Businesses are regulated by a combination of federal, state, county, and local laws and ordinances. These include everything from health and safety standards and environmental laws to specific regulations affecting particular industries (such as medical cannabis dispensaries and strip clubs). State and local laws tend to reflect the unique culture of the respective region and are subject to change with the times. For example, there are still some counties in the South that prohibit sales of alcoholic beverages, while some states have strict limits on the alcoholic content of beer served to the public. And in Oregon, for example, filling station customers are not allowed to fill their own gas tanks.
So if you're planning to start a new business or expand an existing one to a new location, you need to check the laws and ordinances to make sure you're in compliance. Below, are links to business laws and regulation compliance information for each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. Where no direct link to state legal and regulatory compliance information exists, a link to general information and resources on doing business in the state is provided. To suggest an item for this section, please contact us.
Alabama Business Laws and Regulations Alaska Small Business Regulations Program Arkansas Government Resources for Business Arizona Business Law and Regulation California Small Business Assistance Center Colorado State of Colorado: Business Connecticut Business Regulation Delaware State of Delaware: Business DC Small Business Resource Center Florida Business Licenses, Permits, and Regulation Georgia Business Resources Hawaii Business Gateway Idaho Business Licensing, Permitting, and Regulations Illinois Business Legislation, Rules, and Regulations IndianaBusiness Owner's Guide to State Government
Iowa Business and Economic Development Kansas Business Laws and Regulations Kentucky Business Laws and Regulations Louisiana Grow a Business Maine Maryland Business Resources Massachusetts Business Licensing, Permitting, and Regulation Michigan Business and Economic Development Minnesota Business and Jobs Mississippi Business in Mississippi Missouri Missouri Business Portal Montana Nebraska Nebraska Online for Business Nevada Doing Business in Nevada New Hampshire Business Laws and Rules New Jersey Business in New Jersey New Mexico New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department New York Business Rules and Regulations North Carolina North Carolina Serving Businesses North Dakota North Dakota Business Ohio Business Laws and Regulations Oklahoma Startup FAQ: Licensing and Registration, Financing, Certification Oregon Business Referral Center Pennsylvania Business in Pennsylvania Rhode Island Business Laws and Regulations South Carolina Business Portal South Dakota Doing Business in South Dakota Tennessee Business Requirements and Taxes Texas Business and Consumer Services Utah Business: Government Requirements Vermont Business Laws and Regulations Virginia Business and Professional Resources Washington Business Laws and Rules West Virginia Business Licensing Requirements Wisconsin Business Services Wyoming Business CouncilGet Professional Legal Help with Business Compliance
Getting into compliance with any applicable business laws or regulations -- whether they're at the federal, state, county, or local level -- is absolutely critical for any business. But sometimes it's not even clear which laws apply, particularly when there is an overlap among one or more jurisdictions. Consider speaking with a business and commercial law attorney for compliance help and some peace of mind.
See FindLaw's Business Laws and Regulations section to learn more.
