Cleaning Service Permit Requirements in Bismarck, ND

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. North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner — Sales and Use Tax Permit

   Required for any business selling taxable goods or services in North Dakota. The state sales tax rate is 5% for most retail sales, and cities and counties may levy additional local sales and use taxes that vary by location — check the Tax Commissioner’s local tax rate listings for your address. Apply for the permit in ND TAP, the state’s Taxpayer Access Point.

   Official government source

   Free·Apply through ND TAP at least 30 days before you open for business, as the Tax Commissioner advises.

   Free

   Apply through ND TAP at least 30 days before you open for business, as the Tax Commissioner advises.

2. North Dakota Workers’ Compensation Coverage (WSI)

   North Dakota law requires nearly all employers to insure every employee — full-time, part-time, seasonal and occasional — before that person starts work. Coverage must be bought from North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance: WSI is the sole provider and administrator of workers’ compensation in the state, and North Dakota law does not allow private insurers to underwrite it. A sole proprietor with no employees is not required to cover themselves but may buy optional coverage. Operating without required coverage can bring penalties up to $10,000 plus $100 a day, and premium may never be deducted from an employee’s wages.

   Official government source

   Premium is set by WSI from your payroll and industry classification rather than a fixed schedule; request a quote through WSI.·Coverage must be in place before an employee starts work; accounts can be opened online with WSI.

   Premium is set by WSI from your payroll and industry classification rather than a fixed schedule; request a quote through WSI.

   Coverage must be in place before an employee starts work; accounts can be opened online with WSI.

1. No General Business License in Bismarck

   The City of Bismarck states plainly that it does not presently have a general business license. Certain occupations do require a license or permit specific to that use — building permits, food service, gaming, liquor sales, excavation and concrete work, taxi operations, and Fire Department permits among them — and the State of North Dakota licenses some occupations separately. Check whether your specific activity is regulated rather than assuming a general license applies. There is no City Clerk business license.

   Official government source

   No fee — Bismarck issues no general business license. Activity-specific permits carry their own fees.·Not applicable

   No fee — Bismarck issues no general business license. Activity-specific permits carry their own fees.

   Not applicable

2. Bismarck Home Occupation Permit and North Dakota Trade Name Registration

   A cleaning service run from your home in Bismarck needs a Home Occupation permit from the City of Bismarck Building Inspections Division. If you use a trade name, register it with the North Dakota Secretary of State through FirstStop — North Dakota has no county-level DBA filing, and Burleigh County's office is a Recorder, not a clerk that accepts business names.

   Official government source

   $25 for the Bismarck Home Occupation permit plus $25 for the ND Secretary of State trade name registration·1–2 weeks

   $25 for the Bismarck Home Occupation permit plus $25 for the ND Secretary of State trade name registration

   1–2 weeks

Official Sources

• City of Bismarck City Clerk
• North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner — Sales Tax Permit

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