New York SBDC Research Network

When trying to get to the NYS Online Permit Assistance and Licensing site is "temporarily unavailable." The message reads: For information regarding the status of your OPAL ID, please contact the OPAL Help Line at (518) 474-8275 during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, except State observed holidays. For information about starting or expanding your business, please visit the New York State License Center. [ This page , which I was not familiar with previously, seems to have most OPAL stuff.] Under the heading, “Other NYS License Center Services”, click on the second bulleted hyperlink, “Find out what permits or licenses your business needs” to access the Business Wizard Home page. To apply online for a Certificate of Authority to Collect Sales Tax or Certificate of Registration to Sell Cigarettes and Tobacco Products, please visit the New York State License Center at https://aca.licensecenter.ny.gov/ACA/Default.aspx and click on the “Login to get...

From OPAL , the New York State's Online Permit Assistance and Licensing website: If you want to start a new business or expand your current business, this site will help you find the New York State business permits you may need. However IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to a scheduled upgrade, the online forms will NOT be available from September 6 through September 13, 2011. This website will NOT be available from September 9 through September 13, 2011. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

There are many industries and businesses in New York State that require permits and licensing in order to operate. Restaurants, day cares, liquor stores, contractors, and hotels are just a few of the more popular businesses that our clients start that require permits. In order to find out what NYS requires, the Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform provides OPAL - Online Permit Assistance and Licensing. OPAL provides information for all of the state agencies, as well as contact information, fees, and requirements for applying for the permits and licenses. The site also provides pages of "Helpful Information" on a variety of businesses, not just the ones that require permits. There is a keyword search to facilitate easy searching of the database, as well as the option to search by agency. Best of all, there is an option to "Choose Business Type", which will guide the user to personalized results by asking detailed questions about the number of employees, l...

There are many industries and businesses in New York State that require permits and licensing in order to operate. Restaurants, day cares, liquor stores, contractors, and hotels are just a few of the more popular businesses that our clients start that require permits. In order to find out what NYS requires, the Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform provides OPAL - Online Permit Assistance and Licensing. OPAL provides information for all of the state agencies, as well as contact information, fees, and requirements for applying for the permits and licenses. The site also provides pages of "Helpful Information" on a variety of businesses, not just the ones that require permits. There is a keyword search to facilitate easy searching of the database.