Business License / Registration (US + India)
US: assemble EIN (free) + state entity/DBA + sales-tax permit + local license(s). India: GST (free) + Shop & Establishment + municipal Trade License + optional Udyam/MSME (free, lifetime).
Do it on the official site
US: EIN at irs.gov; entity/DBA at the Secretary of State / county clerk; sales tax at the state Dept. of Revenue; local license at city hall. India: GST gst.gov.in; Udyam udyamregistration.gov.in; Shop & Est state labour portal; Trade License municipal portal.
- Fees
US: EIN $0; LLC Articles ~$50–$500 (CA $70, MA $500); sales-tax permit usually free; local license varies. India: GST ₹0; Udyam ₹0; Shop & Est ~₹500–₹5,000; Trade License ~₹500–₹50,000/yr [confirmed, verify]
- Processing time
US: EIN immediate; LLC/DBA same-day to weeks. India: GST 2–6 working days; Udyam instant; Shop & Est 7–30 days; Trade License 7–15 days
- How long it lasts
US: EIN permanent; entity annual/biennial report; local license often annual. India: GSTIN while operating; Udyam lifetime; Shop & Est lifetime to 5 yrs; Trade License ~1 year (renew Jan–Mar)
What to know first
- US: no single national license; EIN is always free from IRS (avoid paid sites); form the entity before getting an EIN.
- India: GST mandatory above ₹40L goods / ₹20L services; registration is free; Udyam is free, Aadhaar-based, lifetime.
- US local licenses are often annual; DBA terms vary; state entities need annual/biennial reports.
- India: Shop & Establishment is lifetime in some states (MH, Delhi) but 5 yrs in others (KA, GJ); Trade License renews annually.
How to do it
- 1US: choose structure → file Articles (LLC/corp) → DBA if needed → get EIN at irs.gov (immediate) → sales-tax permit → local license + zoning/health permits.
- 2India: GST (Services → Registration → New → OTP → TRN → Part B + Aadhaar/biometric → GSTIN); Udyam (Aadhaar + PAN → free certificate); Shop & Est (state portal + fee); Trade License (municipal portal + fee + inspection for food/factory).
What you need to bring
- US: SSN/ITIN (EIN); legal + DBA name; structure/formation; addresses + registered agent; NAICS activity. India: PAN + Aadhaar; constitution proof; premises proof (rent agreement + NOC, electricity bill); photo; bank details; GSTIN where required
In person
US: city business-licensing office; Secretary of State business division; county clerk; state Dept. of Revenue. India: nearest GST Seva Kendra; state Labour Dept / Shop-Establishment office; municipal corporation; District Industries Centre (Udyam).
Questions people ask
- (US) Is the EIN free?
- Yes — directly from IRS; avoid paid sites.
- (India) Does Udyam expire?
- No — lifetime, free.
- (India) Is GST registration free?
- Yes — only gst.gov.in is official.
Sources
- irs.gov EIN; sba.gov licenses-permits; gst.gov.in; udyamregistration.gov.in; vakilsearch shop-establishment (accessed 2026-06-26)