Tutoring Business Permit Requirements in Indianapolis, IN

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property at retail in Indiana. Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no additional local sales tax. Register online via INBiz.

   Official government source

   $25 one-time registration fee·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 one-time registration fee

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

1. Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services — Business License

   Indianapolis (Marion County) has no general business license and no product called a 'Commercial Zoning Certificate.' DBNS licenses only specific business types by ordinance (e.g., massage establishments $177, kennels/pet shops/stables $200, hotels, pawnbrokers). Most business types listed here do not require any Indianapolis business license — check DBNS's Business Licenses list for your specific type.

   Official government source

   N/A for most business types; specific licensed types have individual fees (e.g., $177–$200)·N/A

   N/A for most business types; specific licensed types have individual fees (e.g., $177–$200)

   N/A

2. Certificate of Assumed Business Name (DBA) — Marion County Recorder

   If you operate under a trade name, record a Certificate of Assumed Business Name (DBA) with the Marion County Recorder's Office before accepting payments or jobs under that name; many banks and lenders require it. The document must be notarized, meet the county's recording requirements, and include the correct fee. You can record it in person, by mail, or electronically through the county's third-party e-recording portal. An LLC or corporation operating under a different name registers that name with the Indiana Secretary of State instead.

   Official government source

   $35 — the Marion County Recorder's flat fee for "deeds and all other documents", which explicitly includes a DBA, plus $5 for each additional page exceeding 8.5" x 14". Recording fees are set by the Indiana General Assembly under IC 36-2-7-10 and differ by county.·No processing time is published. In-person filings are recorded at the counter; mail and e-recording are also accepted, and the e-recording provider charges its own service fee.

   $35 — the Marion County Recorder's flat fee for "deeds and all other documents", which explicitly includes a DBA, plus $5 for each additional page exceeding 8.5" x 14". Recording fees are set by the Indiana General Assembly under IC 36-2-7-10 and differ by county.

   No processing time is published. In-person filings are recorded at the counter; mail and e-recording are also accepted, and the e-recording provider charges its own service fee.

Official Sources

• Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services
• Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

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