Establish a Business

Business Plan Development

When starting a company you may need to take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. Research the market and understand your target audience. Please click here for the Business Start-Up Resource Guide provided by the Small Business Center Network. 

 

Determine Your Business Structure

What type of company do you plan to open? Partnership, sole proprietorship, corporation, or LLC? Click here to review a list of factors to consider when determining your business structure.  

Licensing Requirements

You've decided your business structure, now it's time to get a license. Please click here for an overview of licensing requirements provided by the Department of Commerce - Business License Information Office.

Financial Needs

You've decided on your structure, gotten your license and now you need to assess how much money is necessary for your start-up. Please click here for tools to help you plan for your financial needs.

Write Your Business Plan

After assessing your financial needs you now understand the importance of having a business plan to present to prosepctive investors or lending companies. Click here for a Buisness Plan Overiview and tools to help you create your own. 

Physically Getting Your Business Open

Once you have your idea, have developed a business plan, have your financial projections and needs in order, its time to physically work on your facility. This is also not an easy task and, if not done properly, can be cause for delays and frustration. It is our hope to offer some helpful advice as to how to open your physical location. 

Connect with the Chamber

 JOHN CHILDRESS, DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT is your chamber contact. John can be reached at 704-818-3059 or through email.

Getting a Business License

You must check with the Iredell County Tax Collector to determine if/what type of license you might need to open up your business.
 
Iredell County Tax Collections Office
200 South Center Street
Statesville, NC 28677
704-878-3020

Storefront Location

If your business will have a location, other than a home based business, within the City of Statesville, you may be subject to privilege license taxes. A new business is required to purchase a privilege license fromt the City before opening for business. 

City Collections Department 
City Office Building
301 South Center Street
Statesville, NC 28677
704-878-3564

Register Your Business

Do this in order to protest the usage of your corporate name by anyone else in the county. 

Iredell County Register of Deeds Office
Hall of Justice
201 Water Street
Statesville, NC 28677
704-872-7468

Additionally you should call the NC Department of Commerce at 919-733-4201 to verify the name does not infringe on any other company in NC.

Unemployment Inusrance

If one or more persons are employed for as many as 20 weeks a year or accumulate as much as $1,500 in gross wages during a quarter Whichever comes first), the employer must register with:

NC Department of Workforce Solutions
133 Island Ford Rd
Statesville, NC 28677
704-878-4271

Getting Your Buisness Ready for Occupancy

Before you start your own business you will need to check with the City and or County Departments that have some jurisdiction over the physical property. If it is in the City of Statesville, you must check with: 

City of Statesville, Zoning
City Office Building
301 South Center Street
Statesville, NC 28677
704-878-3575

After checking with the City OR if the location is not in the City, you should go to the

Iredell County Office Building
Building Inspections and Zoning
200 South Center Street
Statesville, NC 28677
704-878-3113

It is importnat to know the msot efficient ways to work through the Building Inspections and Zoning office. There are a number of issues that could cause delays. Please see the   FAQ sheet in the link below for information.

Working With Building Inspections 


Signage

One of the more complex areas in which business owners find concerns is in the signage (both on and off premises signage) for their location. The link below will take you to a document that explains the theory and pratices of on premise signage within the City limits of Statesville. For more information, you should call:

City of Statesville, Zoning
City Office Building
301 S outh Center Street
Statesville, NC 28677
Attention: Allison Adams
Design Review Committee/Permitting
Code Enforcement
704-878-3578

Simple Guide To Signage in Iredell County


If you will be opening your business in Downtown Statesville there are few more regulations to which you must adhere. The link below will take you to a comprehensive document. 

Your Guide To Doing Business in Downtown Statesville