Rules for your type of businessAside your responsibilities to your customers, the taxman and any professional bodies etc, you may have other responsibilities for business licensing depending on what your business does.

We're not able to cover all of the different options and so have added a series of links in the following paragraphs which might help you find the correct answers. We recommend the use of the official websites that are provided by the Government agencies and departments.

Here are some of the most useful loinks for business licensing.

Check if you need:

• licences or permits, for example to play music, sell food or to trade in the street
• insurance

There are also rules you must follow if you:

• sell goods online
• buy goods from abroad or sell goods abroad
• store or use personal information

The government provide this useful licence finder.

Permissions

To run a business from your home, you may need permission from your:

• mortgage provider or landlord
• local planning office - eg if you’re planning on making major alterations to your home
• local council - eg if you’re going to get lots of customers or deliveries, you want to advertise outside your home or if you need a licence to run your business

Protecting your IP is very important to the long term success of your company.

The UK Intellectual Property Office offers support through free intellectual property courses. This free online training will teach you about intellectual property rights such as trade marks, patents, copyright and designs. Start learning for free today after free registration for their CPD interactive accredited resources.

Benefits of using IPO Courses

• It’s quick, free and easy!
• Learn to identify and protect your IP.
• CPD accreditation & IPO certificate on completion.

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