Formed an LLC? An operating agreement sets the rules for ownership and decisions. Why even solo owners should have one — and what it covers.

Selling online doesn't make you exempt from licensing. The federal, state, and local layers to check — plus sales tax — before your first sale.

Nearly every state requires an LLC to name a registered agent to receive legal and state documents. What they do, whether you can be your own, and why it matters.

LLCs and corporations both protect your personal assets but differ in taxes and formality. How they compare and which fits your small business.

Sole proprietors often skip state formation, but LLCs, corporations, and partnerships usually must register. What state registration is and why it matters.

A DBA lets you operate under a name that isn't your legal one. Who needs to register one, what it does and doesn't protect, and how it differs from an LLC and a trademark.

Most small businesses need at least one license or permit — but which ones depend on what you do and where. The federal, state, and local layers to check, and how licensing differs from registering.

Structure, registration, EIN, licenses and permits — the legal checklist for starting a business, pointed straight at the official sources.