Starting a business? Here’s how to get a business license in Pennsylvania and some helpful resources

Even experienced business owners like restaurant owner Juan Placencia can find it difficult to obtain the necessary business licenses.

“I have a little leg up and it was still difficult for me to navigate,” Placencia said.

As a former owner of two restaurants and recently operating a cloud kitchen (no dine-in, commercial kitchens for delivery only), Placencia has gone through the business licensing process in different states many times. He’s at it again now that he’s starting a new venture with Brazas BBQ Chicken, a Peruvian fried chicken restaurant on Philly’s South Street.

If you do business in Pennsylvania, you need at least one or more licenses.

First of all, every business in Philadelphia must obtain a commercial activity license to operate in the city. And depending on what business you’re running — restaurant, rental, entertainment, etc. — you’ll need to apply for additional, more specific licenses. It can be difficult.

“One thing I did that was very helpful in trying to get all of these licenses and permits was find local groups and organizations that are specific to your industry or business type,” Placencia said. “I registered with the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. I am also a member of the Association of Mexican Business Owners of Philadelphia.”

Keep in mind that Philadelphia can be a difficult city to do business with due to the taxes and regulations imposed on new and small businesses in the city.

There are many aspects to making sure your business goes overboard, including registering your business with the state, obtaining a federal tax ID number, zoning ordinances, and other business needs.

This guide breaks down how to do it Find out what business licenses you need and how to apply for them.

A business license is a document that certifies business with a government agency and permits it to conduct business in a specific area – like a city, a state or a country. They come in the form of licenses and permits and are issued by local, state and federal agencies.

In pretty much any situation, you will be doing legitimate business. Whether you are selling products or providing a service, you must be certified by the government for this business.

It depends on. Some companies have licenses that come at no cost, while others pay hundreds of dollars in license and permit fees. For example, if your business only needs a business license from the city, you pay $0. However, if you need a license to prepare and serve food, you could consider licensing fees ranging from $275 to $415. Food truck licenses cost $341.

No – unless you have an official business such as an LLC or a brick and mortar store. Most places where you sell stuff online don’t require a business license. These include eBay, Facebook, Shopify and Craigslist.

No, because you work for Uber, Lyft or the delivery company that hires you. The employer must have trade licences, but you as the driver do not.

According to Placencia, Business owners must conduct their own due diligence to obtain the required licenses. In his experience, it’s difficult to get in touch with different government agencies because agencies often don’t communicate with each other – usually one agency can only answer questions about the specific licenses they issue.

“A phone call to a department or any of these entities is probably the least efficient way to communicate or have these questions answered,” he said. “I’ve found that the best way to ask questions is to make an appointment or come by in person.”

“No matter who you speak to, you should definitely document the name and position within the department you spoke to so you have a reference next time,” Placencia said.

Below are resources you can use to learn more about business licenses and get help applying for them.

This free online tool is designed for Philadelphia business owners to plan, start and grow their business in the city. You can find all business licenses You need – by business category – on this website. It includes a checklist of the documents you need, including business licenses, tax records, and other certifications. Visit business.phila.gov to get started.

This free online tool can be used by business owners across Pennsylvania to learn what licenses they need. It offers an interactive checklist and business plan templates to guide you through the process.

You can call 1-833-722-6778 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. excluding holidays for assistance. Visit business.pa.gov to get started.

These resource centers provide free business services to entrepreneurs throughout Pennsylvania. Get personalized advice on what business licenses you need, help with applying for them, and free corporate training and events. In the Philly area, Temple University and Widener University have SBDCs. You can apply for free business advice online.

🌐 pasbdc.org 📞 877-472-7232

Community Development Corporations (CDC) are nonprofit organizations that provide services to communities in the areas of housing, employment, business, and more. You can find information about what licenses you need or find links to other places that can help you. Here is a list of CDC resources for small businesses.

🌐 pacdc.org 📞 215-732-5829📍 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1600

A local non-profit organization providing workshops, business planning and small business advice for entrepreneurs in the Philadelphia area.

🌐 thebizctr.com 📞 215-247-2473 📍 7500 Germantown Avenue, Elders Hall, Suite 113

This free resource center from the Free Library of Philadelphia will help established business owners Access a variety of research databases, business resources, and public program information to meet business needs.

🌐 freelibrary.org 📞 215-686-8663 📍 1901 Vine Street

You must apply for the business licenses from the authority that issues them. Each level of government has different websites where you can apply for their licenses.

Find out which federal business licenses you need (if any) by visiting the Small Business Administration (SBA) website. There you will find information on all concessions granted by the federal government, including agriculture, radio and television, and transport. You can find help with state business licenses from free consultants using the SBA’s Assistance Finder.

The Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) is the website where you apply for state business licenses. Here you can see all the requirements and documents required to apply for a license. They offer an application checklist on their homepage to help you with this. Find out what business licenses you need and apply for them at pals.pa.gov.

The City of Philadelphia has a list of all business licenses offered by the city on its website. Here you can see if your company is on the list of business licenses and get instructions on how to apply for those licenses. For help from the city, visit the Office of Business Services website at business.phila.gov.