Federal, State, and Local government requirements will at times overlap, but for the most part, the licenses and permits required by these three separate sections of government are entirely separate. The task of finding pertinent code and permit information can be daunting, but there are a number of resources that help make the process toward opening a legal and licensed business easier.
The Local Library
The local library is an indispensable resource for the would-be business owner. Most local libraries have listings of licenses required by their state. Additionally, there should be listings for the permits and code compliance required by the city and county.
In certain cases, the librarians have restricted access to the law books, but typically, information on local, state, and federal law is available in the reference section.
