Federal Government Business Registration

Use the chart below to determine which state and federal agencies require registration of your Colorado business:

Business Registration
Internal Revenue Service & State of Colorado
Source: The Colorado Business Resource Guide

Federal Government – Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Every business must be identified by either a Social Security number or a federal tax identification number, also known as a FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) or EIN (Employer Identification Number), Form SS-4. This number is the basis for all deposits and report filings.

Sole Proprietors generally use their Social Security number for filing. If you are a Colorado Sole Proprietorship with employees, you need to apply for a FEIN. Those forming businesses under structures such as General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Corporation, Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Limited Partnership Association (LPA), and Non-Profit Organization use a FEIN.

IRS - General Information
1 (800) 829-1040
www.irs.gov

IRS - Online Employer ID Number (EIN)
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102766,00.html

Any entity that has registered the same or similar trade/business name higher than the state may have a claim that supersedes your own. To gather additional information at the federal level go to:

Federal Government – General Information/Trade Names & Trade Marks
http://www.uspto.gov/

Federal Government – Trade Names & Trade Marks Search
Go to “Where do I start?” Under “Searching Trade Marks”, click on TESS.
Select “New User Form Search (Basic).
http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

Colorado Trade Name & Trade Mark Information (Colorado Business Resource Guide)
http://www.state.co.us/oed/guide/pdf/Guide15_TrademkPatents.pdf

Colorado Trade Name & Trade Mark Information (entrepreneur.com)
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,278267,00.html