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Over 170 federal, state, and local agencies license, tax, or regulate various
business activities in Idaho. This page contains information about the major
agencies affecting businesses in Idaho.
To obtain a customized list of all the agencies you may need to contact for your specific business activity, visit the
Business
Wizard on this site. After you answer five questions, the interactive Wizard will create a list of agencies, phone numbers,
website links, and
links to forms you may need.
If you know of a business activity that is licensed or regulated or a regulating
agency that should be included on this site but is not, please let us know
by sending a message via the Email Us button at the
top of the page.
The following are the primary regulating,
taxing and/or licensing agencies in Idaho. For specific information, click on
the agency's name.
 B ureau
of Occupational Licenses
The Bureau serves as the initial contact point for applicants seeking
licensing in a variety of occupations. The Bureau administers
examinations, issues licenses, processes license renewals, and provides
investigative services to the following occupational licensing boards:
- Acupuncturists
- Architects
- Athlete Agents
- Athletic Commission
- Barbers, Barber Shops and Schools
- Chiropractors
- Contractors
- Cosmetologists/Hair Dressers, Salons and Schools
- Counselors/Marriage and Family Therapists
- Denturists (not dentists)
- Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals
- Driver's Education Instructors and Businesses
- Electrologists/Esthetitians (through the
Cosmetology Board)
- Geologists
- Landscape Architects
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Professionals
- Massage Therapists
- Midwives (excluding nurse midwives who are
licensed by the ID Board of Nursing)
- Morticians/Funeral Directors/Funeral
Homes/Mortuaries/Crematories
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Occupational Therapists
- Optometrists
- Physical Therapists
- Podiatrists
- Psychologists
- Real Estate Appraisers
- Residential Care Facility Administrators
- Shorthand Reporters
- Social Workers
- Speech and Hearing Service Providers/Hearing Aid
Dealers and Fitters/Audiologists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
The Bureau's website
is
http://ibol.idaho.gov/IBOL/Home.aspx.
Not all licensing boards contract with the Bureau.
If your profession or business activity requires a license but is not listed above, do
a search of the Business
Wizard or visit
http://www.accessidaho.org/business/licensing.html
to find the website of the state agency or
professional organization that regulates your industry.
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Idaho Department of
Agriculture
The Department of Agriculture oversees activities
involving:
- Farming
- Ranching
- Livestock and other animals, including
feed lots, domestic cervidae
(elk, deer) production and artificial insemination
- Livestock markets/sales yards/auctions
- Rendering Plants
- Animal diseases
- Dairies, including production and
distribution
- Aquaculture
- Food production, including egg production and
agricultural field inspections
- Animal feed producers and sales
- Produce dealers, including seed and commodity dealers
- Hops and potato inspections for USDA
- Rangeland Management
- Crop residue disposal and field burning
- Farmers' markets and other seasonal activities involving
food, such as pumpkin patches and u-pick farms
- Specialty foods preparation and marketing
- Nurseries (plant) and florists
- Noxious weeds and insects and plant diseases
- Pesticides and chemigration, including licensing
pesticide applicators
- Organic certification
- Bee keeping
- Agricultural imports and exports - international
- Animal and product imports across state lines,
including domestic animals such as cats, dogs and
birds
- Weights, scales, and other measuring and metering devices,
including gasoline pumps
- Warehouses and other commodity storage facilities
The Department's website
is http://www.agri.idaho.gov/.
Idaho Department of Commerce
The Department of Commerce is a
business advocacy agency whose mission is to support Idaho businesses and
communities and
help expand markets. The agency's services include:
- Business relocation assistance
- Census and income data by community
and county
- Community and economic
development programs
- Travel, recreation and
tourism promotion
- Film industry promotion
- International trade assistance
- Government contracting assistance
- Technology transfer (Idaho
Innovation Council)
For information, visit the agency's
website at http://commerce.idaho.gov.
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Idaho
Department of Environmental Quality
 The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is
responsible for implementing environmental
protection laws and programs for the state of Idaho. DEQ manages a broad
range of activities, including:
-
Regulating facilities and processes that generate air, water, soil
and/or noise pollution
-
Monitoring the quality of Idaho's environment,
including hazardous waste handling and disposal
-
Supervising clean up
of contaminated sites and waste remediation, including
managing the Idaho Brownfield Revitalization Program
-
Providing education and technical assistance to
businesses, local and state government agencies, and
interested citizens
The DEQ's website, http://www.deq.idaho.gov/,
contains information about air, water, soil, and waste
programs; permits and regulations, and numerous helpful
publications. To locate your nearest DEQ office, visit
http://www.deq.idaho.gov/regional-offices-issues.aspx.
