Incorporating in Michigan

Incorporating in Michigan is easy. The State of Michigan has made the process simple and fun. Yes, fun. Michigan has an online business tool called Michigan Business One Stop. It is a free tool and takes less than 3 minutes to register as a user. Once registered and prepared you can complete the registration process in 30 minutes.

Let’s go through the steps of incorporating in Michigan.

Step 1: Preparation Work

Before you begin the process of registering a business you need four things.

1. Business Name: Come up with three business names for your business. Rank them in order of first to last choice. Determine if one of the names is available through Michigan’s free online tool called Michigan Business Name Availability Search.
2. Business Entity Legal Structure: This is by far the most important part of registering a business. Stay away from sole proprietorship. Even though it typically cost nothing to register, in the long run it can cost everything you owe if sued. Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies offer great benefits at a great price. Review the benefit of incorporating page to understand the benefit of incorporating your business with the proper legal structure. Then discuss your options with your accountant or lawyer for professional advise.
3. Business Classification: During the registration process you will be asked to select how your business is classified. Go to the business classification site for a list and description.
4. Business License: Determine if you will need to file for a business license. Do a search on the Michigan State License Search online tool. The site will tell you if a license is required for your business.

Step 2: Michigan One Stop Registration

To use Michigan’s One Stop online business tool you will need to create an account.

You must create a login ID and submit your First and Last Name, email address and telephone number.

Step 3: Login

Check your email for the temporary password provided. Use the temporary password to login to Michigan One Stop. After login you will be prompted to change your password to something you can remember.

If you closed the registration screen to check your email go to michigan.gov/business and login under registered user.

Step 4: Register Your Business

• From the One Stop Home Page press the Go button in box labeled “For Business”.
• From the “Start or Add a Business” screen select Start A New Business option.
• Follow the online line instructions to complete the process

Incorporating in Michigan is that easy. For more information and resources visit the Michigan Business Resource Center.

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