Idaho Sole Proprietorship

How to Become an Idaho Sole Proprietor

In Idaho, becoming a sole proprietor is simple. There’s no formal setup process or fees. To run an Idaho sole proprietorship, just start working. But even though it’s easy to start, there are some extra steps you might want to consider. While not necessary, many sole proprietors find them helpful.

DBA Acquisition

An Idaho doing business as (DBA) name is a crucial part of many sole proprietorships, as it enables you to use an assumed name for your business, rather than your own personal name. The advantages of acquiring a DBA start with image ― most customers feel that an assumed name is more professional and trustworthy than doing business with a company that uses its owner’s personal name instead.

That said, sole proprietors can sign up for a business bank account using their DBA name, which is another step that goes a long way toward making customers feel more comfortable doing business with you.

You will begin the process of acquiring your Idaho DBA by running a business search to see if your business name is open for use. If your desired DBA is available, you can then file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Idaho Secretary of State.

If you require further instruction on how to complete this process, you can consult our more detailed guide dedicated to the topic of how to get an Idaho DBA.

Determine Taxation Requirements

Sole proprietors without employees usually don’t need to acquire a federal tax ID number (EIN), because as a one-person business, you can typically just use your own social security number for most things an EIN is used for. Still, if you would rather not use your SSN for privacy purposes, it would be a good idea to get an EIN regardless.

Beyond that, the nature of your business will determine which taxes apply to you as a sole proprietor.

Sales and use tax is a common type of tax that applies to retail sales, rentals, and other business activities. You may also need to pay other industry-specific taxes, such as excise taxes on alcohol or tobacco sales. To determine which types of taxes may apply to your business, you should register with the Idaho Tax Commission’s Taxpayer Access Point and consult its list of business-specific taxes.

Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

There isn’t a requirement in Idaho for sole proprietors to acquire a general business license, but depending on the nature of your business you may need other licenses and/or permits to operate in a compliant fashion.

Idaho requires businesses that engage in certain activities to obtain licenses or permits to operate legally, so you should consult the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses to see whether you will need a license for your business.

In addition, you should check to see if your business needs any licenses or permits on the local level.

All of Idaho’s largest cities – namely Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello – have their own requirements, so you should check to see if you need any local licenses or permits.

What Is an Idaho Sole Proprietor?

As opposed to a corporation or Idaho limited liability company (LLC), the sole proprietorship is not a legal business entity. The sole proprietorship is a one-person business that is not considered to be a distinct entity from the person who owns it, and it is frequently operated using the owner’s personal name.

Here are the three main things you need to know:

Tax Responsibilities

Because there’s no distinction between the owner and the business itself, sole proprietors don’t need to file business tax returns ― they instead simply claim any business profits or losses on their personal tax returns.

Contracts

Sole proprietors are allowed to sign contracts using their personal name, and along those same lines, customers can write checks to the business by using the sole proprietor’s name.

More Flexible

The other big difference between sole proprietorships and more formal business structures is the fact that sole proprietors are allowed to commingle business and personal assets as much as they want to. With LLCs and corporations, ownership is required to keep their assets separate from those of the company. The downside of this aspect for sole proprietors is that if your business is sued, creditors are free to pursue your personal assets like your house, car, personal bank accounts, etc. For corporations and LLCs, creditors are limited to your business assets.