Hello everyone! I’m new here to MorohMarket and located in Shafter, CA within city limits. Currently, I am raising Western Hognose snakes for fun. I want to breed them later down the line when I feel more confident with what to do with all the babies. There is sooo much misleading information to be found on the internet in regards to whether or not I need to get any permits or licenses. I was hoping someone with more experience in this area could offer some advice.
I’m pretty sure I need a sellers permit with the state. I don’t know if I need to apply for a business license or not as a sole proprietor working out of my home, along with a DBA, or if I can just call my hobby whatever I want and breed and sell that way.
I want to do this as legitimately as possible; keep snake funds separate from my real money, buy/sell and ship snakes in and out of state, pay proper taxes and deduct expenses, etc.
I know I’m not going to turn a profit right away, if ever, but it’s fun, and I love these guys so much. I think more people should be open to being reptile owners.
Anyway, any relevant nformation would be most welcome and appreciated.
As for permits, you should check with your city first. They may have limits on how many animals you can keep in your home; then again, they may not have any rules for it. If you’re only going to be doing it as a hobby and you only plan to “rehome” snakes for a small fee, you probably don’t need a sellers permit. However, if you’re looking to limit your liability and keep everything separate, look at registering as an LLC. I’d recommend talking to an accountant about it, too. For an LLC, all your tax documents, permits, and such would fall under that name and not yours directly. Then you would need to pay CA taxes as an LLC (like $800 a year unless you report making over a certain amount) and if you were to ever have employees you’d need to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. A DBA as the LLC would most likely be required, especially if you are looking for a sellers permit.
Granted, this is just one way of doing business and it may not be the best way for you. Hopefully others can chime in here, too. Also check out the Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov) for additional information.
Again, welcome and I hope this info helps point you toward your path.