How to register an escort business in North Dakota
North Dakota. The Roughrider State. Home to Devil's Lake, ancient petroglyphs and dinosaur fossils and more sunflowers than any other state. You grow your trees tall, let your ranges run free and prairie roses run wild. Well done, North Dakota.
North Dakota is also a fresh and welcoming state in which to register your small escort business, and in this article you'll find clear step-by-step advice on how to do just that. For more information on why it's vitally important to register your business, refer to our article Don't get busted for tax evasion: Why registering your escort business is the only option.
For more information and resources on these models in North Dakota, visit the State of North Dakota—New Business Registration.
For some helpful advice on picking out a business name, visit Business.gov.
Step four: Register your business / business name
Sole Proprietorship:
In North Dakota you are not required to register your sole proprietorship escort business as a separate business entity: because the business is you, it is not recognized as a separate business and you'll file your business information along with your own personal taxes. You are also not required to register your business name if it is your name. If you take on a DBA name, you'll have to register a Trade Name Registration with the North Dakota Secretary of State and submit a $25 filing fee. You can find the form and more information at the North Dakota Secretary of State » Trade Name Registration.
For more information on if taking on a DBA is a good choice for your business, refer to our article Do I want to be a sole proprietor?
Partnership:
In North Dakota you are not required to register your general partnership as a separate business entity. However, it is highly recommended that you draft a statement of partnership or partnership agreement. This document will safeguard the details you've outlined within the partnership should you come into conflict with a partner down the road.
You are also not required to register your business name if it is the collected names of the partners. However if you take on a DBA name you'll have to register a Trade Name Registration with the North Dakota Secretary of State and submit a $25 filing fee. You can find the form and more information at the North Dakota Secretary of State » Trade Name Registration.
Corporation:
To register your escort corporation in North Dakota you'll need to file your Articles of Incorporation with the North Dakota Secretary of State. You'll include information on the amount of shares for the corporation and the incorporating persons, and include a $100 filing fee. Because of the intricate information required when starting a corporation, it is highly recommended that you seek advice from a business lawyer and accountant. You can find more information and this form at the North Dakota Secretary of State » General Business Corporation.
Registering your Articles of Incorporation will register your business name, so you do not have to do this separately.
LLC:
To register your escort LLC in North Dakota, you'll need to file your Articles of Organization with the North Dakota Secretary of State. The form includes basic information about the members and managers of the LLC, and requires a $135 filing fee. You can find more information and this form at the North Dakota Secretary of State » Limited Liability Company.
Registering your Articles of Organization will register your business name, so you do not have to do this separately.
Step six: Register for your federal and North Dakota state taxes
There are a few basic types of taxes small businesses in North Dakota may register for.
- Individual Income Tax: If you're a sole proprietor or LLC, you'll file your business profits/losses in a Schedule EZ form that will go along with your personal income tax 1040 form. For more information go to IRS.gov. More information on personal income taxes in North Dakota can be found at the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner.
- Business Taxes: Corporations in North Dakota must pay corporate taxes. More information can be found at the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner » Corporation Income. Partnerships must file a partnership return and LLCs may have to pay a partnership tax as well. More information can be found at the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner » S Corp and Partnerships.
- Unemployment Insurance: All businesses with employees pay unemployment insurance to safeguard the state's unemployed. Resources for employers and a downloadable guide can be found at the State of North Dakota » New Business Registration.
- Withholding Taxes: Employers must withhold taxes from employees for their personal income taxes on a federal and state level. More information, online filing and downloadable forms can be found at the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner » Income Tax Withholding.
- Workers Compensation: If you have employees, you'll have to pay Workers' Compensation Tax. More information on current rates and filing can be found at the North Dakota Department of Commerce.
- Self-Employment Taxes: If you own and operate your business and are not paid as an employee, you'll need to file your own self-employment taxes for social security and Medicaid. This is particularly true for sole proprietorships, general partnerships and LLCs. You can find this Schedule C / 1040 form and get more information at IRS.gov. Get more information at IRS.gov » Self-Employment Tax.
More information, registration and online filing can be found at the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner.
Step seven: Get necessary licenses and permits
There's no specific "escort license" in North Dakota, and chances are you won't need any other permits to conduct your escort service, but it's a good idea to run your city through the IRS's Permit Me tool and get more information about specific filing from their site. You should also familiarize yourself with licensing information at the State of North Dakota » New Business Registration.
For more information about registering an escort business in North Dakota, consider the following online destinations:
Find out how to register an escort business in each state of the USA.
Related resources:
Please note: Dating.com is not a legal service, nor are we tax advisors or accountants. We do offer you what we consider our best advice, but if at all in doubt, please consult a professional.
