Starting a business in Black Diamond?
Welcome to Black Diamond. If you're doing business in the City, you'll need to obtain a business license. The City of Black Diamond requires a license for business enterprises located within or outside the city limits. Ordinance 07-848 amended the Business License fee schedule for 2008 and provides complete information about City Business License requirements, exemptions and other information. The City of Black Diamond does not have a business and occupation tax (B&O) or local income tax, so the City does not impose any other regular reporting requirements on its business community.

Don't forget state registration!
You'll also want to visit the State of Washington site to find out which licenses and permits the state requires. The Governor's Office of Regulatory Assistance at http://www.ora.gov was specifically created to help citizens navigate the complex permitting and licensing requirements of all levels of government--from federal on down to the cities. You may also contact the office toll-free at 1-800-917-0043 during regular business hours. Or you can try the state's online help site, which will walk you through a series of questions to determine what types of business registration you'll need.
Visit that site at http://access.wa.gov/business/inquiry/register.aspx.

Back up: What to do if you need more planning first.
If you're just thinking about starting a business, you may be looking for free advice. The Green River Community College Small Business Center (SBAC) is designed to provide technical assistance to small businesses in South King County and North Pierce County areas. The SBAC offers assessment, referral services, business counseling at no charge, and hands-on training to small business owners and managers. You may reach the center at http://www.greenriver.edu/businesscenter or by calling (253) 288-3400. The center has offices in Enumclaw and Auburn.

Another great resource is SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). It offers low-cost or no-cost services to aspiring business owners. Contact SCORE at www.score.org. There are SCORE offices in Seattle and Tacoma. Contact information is below:

Tacoma SCORE
Bates Technical School
1101 S. Yakima Ave., Room M-123
Tacoma, WA 98405
http://www.tacomabusinesscenter.org
Phone: (253) 680-7770
Fax: (253) 680-7771

Seattle SCORE
2401 4th Avenue
Suite 450
Seattle, WA 98121
www.seattlescore.org
Phone: (206) 553-7320
Fax: (206) 553-7044

Fee Schedule Less than 51 Employees Initial Fee $70 Renewal $60 51 - 100 Employees Initial Fee $130 Renewal $120 101 Employees or more Initial Fee $210 Renewal $200

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