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Registering your business as a foreign entity (out-of-state seller) in new states

Before a company can register for sales tax in most states -- or before Zamp can register on their behalf -- it must first register as a business. Many states have different registration processes for in-state versus out-of-state businesses. This resource is for companies registering as out-of-state sellers, where you don't have physical locations, employees, or (in some cases) inventory stored in the state.

If you have not already registered your business in a state, your sales tax registration application will be rejected, because the state will not have a record your EIN being registered for general business purposes.

The links below can be used to register your business as a foreign entity in new states.

State

Website

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/forms/business (look for the 'Foreign Entity Registration' section)

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

https://govconnect.iowa.gov/tap/_/#0 (click 'Register a New Business')

Kansas

https://sos.ks.gov/forms/forms_results.aspx?division=BS (see 'Foreign Entity Application for Registration' — unfortunately, it cannot be completed online)

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Nebraska

https://www.nebraska.gov/osbr/index.cgi (the Enter button on the right)

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

https://tap.state.nm.us/TAP/_/#1%20 (look for 'Apply for a New Mexico Business Tax ID')

New York

https://dos.ny.gov/existing-corporations-and-businesses (select your business structure, then look for 'Application for Authority')

North Carolina

North Dakota


Ohio


Oklahoma

https://www.sos.ok.gov/corp/filing.aspx ('Foreign organizations' column)

Pennsylvania


Rhode Island

https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/foreign-business/register-your-business-in-ri (requires a Registered Agent & Certificate of Good Standing from your home state)

South Carolina

https://businessfilings.sc.gov/businessfiling (choose 'Start a New Business Filing')

South Dakota

Tennessee


Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

https://www.tax.virginia.gov/register-business-virginia (select 'Register your business now')

Washington

https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#/ (Create an account, then file a foreign registration statement and provide a certificate of existence from you home state. Then register for a business license.)

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

https://sos.wyo.gov/Business/ForeignCertificateofAuthority.aspx (see 'Applying for a Foreign Certificate of Authority')

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