Small Business Computer Consulting Blog

How to Start a PC Repair Business (USA Business Licenses)

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A PC gaming enthusiast, wondering how to start a PC repair business, recently commented on one of our older YouTube Videos about "How to Start a Computer Repair Business." His follow-up question focused on business licenses, the kind typically required for operation by various government entities. “I have the money set aside for everything, but I do not know what licenses I need and exactly how to get started.” 

The licenses you need will vary depending on where you're located.

Business License Categories by Jurisdiction

For example, in the USA, if you’re thinking about how to start a PC repair business, you'll typically need three broad categories of business licenses:

1. Local Level (City and County Level): Look into an occupational license, zoning requirements, fire safety inspection, certificate of occupancy, and local sales tax requirements.

2. State Level: If your PC repair business will be reselling products, such as hardware, software, and peripherals, you’ll need a resale certificate to properly collect and remit sales tax. Computer distributors also require the same resale certificate, so you can open a reseller account and purchase products for resale without paying sales tax. In most cases, you’ll also go to your state for incorporating, or similar business entity selection. Your state with also likely assign a state tax ID# for various purposes.

3. Federal Level: From the U.S. federal government, at the earliest stages of starting up your new PC repair business, you’ll need a federal employer identification number (EIN), even if you don’t plan on hiring any employees for a while. In order to open a business bank account in your company’s name, so you can accept checks made out to your company name and apply for credit card merchant processing, your bank will also certainly require your federal EIN# and articles of incorporation. 

These above tips, however, are general and may not be 100% applicable to all parties learning how to start a PC repair business.

Where to Get Business Licensing Help for Your Specific Situation

To get specific business licensing recommendations for your unique situation, consult with

• a qualified local accountant (look for a lot of small business startup experience)

• a qualified local attorney (again, look for a lot of small business startup experience)

• a local SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapter, generally free or very inexpensive education services

• a local SBDC (Small Business Development Center) office, again generally free or very inexpensive education services 

On a related note, if you have aspirations to grow substantially larger than your local area, you may wish to consult with an Intellectual Property (IP) attorney to investigate either state or federal trademark protection. 

So if you’re researching how to start a PC repair business and haven’t yet worked through some of the business administrative licensing issues, use the above tips as a starting point. 

What advice would you offer to someone starting up a PC repair business, on how to deal with business licensing requirements? Please share your tips, hints, and war stories in the comments area below.

And to follow-through on the concepts introduced in this short post, be sure to download your free copy of the special report on How to Start a Computer Consulting Business: 6 Proven Ways to Build Your Initial Client Base.

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