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Idaho Department of Finance
 The Department of
Finance
oversees a significant portion of the financial
services industry in Idaho through three operating bureaus: Securities,
Consumer Finance, and Financial Institutions. Each bureau delivers
services in both a regulatory capacity and as a consumer protection and
education advocate.
The Securities Bureau oversees:
-
Issuance and sale of
securities (stocks, bonds, notes, partnership and membership units,
etc.)
-
Stockbrokers,
broker-dealers, and investment/financial advisors
-
Money transmitters
-
Continuing care and long-term care facilities for the
elderly or incapacitated
-
Endowed care cemeteries
The Consumer Finance Bureau
regulates:
-
Mortgage brokers and
lenders, loan originators and processors, escrow agencies, mortgage
loan underwriters, mortgage companies
-
Finance and consumer loan companies
-
Consumer credit and debt counselors
-
Collection agencies and agents
-
Credit repair agencies and agents
-
Payday loan companies
-
Title loan companies
-
Debt buyers
The Financial Institutions
Bureau provides oversight and supervision for:
-
State chartered banks,
credit unions, and savings banks
-
State domiciled trust
companies
-
Idaho business and
industrial development corporations
-
Independent trust companies
The Department's
website is http://finance.idaho.gov or
contact them at (208) 332-8000 or toll-free within Idaho at 1-888-346-3378.
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Idaho Department of Insurance
The Department of Insurance collects premium
taxes from insurance companies doing business in Idaho. The amount
of the tax varies by the type of insurance and other considerations.
For information and rates, contact the Department at
(208)334-4250, or visit their website at http://www.doi.idaho.gov.
The Department licenses the following:
- Insurance agents and adjusters
- Title
insurance agencies
- Third party insurance producers
- Fire marshals
- Fire
sprinkler installers
- Fireworks wholesalers and importers
- Bail bond agents
The department also investigates cases of suspected insurance fraud.
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Idaho
Department of Lands
The Department of Lands manages state lands and
activities occurring on them, including:
- Mining
- Grazing
- Crop production
- Forest management
- Timber sales and logging
- Navigable water issues
- Oil and gas exploration
- Wind energy and geothermal production
- Fire
management
- Cottage site leases
For information, visit
http://www.idl.idaho.gov.
To find your nearest IDL office, visit
http://www.idl.idaho.gov/areas.htm.
Idaho Department of Labor
The Department of Labor is a business consulting organization with
the dual purposes of assisting
businesses in solving employment and training related challenges and helping
employees with career transitions, including:
- Unemployment issues
- Training and education of displaced
workers
- New Hire reporting
- Wage and hour issues
- Labor market information
- Employment posters
- Farm labor contractor licensing
Services are provided at
no cost (costs are pre-paid through business Federal
Unemployment Taxes) through Department of Labor offices
located throughout the state. To find your nearest
office, see
http://labor.idaho.gov/dnn/idl/Home/LocalOfficeLinks/tabid/691/Default.aspx. The Department's
website is http://labor.idaho.gov.
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Idaho
Industrial Commission
The Idaho Industrial Commission administers
Idaho's Workers’ Compensation Law. The Commission
works with employers to ensure that all employees working in Idaho are covered by workers’ compensation
insurance unless they are specifically exempt by state
law. For a description of exempt occupations, click
on the Workers' Compensation Exemptions
box to the right.
The Commission also monitors and audits workers’
compensation benefit claims and conducts judicial
proceedings or
mediation on disputed claims.
Rehabilitation
services are available for workers injured on the job. For
information visit http://www.iic.idaho.gov/publications/rd_guide_for_employers.pdf
and http://www.iic.idaho.gov/publications/rd_benefits_injured_workers.pdf.
Large firms that are able to self-insure their workers'
comp insurance pay their
premium taxes to the Industrial Commission (not the
Idaho Department of Insurance).
To
find an Idaho Industrial Commission regional office near you, click on
the box to the right. The Commission's website is http://www.iic.idaho.gov.
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Idaho
Secretary of State
 The
Idaho Secretary of
State’s office oversees the following business activities:
- Business Entity Registration -
registers business entities, such as Partnerships, Corporations, and
Limited Liability Companies, and any legal changes the businesses may
incur (change of ownership, name, address, etc.). For information on
business entities recognized in Idaho and links to forms, visit the Legal
Structure/DBAs page on this website.
- Assumed Business Names -
registers Assumed Business Names (also called DBA or Doing Business As).
