how do i get a vendors licence?

can anyone tell me how to acuire a vendors licence to sell small reptiles.
in n.h and in m.a. im having trouble finding info online. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Hello just read your post about vendors license...A while back I was pondering on whether to get a retail/vendors license took the time to ask my lawyer about it and here's what he told me . The license is not hard to obtain from IRS, but the question is how much money are you planning to make with a vendors license? Unless it's a substantial amount the only thing your license will do will allow the IRS to track your yearly spendings and try to make sure that your not making under the table money by throwing an audit at your new established small business operation when ever they see fit My lawyer told me that I'd be better off selling things like you would a litter of pups in a newspaper or just do like most and take things to a swap meet and sell outright no taxes involved... The only thing I'd possibly want a retail license for is to buy things at wholesale price in order to be a licensed vendor but like stated watch out for the dreaded taxman

Kinda crummy advice if you ask me!

I agree there is no need for a vendor license if you are selling one or two leos as a one time deal, but if you are selling more, then you should get one to stay on the right side of the law. I don't like paying taxes anymore then anyone else here, but that's the price you have to pay for living in the good ol' USA. Unless you plan to do CASH for EVERY transaction in person ONLY, the IRS can (and eventually will) find out that you aren't reporting your income. I believe they are getting much more strict about reporting all sources of income starting this year, no matter how little that source might be (I heard even things like garage sales?). Also, you MUST show a profit 3 out of every 5 years. On the upside, you get to deduct business expenses such as: travel/hotel/fees for doing a show, feeding costs, if you have a dedicated room in your house for business then that can be deducted as well (talk to your tax adviser about this one, you might not want to do it for several reasons), etc. The list is quite extensive.

There shouldn't be a reason to fear an audit if you keep your bookkeeping straight. It's just a pain in the rear end!

I don't have one yet, but will be getting one next year when I start selling. I don't know exactly where to direct you, but most states have an official website for the government - I would start there.

Every state is different. In mine is costs $25 for a Retail Merchant Certificate and I got it from the Indiana Department of Revenue. This allows me to sell at shows, from my home, to other businesses... hell, even door to door if I wanted to, etc.

25$ flat fee?..how much does it cost to keep renued and such?

You need to review your state and local ordinances concerning retail sales. They very greatly from place to place. Standard rule though, a state resales license costs a minimal amount ($25 - $50) and allows you to purchase resellable supplies without paying sales tax as well as perform retail sales completely above board.

I seriously doubt the IRS is going to come pounding at your door for the sale of a dozen geckos, but it is an individual choice on how much to report to the federal government.

Originally Posted by neatochickens27

25$ flat fee?..how much does it cost to keep renued and such?

In Indiana, nothing. Like I said, and dwed, it can vary greatly from state to state. Just call your state Department of Revenue. They should be able to answer all specifics.

To sell animals you may need a special permit/license (pet dealers license in some states). You may need to contact your state's Dept. of Natural Resources, you may want to ask someone who runs a petshop in your locale. To sell stuff at shows or such some states do not rquire a license. As far as the IRS is concerned as long as you aren't blatant they usually don't notice...I always keep receipts should the IRS come visiting, but becuase of the way I have structured my sales I get to (legally) avoid paying the way over priced pet dealers licensing fee here in GA. And to be truthful the IRS basically sees 99% of the people in this business as "hobbyist" because there will not be any "profit" to tax. If you plan on forming any type of corporation you will need to consult with your attorney on those tax/licensing issues.

thanks everyone. i think im gonna get a license. not right this second but i will now how to by december when im ready. thanks for all opinions and help again. eric