Hi Kevin,

All I can think of that one needs would be an appropriate business license, and building permits in the event of shop construction. If you are taking advantage of some sort of state service, there may be additional requirements that I don't know about. It would be prudent to check with the relevant office offering the service.

Others may chime in if there is something I'm missing, but simply getting a business license was a surprisingly straightforward affair for me. You'll want to consider your long term business plan and decide the best option for you personally (eg. LLC, sole proprietorship). It's good to plan ahead. My economics teacher in high school always said "two things are certain: death and taxes" If the IRS can get Wesley Snipes, they can get us too! Let me know if you'd be interested, and I can try to dig up some resources I looked into when I was having these considerations.

Best of luck,

Tim

I remember watching a video of a guy doing a forging demonstration in Arizona. He said in AZ there was no regulations on coal forages, but he had to get a 'hot work' permit to have his propane forge. Obviously this requirement varies from state to state and city to city, but you might want to check with your local fire department? Also, your home owners insurance may not cover running a business out of your garage without a specific rider/endorsement. Might check with them too?

Thanks for the tips so far.

One thing Kevin. Get a good CPA. They can advise you on business options in your state and on keeping books and taxes.

Brion