Personal Trainer Permit Requirements in Portland, OR

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

1. Oregon Secretary of State Business Registration

   All formal business entities (LLC, corporation) operating in Oregon must register with the Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon does not require a state license specifically for personal trainers, but business entity registration is required for LLCs and corporations.

   Official government source

   $100 (LLC filing fee)·1–2 weeks

   $100 (LLC filing fee)

   1–2 weeks

2. Oregon Department of Revenue Business Tax Registration

   Oregon has no general sales tax and no general Department of Revenue business registration — most businesses simply file Oregon income/excise tax returns. Register with DOR only for specific tax programs: payroll withholding (Business Identification Number) if you hire employees; the Corporate Activity Tax, which requires registration within 30 days once Oregon commercial activity exceeds $750,000 in a year (tax applies above $1 million); and, for self-employed individuals working in the Portland-area TriMet district (or Eugene-area Lane Transit District), the transit self-employment tax filed with DOR.

   Official government source

   Free (registration only; taxes vary)·1 week

   Free (registration only; taxes vary)

   1 week

1. City of Portland Business License Tax Registration (Revenue Division)

   Portland has no flat-fee general business license. All businesses operating in Portland - including sole proprietors and home-based businesses - must register for the City of Portland Business License Tax with the Revenue Division within 60 days of starting business. Registration is free. The tax is 2.6% of net business income with a $100 minimum, filed annually on a combined return with the Multnomah County Business Income Tax (2% of net income; gross receipts under $100,000 are exempt from the county tax). Businesses with gross receipts under $75,000 (tax years beginning in 2026; rising to $100,000 in 2027) are exempt from the city tax but must still register. The Metro Supportive Housing Services 1% business income tax applies only to businesses with gross receipts over $5 million.

   Official government source

   Free to register; no annual license fee. Tax: 2.6% of net income ($100 minimum) only if gross receipts exceed $75,000 (2026 threshold; $100,000 from 2027)·1–2 weeks

   Free to register; no annual license fee. Tax: 2.6% of net income ($100 minimum) only if gross receipts exceed $75,000 (2026 threshold; $100,000 from 2027)

   1–2 weeks

2. Certificate of Occupancy (if opening a studio)

   If you open a dedicated training studio and the space needs tenant improvements or a change of the building's use or occupancy classification, a permit from Portland Permitting & Development (PPD, formerly BDS) is required - even where no alterations are planned, a change-of-occupancy permit documents the new use. Training clients at their homes or in an existing gym requires nothing from PPD.

   Official government source

   Permit fees are valuation-based; confirm with PPD·3–8 weeks

   Permit fees are valuation-based; confirm with PPD

   3–8 weeks

Official Sources

• City of Portland Revenue Division — Business License
• Oregon Secretary of State — Business Registration
• City of Portland Bureau of Development Services — Permits

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