Starting a Business in Oregon

Oregon is a place where entrepreneurs and big thinkers are building diverse industries. Business Oregon networks with many organizations to help entrepreneurships find resources and access services to start a business in Oregon.

Your first step in starting a business in Oregon is at the Secretary of State, Corporation Division. Below are direct links to the most important pages on their site. Once you've begun registration, etc., at the Corporation Division, see below for financing consulting assistance that Business Oregon can provide.

Before You Begin

Research and Planning
Starting a successful business requires a great deal of preparation. Download Complete Guide for starting a business in Oregon.

Registration & Licensing

Business Wizard
Using a series of question and answer pages, the Wizard provides customized information to help you start and operate an Oregon-based business. By investing a few minutes of your time, the Business Wizard will help you to:

• Determine licensing, permitting and regulatory requirements
• Obtain necessary application forms
• Identify available state resources
• Access other valuable business-related information

>> Go to the Business Wizard

Register a Business Online
The Secretary of State offers a simple online system to register your business in Oregon. The registration system allows you to save and stop along the way.
>> Go to the online system

Hiring Guide
This guide provides basic information and a general checklist to guide you through the process of hiring and compensating employees.
>> Go to the hiring guide

Other Information
Other business registration, renewal, records, filing, research, etc., available from the Secretary of State, Corporation Division.
>> Go to the Corporation Division Web site

Still Need Help Getting Started?

Oregon's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network can help with navigating the registration process, creating a business plan, exploring financing options and a breadth of other questions relating to starting a business in Oregon.

>> Locate a Small Business Development Center near you

Find Financing

Click here for more information on financing resources to grow your business.
>> Go to Business Oregon's financing resources

Business Tax Information

This link to the Department of Revenue provides information on filing business taxes for your new business.
>> Go to new business tax information