no one will give me an answer!

I went to my towns city hall and got a DBA form but then was told to call secretary of state to get more info about doing business within CT...no one knows what category face painting is considered to be and they transfered me 8 times where i had to explain everything over and over and over again....and in the end i got a voice mail and have not heard back yet. im trying to find out if i need a license in CT or just keep it on a town level...also if im doing a fair, wouldnt i need a specific license?...no one can answer it. this is beyond frustrating.

ok so someone called me back and said just to keep the DBA in my town and if i need to go do business in another town i call them and see if i need to do a DBA in that town too? that doesnt seem accurate?..wouldnt there be just one type i paper i would fill out to be covered everyone and not have to go to each town hall collecting papers?...and what about taxes?...i just want to be done with all the legal stuff so i can go and have fun and paint!

any and all advice/help appreciated

My bank filed mine when I opened my business account.

I just got a business license in my hometown that I renew every year. If I tried to get a license in every town I painted in it would be in the hundreds in no time. You need to register your business with the state and I need to renew it...it looks like...every three years in Utah. Might be every year in your state.

There's a difference between what they WANT you to do and what you have to do.

I opened my business account with my bank about 18 months ago & contacted my city, trying to get some work with them. They finally contacted me recently for an event. This is what I had to do before they could give me a moving vendors license, required for a job w/the city:

1- Register my "fictitious name" w/the state. Unless the business is only your name...this has to be done. It's good for 5 years in FL, costs $60 & has nothing to do w/keeping your name exclusive.

2- Present that certificate to City hall for a "Moving Vendors License". That's when they try to figure out "...what to put you under." We decided on "ARTIST"!!!!!

3- Register w/the county. Haven't done that yet.

4- Provide an insurance form, listing the City of West Palm Beach as "additionally insured" not just in the Certificate of holder box, but also added in the box above it..."Description of Operations" as additionally insured. My ins. co. (K&K) took a few days, extra step not done online.

NOW:
Denise Cold is right: I won't be doing this for any other venue unless I'm asked & it looks like I'd be doing more events for them. This process clears the way for me to continue to do events for my city, which is huge & BUSY! Your area may have different policies, but I found out registering your fictitious name is expected of any business. I also have a tax ID#, but didn't need it to file my taxes. I got it (& insurance) because the girl scouts required it for the 1st of a few large events.

Good Luck!

thank you so much for all the advice!

DID YOU EVER FIGURE IT OUT?

i just relocated to connecticut and it is soooooooooooooo ridiculous-everything you've stated is exactly what i've gone through!

i finally went to the police station and just asked "what do i need to avoid getting in trouble if i start painting for money..."

What I good idea nikkili! I'm going down there today
I feel you for all of the legal paperwork, I am still trying to navigate it as well as trying not to annoy the face painters in my area with all my newbie questions

i found out the local painters are illegal....

so i don't care about annoying them at this point...at least i have my insurance and venders permit...

the thing getting me is the federal tax id....see, they keep saying i need that, but online it says you only need it if you are hiring employees.

and also, registering a business name-ut i'm an artist so i'm working under my own name so they are saying i don't need that....


i just would like to know if any legitimate ct facepainters could share how they did it.


because the LOCAL facepainters are claiming social security benefits and working under the table for cash.........so, i don't want their advice.lol...i want to know how to get it going legitimately.

If you are registered as an ABN or DBA and are a sole proprietor (sorry no spell check, lol) then your tax id number is your ssn, if you are LLC, then you file to obtain a federal tax id # (I believe, I'm an ABN so I use my Soc. Sec. #)

Start here and you should find what your needing. I Registered my Assumed Business Name with the secretary of state, where you can also get information on all your local city registration needs.
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Business-Structures