Does an Internet based business have to be registered?
Answer:
NO
you can trade in your own right, not as a registered company, irrespective whether you are an internet trader or have a shop. people doing that often use phrases like Joe Bloggs T/A Megamarket. (T/a means trading as)
YES
you if you want an internet domain you have to register it (the website addrerss) with ICANN (or a local affialite, but that is not the same as registering a company. if you think the entitiy is going to take off then you probably should to register as a componay (especailly if you are going to employ people, or are going to be selling things which could generate risks of liabilities for you. registering as a company gives you limited liability (it doesnt shelter you from liability if you have done somethign criminaly stupid, but it does if say you sell a product which turns out to be defective and you can demonstrate that you didnt, and couldnt, expect to be defective.
trading as means you are personally liable, trading as a company means the company is liable in the cause of problems not you.
in any event consider taking out insurance to cover you int he event of a problem
also learn about the distance selling legislation if you intend to copmplete any sales by phinem, fax or internet.
yes
I think all businesses have to be registered for tax reasons. Your can probably start it up fine without having to register with anyone but you'll have to once you start making money. Although once you do that you can claim back all the VAT you spent starting up the business
This is something I wrestled with myself. But I figured: If my domain is registered, and I work for myself, trading as myself, no employees and my business is just a website - no part of it is offline at all. Registering the domain and then declaring to the tax man was the answer.
In my country we do not need to register internet business. This is very good as we can get rid from the unnecessary tax.
peanutbutter http://www.freedom.ws/tasic
http://www.silverroad.ws
I contacted my council to register for business rates & they said i just had to put it in writing, but I didnt need to register for B-rates as it wouldnt affect my neighbours/area, i.e cars & visitors cuming to the house etc.
In the UK I would think that at the very least you would need to register for income tax and VAT (if your revenue is high enough). Obviously if you want any of the benefits of a company form, you'd need to register.
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