South Dakota. Home to Mt. Rushmore, which the locals are probably sick of but tourists will forever flock to. Also home to Deadwood - one of the most famous mining towns of the mid-West—as well as the nation's largest petrified wood forest. Many of our country's most romantic tales of the wild west can be traced to your borders. Beautiful, South Dakota.
South Dakota is also a wild 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 some helpful advice on picking out a business name, visit Business.gov.
Step four: Register your business / business name
Sole Proprietorship:
In South 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.
But if you take on a DBA name, you'll have to file a Fictitious Name Registration with the South Dakota Secretary of State. You can do this very quickly online for a $10 fee at the South Dakota Secretary of State—Fictitious 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 South 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. But if you take on a DBA name, you'll have to file a Fictitious Name Registration with the South Dakota Secretary of State. You can do this very quickly online for a $10 fee at the South Dakota Secretary of State—Fictitious Name Registration.
Corporation:
To register your escort corporation in South Dakota you'll need to file your Articles of Incorporation with the South Dakota Secretary of State. You'll include information on the amount of shares for the corporation, the incorporating persons and a $150 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'll also need to file annual corporation returns. You can find these forms at the South Dakota Secretary of State—Business Corporations.
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 South Dakota, you'll need to file your Articles of Organization with the South Dakota Secretary of State. The form includes basic information about the members and managers of the LLC, and requires a $150 filing fee. You can find this form and file online at the South Dakota Secretary of State—Limited Liability Companies.
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 South Dakota state taxes
South Dakota does not apply taxes on personal income or corporations. Good for you, South Dakota! The rest of us are jealous. But there are a few basic types of taxes small businesses in South Dakota still need to register for, and you should check your federal requirements at the federal Internal Revenue Service—South Dakota Small Business.
- Unemployment Insurance: All businesses with employees pay unemployment insurance to safeguard the state's unemployed. You can find more information and register online at the South Dakota Department of Labor.
- Workers' Compensation: If you have employees, you'll have to pay Workers' Compensation. Resources for employers can be found at the South Dakota Department of Labor.
- 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. 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: Self-Employment Tax.
Step seven: Get necessary licenses and permits
There's no specific "escort license" in South 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.
For more information about registering an escort business in South 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.
