There are many steps to starting a business. Each state has its own setof laws and requirements regarding the formation of business entities.The following links will take you to general and state-specificinformation about how to form a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, corporation, and nonprofit organization.

• Becoming a Sole Proprietor:  You become a sole proprietor automatically when you go into business for yourself.  This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to ensure that your sole proprietorship is in compliance with applicable laws.

• Forming a Partnership:  This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to form a partnership in compliance with applicable laws.

• Forming an LLC:  This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to form an LLC in compliance with applicable laws.

• Forming an L3C: This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to form an L3C in compliance with applicable laws.

• Forming a Cooperative Corporation: This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to form a cooperative corporation in compliance with applicable laws.

• Forming a Corporation:  This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to form a corporation in compliance with applicable laws.

• Forming a Nonprofit Corporation:  This section outlines general and state-specific steps you need to take to form a corporation in compliance with applicable laws.