Federal Laws & Regulations
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service offers information on the various Taxpayer Identification Numbers, especially the Employer Identification Number (EIN) that will be needed for compliance with many federal and state tax forms. [https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin]
You can search the entire Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, which is the codification of the rules published by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. [http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse]
New Jersey Legal Requirements
Consult the New Jersey License and Certification Guide to find out if your business activity needs to be registered, licensed, or certified. [https://www.state.nj.us/ commerce/CEG_LCI/html/licguid.html]
Review the Quick Start Guides and other informatioin from the New Jersey Business Action Center's Office of Small Business Advocacy [https://nj.gov/state/bac/bac-small-business-advocates.shtml].
To register most businesses, you will need to submit some official documents. Read through the steps in Getting Registered or go directly to NJ Business Gateway Services from the Division of Revenue and Enterprises Services. [http://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/]
If you simply want to reserve a name for your business entity, first check for the Business Name Availability. [http://www.state.nj.us/ treasury/revenue/checkbusiness.htm]
Search the New Jersey Administrative Code for specific state regulations or requirements for your business activity e.g. N.J.A.C. 8:43A, Ambulatory Care Facilities. [http://www.lexisnexis.com/njoal/]
To locate local and county agencies, please consult the Business Resource Guide for your county, compiled by the Union County Economic Development Corporation. [http://www.ucedc.com/content/business-resource-guide]
Legal & Other Resources
The Legal Information Reference Center database at JerseyClicks includes a wide range of business and legal publications (including many from Nolo). After clicking on Legal Information Reference Center, you will have to enter your local public library card number. [http://www.jerseyclicks.org]
Consult Nolo's Business Formation: LLCs & Corporations for help with understanding legal matters. [http://www.nolo.com]
To find a lawyer, consult FindLaw's Lawyer Directory, which is searchable by legal issue as well as location, or search the NJ Attorney Index. [http://lawyers.findlaw.com] and [http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/attorneys/]
If you plan to compete for government contracts, obtain a D-U-N-S® Number to begin establishing your business credit worthiness. [http://www.dnb.com] Otherwise, there are these other credit rating firms:
To find a certified public accountant in New Jersey, use the Find-A-CPA Online Referral Service. [https://www.njcpa.org/stay-informed/tax-financial/findacpa]
Small Business Checklist
Click on image for complete Infographic - 