Anyone conducting business in Idaho must register the business name
and entity type before engaging in business
activities. Information is available about other companies who may
be using, or have previously used, the ABN you are considering using. For detailed information, visit the Legal
Structure/DBAs page on this website.
- Trademarks - A trademark is a word, name, symbol, or
device, or any combination thereof, used by a person or business to
identify and distinguish services or goods, including a unique
product or service. Trademarks can be registered at the state,
national, and international levels. The Secretary of State registers
trademarks used by businesses in Idaho.
For more information about trademarks visit the
Hot Topics
page on this website.
- Notaries - The Secretary
of State appoints Notaries (aka Notary Public).
Visit http://www.sos.idaho.gov/notary/npindex.htm
for information about fees, rules & regulations, and other important
facts for notaries and potential notaries.
- Lobbyists - professional
lobbyists must register with the Secretary of State's office and file
regular reports, including financial reports. For information, see http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/lobbyist/lobinfo.htm.
- UCC/Liens - UCC, or
the Uniform Commercial Code, enables a person or business to perfect a security
interest (secure a financial interest) in a business, equipment,
property, or other items owned by another party. This service is used when
money is owed to the party perfecting the security interest. For
more information, see the explanation in
the Glossary on this website. You can search for business lien filings in Idaho at https://www.accessidaho.org/secure/sos/liens/search.html.
To begin the process to prefect a security interest in the property of
a person or
business, visit http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ucc/uccindex.htm.
The
Secretary of State's website is
http://www.sos.idaho.gov
or call (208) 334-2300.
Idaho
State Police
The following Idaho State
Police divisions oversee business activities:
ISP also oversees the Idaho Post Academy, the
training center for police and correctional officers,
probation and parole officers, and other law enforcement
personnel. The POST website is
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/hr/trooper_info/training.html.
Idaho State Tax Commission
The Idaho State Tax Commission administers
state tax laws, including collecting state taxes
and issuing tax permits. They also provide tax information and
education to the public.
On the Commission's website,
tax.idaho.gov,
you will find on-line filing options, downloadable forms
and publications, answers to commonly asked questions,
and more.
Telephone help is available at (208) 334-7660 in the
Boise area or (800) 972-7660 toll free. The Boise office
also offers daily walk-in service.
Tax Commission offices in
Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Twin Falls, Pocatello, and
Idaho Falls offer limited customer service by
appointment.
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Idaho
Transportation Department The Idaho Transportation
Department licenses:
- Drivers
- Motor vehicles
- Commercial vehicles (trucks, busses)
- Motorcycles
- Recreational vehicles
- Motorized boats
- Auto and boat dealers
ITD issues:
- Commercial
driver's licenses
- Trip permits
- Over-legal permits
- Hazardous material endorsements
ITD also operates ports of entry throughout
the state. The
agency's websites are
http://www.itd.idaho.gov/dmv/cvs/cv.htm
and
http://trucking.idaho.gov/.
For
a list of offices issuing driver's licenses, visit http://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/driverservices/Sheriff.htm.
For a list of offices that license vehicles, visit http://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/vehicleservices/assessor.htm.The
Division of Aeronautics registers airplanes, pilots, and
airplane dealers and regulates activities occurring at airports in Idaho.
For information, visit http://itd.idaho.gov/aero/Airmen-Aircraft/Airmen-Aircraft%20Reg.htm.ITD
also regulates the placement of permanent signs
and billboards
along highways. To apply to place a tourist-oriented sign along a highway
use the form found at http://itd.idaho.gov/row/new/docs/ITD0275%20TODS%20APPLICATION.pdf
Internal
Revenue Service
 The Internal Revenue Service's
website, http://www.irs.gov, is an
easy-to-use resource to help with all your federal personal and business
tax needs. It contains information on tax forms and publications, tax
statistics, tax regulations, taxpayer help and education, IRS news,
electronic services, and more. A special section is devoted to tax
practitioners and professionals. Contact the IRS
through their website or by calling toll-free 1-800-829-1040 for personal
tax questions or contact the Business and Specialty Tax Help Line at
1-800-829-4933.
The IRS issues Employer Identification Numbers (EIN), also called
tax
identification numbers or tax ID numbers. To obtain an EIN, visit http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98350,00.html.
You will need an EIN if you have employees, make retail sales, or do
business with corporations and government agencies. Your bank may also
require you to obtain an EIN. If you offer employee health insurance,
you will need an EIN as your National Standard Employer
Identification number for electronic claims reporting.
For more on EINs visit the
Glossary section of this site.
To learn more about the taxes your small business may be required to pay and to locate forms and
publications, visit the small business and self-employed section of the
IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html
or visit
IRS
One-Stop Resource Guide for Small Businesses
on this
site.
