Step Two: Business Operation
Requirements
Local Requirements
Starting a business is easier than you might think. If you are starting a sole proprietorship or general partnership in Hanover County, in many cases you will not even need to obtain a business license. There are only a few businesses which will require a license to operate in Hanover. For more information, click here.
If you have questions, please call the Hanover County Economic Development Department at (804)365-6464.
In addition, your local government may have zoning regulations. In Hanover County, zoning requirements vary based on the location and type of your business. A zoning permit must be filled out. To obtain one, please contact the Hanover County Planning and Zoning Department at 804-365-6171. Please note: Hanover County also requires that you obtain a permit and a building permit to erect a business sign. For information on this requirement, you may also contact Hanover County Planning and Zoning at 804-365-6171. A representative at this department will mail to you the necessary forms. Or you may obtain them in person at the Hanover County Courthouse, Administration Building, Planning Office, Route 301, Hanover County, Virginia. Planning forms are also available on-line at www.co.hanover.va.us/planning/pforms.htm.
Local Tax Requirements
As your business grows, so will the requirements. As you make money, you pay taxes. In the County of Hanover, there are four different types of local tax requirements:
1. Retail Sales Tax.
Please refer to the section under Commonwealth of Virginia Requirements regarding the retail sales tax. Each county and city within Virginia receives 1% of the 5.0% retail sales tax levied on retail sales within Virginia.
2. Business Personal Property Tax.
Please click here for information on business personal property taxes in Hanover County.
3. Inventory Tax.
For more information, contact the Hanover County Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6823 or view their web site at: http://www.co.hanover.va.us/comrevnu/default.htm.
4. Gross Receipts Tax.
For more information, contact the Hanover County Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6823 or view their web site at: http://www.co.hanover.va.us/comrevnu/default.htm.
5. Machinery and Tools Tax.
For more information, contact the Hanover County Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6823 or view their web site at: http://www.co.hanover.va.us/comrevnu/default.htm.
Information on tax rates may be viewed on the Hanover County Commissioner of Revenue web site at: http://www.co.hanover.va.us/comrevnu/taxrates.htm.
If you have additional questions, consult the Hanover County Department of Economic Development. The Hanover County web site may also be helpful: http://www.co.hanover.va.us.
Commonwealth of Virginia Requirements (return to top)
If your business is a corporation, a limited liability company or a limited partnership, you must register it with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). The type of registration form you use will depend on the type of business you are starting.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission maintains registration forms on-line. To access them, please go to: http://www.state.va.us/scc/division/clk/fee_bus.htm.
If you do not have access to the Internet, you may obtain information about the required SCC forms, by calling: (804)371-9733 (Richmond), or toll-free 1-866-722-2551 (Virginia only).
For more information about the Virginia State Corporation Commission, you may view its home page at: http://www.state.va.us/scc/
Other Virginia requirements deal with issues related to taxes, employees and specific industry regulations, including health and safety issues. For Virginia’s requirements related to taxes and employees, click here to go to that particular section on this cd. For information related to specific industry requirements, please consult the Virginia Department of Business Assistance (DBA) web site. This site contains a guide to licenses and permits within Virginia. It provides a listing by business type or activity and also by agency. Click here to go to this page (http://www.dba.state.va.us/licenses/). If you do not have Internet access, you may contact the DBA at (804) 371-8200.
Federal Requirements (return to top)
Similar to many of the Commonwealth of Virginia requirements, many of the Federal requirements for small businesses relate to taxes and employment. For information on federal requirements related to taxes and employees, you may click here to go to that particular section on this cd.
Other Federal requirements for businesses deal with environmental issues. For information on Federal environmental requirements, please consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Small Business Gateway at: http://www.epa.gov/smallbusiness/ or you may address your questions to the Small Business Ombudsman at 1-800-368-5888.
As a small business owner, you should be aware that, depending on what type of business you own, you may have to abide by health and safety requirements. For federal requirements dealing with health and safety, review the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Health & Safety Administration’s (OSHA) web site at: http://www.osha.gov.
In addition, federal law requires that certain specialized businesses obtain and maintain licenses. The following types of businesses require a federal license:
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Interstate delivery people (required by the Department of Transporation, Federal Highway Administration,
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov);
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Tobacco products, alcohol, firearms (required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,
http://www.atf.treas.gov); and
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Information about federal permits may be found at: http://business-law.freeadvice.com/permits.htm. Laws change, so if you are in doubt as to whether a special federal license is required for your business, consult an expert.
Please address any questions about requirements that you still may have to the Hanover County Department of Economic Development at (804)365-6464.
