FIELD GUIDES

Prepare a location and operating permissions

Use the exact address, activity and operator to separate business registration, premises and sector-permission questions.

46 published guides

Choose the question you need

American Samoa: which company approvals come before trading?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Georgia · Atlanta

Atlanta: why a paid tax application can still be unfinished

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Maryland · Baltimore

Baltimore City: who handles the business licence?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Massachusetts · Boston

Boston: using your brand name can require a DBA filing

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Los Angeles · Los Angeles County

Buying a Los Angeles restaurant: what changes with the owner or fryer?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

San Jose, California

Buying a San Jose café: check the buyer’s permit before spending

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 3 min read

California adult courses: does a career programme change your exemption?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

California childcare: fit-out completion is not permission to open

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

California landscaping: a cheap quote is not the whole contractor exception

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

California security: the client’s contracting company needs its own PPO authority

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

North Carolina · Charlotte

Charlotte: does the county building review settle city zoning?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Florida · Miami

City of Miami: which use and tax records does the site need?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Clinical testing: are you collecting specimens or running a laboratory?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Northern Mariana Islands

CNMI: will a new service or island office need another licence?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Texas · Dallas · San Antonio

Dallas or San Antonio: the same-use takeover can differ

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 1 min read

Texas · Dallas

Dallas: taking over the same-use unit can still mean a new CO

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit food businesses: what the removed licence did not change

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 3 min read

Does the lease make accessibility only the landlord’s job?

Source review: 2026-11-14 · 3 min read

Facilities contracts: who pays while the customer disputes completion?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Federal alcohol registration is not the restaurant’s selling licence

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Fictional scenario

Fictional case: rent starts before the restaurant can open

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Guam: does the partner’s licence cover your company’s work?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Houston · Houston sanitary sewer

Houston laundry wastewater: check the process before pricing new work

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Houston: the existing-building occupancy inspection route

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 3 min read

Idaho business registration is not a service licence

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 1 min read

Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis extinguisher work: the company and each person need checking

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 3 min read

Florida · Jacksonville

Jacksonville: check the tax receipt and Certificate of Use

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Missouri · Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri: starting with a workshop or trade task

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Lead-renovation work: check firm certification before advertising

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

California · Los Angeles

Los Angeles: what the city tax registration covers

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

NYC animal boarding: check the premises before taking reservations

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

New York City · Federal pretreatment

NYC laundry plants: a sewer connection does not settle wastewater permission

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Federal · New York City

NYC recruitment or staffing: are you placing workers or employing them?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

New York City, New York

NYC: which building document supports your proposed use?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 3 min read

Florida · Orlando

Orlando: which use and tax records remain before opening?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Pennsylvania · Philadelphia

Philadelphia: city customer work can require a CAL

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Pennsylvania · Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh: does an outside service business need to register?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Oregon · Portland

Portland-area business taxes: start with the actual locations

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

North Carolina · Raleigh

Raleigh: the general Business License ended, but use still matters

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Texas · San Antonio

San Antonio: a new CO or an update to the existing one?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

California · San Francisco

San Francisco: does customer-site work require registration?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Texas electrical contractors: can this master cover this business?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Texas: defined mold activities

Texas mold work: holding both licences does not combine the project roles

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Texas plumbing: one responsible master, one company of record

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. Virgin Islands: what your operator needs from DLCA

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 3 min read

Will the restaurant’s menu work in the premises you want to lease?

Source review: 2026-11-12 · 2 min read

Browse related collections

Browse all field guides

YOUR NEXT USEFUL STEPA considered decision starts with a clear brief.

Build our U.S. plan