Businesses are regulated by a combination of federal, state, county, and local laws and ordinances. These include everything from health and safety standards and environmental laws to specific regulations affecting particular industries (such as medical cannabis dispensaries and strip clubs). State and local laws tend to reflect the unique culture of the respective region and are subject to change with the times. For example, there are still some counties in the South that prohibit sales of alcoholic beverages, while some states have strict limits on the alcoholic content of beer served to the public. And in Oregon, for example, filling station customers are not allowed to fill their own gas tanks.

So if you're planning to start a new business or expand an existing one to a new location, you need to check the laws and ordinances to make sure you're in compliance. Below, are links to business laws and regulation compliance information for each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. Where no direct link to state legal and regulatory compliance information exists, a link to general information and resources on doing business in the state is provided. To suggest an item for this section, please contact us.

Get Professional Legal Help with Business Compliance

Getting into compliance with any applicable business laws or regulations -- whether they're at the federal, state, county, or local level -- is absolutely critical for any business. But sometimes it's not even clear which laws apply, particularly when there is an overlap among one or more jurisdictions. Consider speaking with a business and commercial law attorney for compliance help and some peace of mind.

See FindLaw's Business Laws and Regulations section to learn more.