Information
about specific state and federal taxes your
business may be required to pay can be found on the Taxes
section of this website.
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Idaho Division of Building
Safety
The Division licenses:
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- HVAC
technicians
- Public works contractors and
employees
- Construction managers
- Manufactured and modular housing manufacturers, retailers,
resellers, sales persons, service
companies, installers
The
agency also issues permits to
contractors and homeowners to
perform electrical, plumbing or HVAC
work, both new installation and
replacements.
DBS also:
- Inspects and
certifies elevators
- Inspects and
certifies boilers and pressure vessels
- Oversees
logging safety
- Issues permits for
the rehabilitation of older mobile
homes
For information, visit their website at
http://dbs.idaho.gov.
To find your nearest DBS office, visit
http://dbs.idaho.gov/about/contact.html.
Occupational
Safety & Health Administration
 OSHA is
the division of the U.S. Department of Labor
that regulates working conditions and
produces the "OSHA Handbook for Small Businesses." For
information, visit their website at http://www.osha.gov.
The Idaho office of
OSHA is located in Boise and may be reached by calling (208)
321-2960 or toll free (in Idaho) 800-482-1370.
The Idaho Occupational
Safety & Health Consultation Program, located at Boise State
University, assists small
businesses to achieve compliance with OSHA safety and health
regulations. Safety and industrial hygiene consultants will assess a
business and develop a confidential written report of recommendations to
help the business comply with OSHA requirements. They do not issue citations or
assess penalties if issues are found. The business owner's only obligation is to correct all serious
hazards within a reasonable time. Services
are free.
To schedule a consultation,
contact the office at (208) 426-3283, send an e-mail to consultation@boisestate.edu,
or visit their website,
http://oshcon.boisestate.edu/.
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U.S. Department of Labor
 The U.S. Department of Labor regulates working conditions,
wages, and payment practices. These activities are governed by the Wage
and Hour Division, which publishes the "Handy Reference Guide to the
Fair Labor Standards Act."
For information on
U.S. DOL programs, visit their website at
http://www.dol.gov.
If your business employs teen-agers, visit http://www.youthrules.dol.gov.
The U.S. DOL offers programs to train and support homeless
individuals and agencies working with the homeless to
improve their employability. For information,
visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/audience/aud-homeless.htm.
The DOL also offers programs for women, veterans,
Spanish speaking workers, the disabled, and others. For
information, visit
http://www.dol.gov/dol/audience/index.htm.
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Bureau
of Citizenship and Immigration Services
Federal law requires that everyone working in a business, including the
owners, must have a
legal right to work in the United States. For information that may apply to your
business and requirements you will need to meet, visit the Employer Issues
section of this website and choose "Legal Right to
Work in the U.S."
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Local
Agencies
Numerous city and county agencies may license or regulate business
activities in your area. Licensing requirements vary depending on the
city or county in which your business is located and whether the
business is located within the city limits or in the county. Since Ada
County and Boise City have some of the most comprehensive licensing
requirements in the state, links to their agency websites are listed
below. By visiting the sites, you will learn what activities are
regulated in Boise and Ada County; then you can contact your local city
or county agencies to determine whether similar licensing requirements
or regulations apply where your business is located. Local
regulating agencies include, but are not limited to:
- City Planning and Development Services - city planning and zoning,
business signs, city building permits, renovation permits, occupancy
permits, historic
preservation, design reviews, code enforcement -
http://pds.cityofboise.org/
- County Development Services - county planning and zoning, land use, county
building permits, historic preservation in unincorporated areas of a
county - http://www.adaweb.net/DevelopmentServices.aspx
- County Assessor - assesses and collects property taxes on your business property, equipment
and real estate; issues motor vehicle and driver's licenses; maintains land records - http://www.adaweb.net/Assessor.aspx
- County Solid Waste Management - waste and trash disposal, including old
computers, medical waste, paint, chemicals, pesticides and other potentially hazardous materials
- http://www.adaweb.net/SolidWasteManagement.aspx
For information on managing small business hazardous waste, visit http://www.adaweb.net/SolidWasteManagement/HazardousWaste/ManageSmBusinessHHWaste.aspx
- City Public Works Department - restaurant sewer and
grease traps, site drainage issues, street lights, sewer hookups and
extensions and more http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Public_Works/PDF/FOGBMPbrochure.pdf
- County Highway Department - asssses impact fees
for locations with street frontage, regulates sidewalk cafes
(http://www.achdidaho.org/Forms/Docs/Sidewalk_cafe_guidelines.pdf)and
more -
http://www.achdidaho.org/.
