&B

Freddie and Tom Hancock took one look at their new home in Montrose and saw something beyond a magnificent house. Their dream was to transform it into a bed and breakfast, plus a base for their not for profit animal rescue operation. Familiar with SBDC consulting services in Arizona where they had moved from, the Hancock’s contacted the SBDC for assistance in achieving their dream. Reviewing their 5-year financial forecast, the SBDC consultant provided instruction

Read More »
North Line GIS

North Line GIS was founded in October 2006 by Mike George and Trip McLaughlin after seeing a need for a GIS business to service the needs of the local community as well as the western slope of Colorado. Both Mike and Trip were employed full-time by others at the time of the start-up, so they were able to start the company with personal funds while building the business. Although both founders have extensive experience as

Read More »
Express Employment Professionals

For Nina Anderson, helping people has always been a passion. Nina is the owner of Express Employment Professionals in Grand Junction, CO. Express offers a wide range of services for job seekers and employers and is a national chain. The job seekers can have their job skills evaluated so they know what skills they need training in and then can be matched with an employer that meets the job seeker’s skill set and career preference.

Read More »
Scroll to Top
Skip to content