Last year, Indiana was ranked the best state to start a business by Forbes — based on a combination of low taxes, reasonable cost of living, and workforce.

With that being said, if you've thought about starting a business, Indy is an ideal place for new businesses to succeed.

To get your business idea up and running, INBiz is the state's "one-stop" resource for registering + managing your business and ensuring it complies with state laws and regulations.

What you need to do:

Decide what type of business you want to start. Sole proprietorship, corporation, limited liability company, etc. The best choice for your business depends on factors like liability, taxes, control, and flexibility.
Decide on a business name. The state of Indiana requires the name of a business to be distinguishable from any other business of the same type already on record with the Secretary of State's office. When you create an Access Indiana account, you can use the "Check Name Availability" search to make sure the name you want hasn't been taken.
Get a registered agent. Every business must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in Indiana. A registered agent is responsible for receiving important legal and tax documents for the business.
Submit required filings. All business owners have to file annually with the county assessor’s office where the business operates. Learn which files you need to submit for your business.

Now that we've laid out the groundwork for you, start registering your business.

Looking for some more guidance? The Indiana Small Business Development Center is available to help. Schedule a consultation with experts.