- City Clerk’s Office - issues business licenses, occupancy permits, eating
and drinking permits, alcohol permits, special events permits (parades, festivals,
etc.), vendor/temporary solicitor permits, and more -
http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/City_Clerk/BusinessLicensing/?nav=homeBbl
To find a list of City Clerk's offices in all
incorporated cities in Idaho,
click here: City Clerks.
Very small communities may not have city government
offices if they are not incorporated. If you cannot find
information for your community, look for information
for your county. To find your county's
website, visit the website of the Idaho Association of
Counties at
http://www.idcounties.org/index.aspx?nid=179
or call the Association at (208)
345-9126.
Regional Health
Departments
Idaho's seven regional health departments inspect and
license:
- Eating and drinking establishments
- Commercial
kitchens
- Day care centers for children and
vulnerable adults
- Public swimming pools
- Septic tank
installation
- Wastewater treatment facilities
- other business
activities that may affect the public health
To find the location
of your nearest health department
click
here.
Alcoholic
Beverage Licensing
If you plan to sell or serve alcoholic beverages,
including beer and wine, you need to contact the agencies listed below. As
part of the licensing process, you must undergo a background
check and be fingerprinted. See
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/BCI/index.html
for information.
For general information
on the requirements to obtain an alcohol or beer and
wine license and the order in which the permits must be obtained, visit the
website of the
Boise
City Clerk's office. Also check with your local city
or county to find out if additional requirements apply
in your area.
To sell or serve liquor by the drink,
contact the following agencies:
If you plan to sell alcohol by the bottle, you
will need to contact the Idaho
State Liquor Division in addition to the above agencies.
Only businesses having a
permanent physical retail location where the majority of their retail business
occurs can apply for an alcohol or beer and wine license. Businesses cannot be located
within 300 feet of a school or 150 feet of a church or hospital. Caterers
who do not serve alcohol at their primary business location cannot obtain a
license to serve it at off-site events.
Breweries, wineries, importers, exporters, distributors,
wholesalers, and those who warehouse alcoholic beverages, including
beer and wine, must be licensed both Federally and locally. For
information and to apply for a license, contact the U.S. Department of the Treasury,
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Labeling and advertising
must also be approved by this agency.
Wine direct shippers: Businesses that ship
wine directly to consumers need to obtain a wine license
and a direct shippers permit from the ID
Department of Law Enforcement, Alcohol Beverage Control,
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/abc/inc/documents/IdahoWineDirectShippingRequirements.pdf.
An Idaho sales tax permit and
an Idaho wine tax permit must also be obtained from the
ID State Tax Commission
using application forms IBR-1 and BWA.
Off-site delivery of wine or beer:
Licensed retailers who make wine and/or beer deliveries must comply with
the requirements found at
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/abc/inc/documents/OffPremiseAlcoholDeliveryRequirements.pdf.
Beer kegs: Retailers
who sell kegs to unlicensed individuals and groups must
obtain a special receipt for the purchase. See
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/abc/inc/documents/KegForm.pdf.
Winery-sponsored events:
Wineries that sponsor special events open to the public,
such as concerts, must obtain a special event permit
from the Alcohol Beverage Control Division of the Idaho
Department of Law Enforcement. Private events, such as
wedding receptions, do not need a permit. For
information, contact Idaho State Police at
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/abc/index.html.
Charitable events: To obtain a temporary permit to serve beer or wine at
a charitable event lasting 3 days or less contact the
ID
Department of Law Enforcement, Alcohol Beverage Control
Division. The applicant must not hold a current beer
or wine permit and all proceeds from sales must be
donated to the charity.
Application
Requirements: The following documents are
required when applying for an alcoholic
beverage license:
- Completed application form, including a copy of
applicant's retail beer license
- Fingerprint cards
- Fees to cover the cost of a criminal background
check for each person listed
on the application
- A copy of the lease agreement or proof of
ownership of the property where the alcohol will be
served and a detailed description of the premises
- Names and addresses of all persons having a
financial interest in the business and its facility,
including mortgage holders, lease holders and silent
partners, but excluding holders of open trade
accounts
- A copy of your city or county building occupancy permit
- A copy of your most recent facility health inspection
- A copy of your business's entity registration
documents filed with the Idaho Secretary of State
(articles of incorporation, partnership agreement,
etc.)
- Proof of current zoning approval from your city or county
- A detailed statement of the assets and
liabilities of the applicant/applicants
For more information, visit
http://www.isp.idaho.gov/abc/index.html.
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