Data Sources

Last reviewed: September 6, 2026. StartupByState uses official U.S. government sources for business formation, taxes, labor rules, wages, industry classification, and regulated activities. When a state or local agency controls a requirement, that agency's current instructions take precedence over any summary on this site.

Business formation, tax IDs, and licenses

• SBA: Launch your business — an official overview of location, structure, registration, tax IDs, licenses, banking, and insurance.
• SBA: State registration lookup — links to the official business registration office for each state and territory.
• SBA: Apply for licenses and permits — identifies federally regulated activities and explains why state, county, and city requirements also need to be checked.
• IRS: Employer Identification Number (EIN) — explains who needs an EIN and links to the free IRS application.
• IRS: State government websites — a state-by-state directory for business, tax, and employer information.

Labor costs and employer requirements

• BLS: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables — annual wage and employment estimates by occupation, state, metro area, and other geographies.
• U.S. Department of Labor: State minimum wage laws — the federal comparison table; employers should also check the current state and local rule.
• U.S. Department of Labor: State labor offices — contact links for state labor agencies.
• U.S. Department of Labor: State workers' compensation officials — links to the responsible workers' compensation authority in each state and territory.
• OSHA: Small-business safety and health resources — federal workplace safety guidance, compliance resources, and the On-Site Consultation Program.

Economic and market datasets

• U.S. Census Bureau: County Business Patterns data — establishment, employment, and payroll statistics by industry and geography for businesses with paid employees.
• U.S. Census Bureau: County Business Patterns methodology — the source to check for coverage, exclusions, classification, and comparability limits.
• U.S. Census Bureau: NAICS — the federal standard for classifying establishments by primary business activity.
• Bureau of Economic Analysis: Regional Price Parities — annual comparisons of general price levels across states and metropolitan areas.

These datasets provide planning context. They do not establish a specific startup budget, local rent, vendor price, insurance premium, or the performance of a new business.

Industry-specific federal authorities

A business may need additional federal approval when it operates in a regulated activity. These agency pages are useful starting points; the exact product, service, facility, and location determine which rules apply.

• FDA: For Industry — registration, listing, guidance, and compliance systems for FDA-regulated products.
• USDA APHIS eFile — applications and management for applicable animal, plant, biotechnology, and import permits, licenses, registrations, and authorizations.
• TTB: Business Central — permits, registrations, labeling, taxes, and compliance for alcohol and tobacco businesses.
• FMCSA: Registration — federal registration resources for applicable motor carriers and transportation operators.
• CMS: Become a Medicare provider or supplier — official Medicare enrollment steps for applicable health care providers and suppliers.
• EPA: Compliance Assistance Centers — sector-specific environmental compliance resources and state resource locators.
• FTC: Business Guidance — federal guidance on advertising, marketing, privacy, data security, and industry-specific consumer-protection rules.
• SEC: Resources for Small Businesses — official information for small businesses considering securities offerings or raising capital from investors.
• Childcare.gov: Child care licensing — an official guide to state and territory licensing requirements and licensing contacts.

How StartupByState documents a claim

1. Identify the agency, dataset, filing office, or direct quote that supports the claim.
2. Record the source URL, geographic scope, covered business activity, and date reviewed.
3. Record a dataset's reference period separately from the date the source was reviewed.
4. Describe material limits, such as survey coverage, excluded businesses, or whether a figure is a general index rather than a quoted cost.
5. Recheck time-sensitive fees, rates, permits, and filing instructions before publication.

What to verify before acting

Registration fees, taxes, wage rules, zoning, building and fire approvals, health permits, professional licenses, and renewal requirements can change. Confirm them with the agency that has authority over the exact state, county, city, business structure, and activity. Use current written quotes for property, equipment, utilities, insurance, financing, and professional services.

Read the Research Methodology for how estimates and source dates are handled. To report a broken link or request a correction, use the Contact page and include the page URL and the source that should be reviewed.