Start A Business

Starter Kits -- Cleaning / janitorial

Explore our starter kits for some of Houston's most common business types and jump start your path to success.

Business Requirements

1. BUSINESS ENTITY REGISTRATION

Sole Proprietorship & General Partnership

A Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership doing business under a name other than the name of the owner requires a DBA (Doing Business As) Certificate with the county in which the business is being conducted. The counties usually have a searchable database of the listed business names used. Filing a DBA does not secure nor protect your business name. All types of business entities (SP, LLC, INC, etc.) must file a DBA within the county they are doing business in.

2. TEXAS SALES TAX PERMIT

A business must obtain a Texas Sales & Use Tax permit from the Texas State Comptroller Office if they are engaged in business in Texas and they are selling tangible personal property, leasing personal property, or selling a taxable service in Texas. There is no fee for the Texas Sales and Use Tax permit but a business could be required to post a security bond. A Franchise Tax is a privilege tax imposed on each taxable entity chartered/organized in Texas or doing business in Texas.

Additional Business requirements may be needed.

IMPORTANT!!
THE CITY OF HOUSTON ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR FAILURE TO OBTAIN ALL NECESSARY OPERATING PERMITS, LICENCES, OR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS.