Business First Steps

Business First Steps is a portal to important business licensing and registration information in the State of Delaware. This site was created by the State of Delaware for people seeking to start their own businesses, and for those looking to expand their business in Delaware.

This site is not a complete listing, so please contact appropriate State Agencies directly to find out if you need to fulfill additional requirements.

This site links to County, City, and Town information on business licensing, because local governments have their own business licensing and permitting requirements that are separate from State requirements. We recommend that you call the County, City, or Town in which you plan to do business so that they can give you any additional information about local requirements based on your specific business type.

Some businesses are regulated by the federal government; to find out if your business needs federal approvals please read “Federal Licenses and Permits” from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Click here for a checklist of licenses, registrations, and filings that most businesses need.

Who Should Use Business First Steps?

• Any new business, entrepreneur, start up, or those in the thinking/planning stages of a business should use this site to access important information about state licensing requirements from the State of Delaware.
• Any existing business looking to renew licenses, open new locations, or expand operations in the State of Delaware.

Looking to search business names?

If you want to look up whether a business is licensed by the Division of Revenue, visit the Open Data Portal. Businesses licensed by the Division of Revenue operate in Delaware.

If you want to search for names of legal entities registered with the Delaware Division of Corporations, then visit the Division of Corporations name search/availability site. Businesses that are registered with the Division of Corporations may or may not operate in Delaware (which is why the name search/availability site is different than the Division of Revenue licensee look up, mentioned above).

The Open Data Portal also has lists of businesses or individuals holding Professional or Occupational Licenses, professionals who have been disciplined by the Division of Professional Regulation, and more.

Feedback

Did you find everything you need? How was your experience on this site? If you have feedback regarding information on this site, please contact the Web Team at firststeps@delaware.gov. For any specific questions regarding licensing, certification, filings, or permits – please contact the appropriate State Agencies directly.

Disclaimer

This site does not provide legal or professional advice. Please consult with an attorney, accountant, tax professional, and/or other qualified professionals for legal or professional advice.