How To Register A Photography Business In California

Generally all businesses that wish to conduct business in california need to register and form their legal entity with the california secretary of state s office file appropriate taxes register as an employer and obtain business licenses and other permits from appropriate cities or counties.

How to register a photography business in california. Register your photography business with the state of california. Register your business entity. I love wheeling and dealing hustling writing and even the idea of how to start a photography business has me pumped up enough to write about 3 000 words on it. Sales and use permit business tax certificate and many others. A dba just means doing business as it usually only costs 25 and is a simple one page form where you say that jim harmer is doing business as jim harmer photography or improve photography or whatever business name i chose.

Open a business checking account. I l o v e the business side of photography business. You can register your business with the state of california here. However with a photography business it s really important to have someone on your side who knows the ins and outs of tax law as it pertains to businesses. What you name your business will become the brand image so choose a name that fits the type of photography you want to do.

Tempting as it may be you can t just create a logo in photoshop elements print up some business cards from vista print and create a wix website though many do. Create a business name. Once you ve made the decision to start a photography business there are a few important things you need to have in place to legitimize it. If you want to take kid portraits you can have a whimsical name but if you want to do business photography or weddings you ll want something that sounds professional or elegant. A brief overview of the following types of legal business structures available in california can be found on our entity types website.

There s a part of business that even i the photography business guy hate. I ll be honest with you. If you want to be a legal and legitimate business here are five things you need to do. San diego california requires the following licenses and permits as a photographic services business. If you are in the us this is a great resource to let you know which pertain to your photography business.

It s worth it to seek out a qualified tax professional as they ll often save you more money than you re paying them and you have the peace of mind knowing that everything is being. The most common mistake for beginners is to operate a business as a sole proprietorship meaning there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business. You will need to open a separate bank account for your photography business with your new business name. You need to register a dba with your secretary of state. The california business investment services unit provides tailored site selection services for businesses real estate executives and site selection consultants.