Michigan Occupational Licensing Guide: LARA Boards, the License Lookup and Other State Permits
Michigan Occupational Licensing Guide: LARA Boards, the License Lookup and Other State Permits
Most first-time owners in Michigan ask the wrong first question. They search for a Michigan business license and find nothing, because the state does not issue one. What you need is the license, certificate or permit that governs your trade or activity, plus any local approvals for the place where you will operate. This guide explains which agency handles which license, how to run a michigan license lookup on LARA's State License Search, and how entity filings fit into the picture.
Disclaimer: This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Licensing rules and fees change, and the agency that governs your activity decides what applies to you. For complex situations, consult a qualified attorney or CPA before you act.
Michigan has no general business license
LARA's Corporations Division does not license businesses. Its job is to receive, review and file the documents that form and maintain business entities. Forming an LLC or corporation through the MiBusiness Registry is a filing, not a license. A confirmation that your Articles of Organization were filed does not tell you that you may perform your service, sell your product or open your doors.
Instead, Michigan licenses by profession or activity. A plumber, a food producer, a child care provider and a tow truck operator each answer to a different agency. Counties and municipalities can add their own licenses and permits on top of state requirements.
How to run a michigan license lookup
LARA points new owners to its State License Search to check whether their business needs a license. Use these steps:
- Write down exactly what you will do for pay. A salon and an individual barber may fall under different boards, so describe the service, not just the business name.
- Open LARA's State License Search from the LARA home page at michigan.gov/lara.
- Search by profession or license type first. Then search by your business name or owner name if you already hold a license or have an entity.
- Read the result for the license status, the issuing board or bureau, and any restrictions. Note the agency name, because that is the office you contact next.
- If nothing matches, do not assume you are exempt. Ask the agency that governs the activity, in writing, and keep the reply.
The lookup tells you who licenses you. It does not replace the agency's own application, and it does not list every fee or renewal date. Confirm those on the agency page before you budget for them.
Who licenses what
Use this map to find the right agency before you apply anywhere.
| Agency | What it handles |
|---|---|
| LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing | Health and occupational boards, such as cosmetology, real estate and home inspectors |
| LARA Bureau of Construction Codes | Builders, electrical, plumbing and mechanical trades |
| LARA Michigan Liquor Control Commission | Liquor licensing and regulation |
| LARA Cannabis Regulatory Agency | Cannabis businesses |
| MDARD (Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) | Food establishments, pesticides and cottage food oversight |
| MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division | Towing |
| Michigan Department of State | Dealers, notaries and recyclers |
| MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) | Body art facilities, after local health department plan review |
| MiLEAP Child Care Licensing Bureau | Child care, moved from LARA in the 2023 reorganization |
| LARA Corporations Division | Files LLCs, corporations and limited partnerships. Issues no business license. |
If your activity crosses two agencies, you may need approvals from both. A food business that also sells alcohol is one example. Ask each agency whether it needs to act before or after the other, and keep copies of every approval in one file so a later inspector or lender can find them.
Professional and construction trades
The Bureau of Professional Licensing covers health and occupational boards. If you cut hair, sell or broker real estate, or inspect homes for pay, your board sets the education, examination and experience rules you must meet. Each board has its own application, fee schedule and renewal cycle, so check the board's page rather than relying on a general figure. Put each renewal date on your calendar as soon as the license arrives.
Builders and contractors in electrical, plumbing and mechanical work deal with the Bureau of Construction Codes. Forming an LLC does not satisfy trade licensing. Confirm with the bureau which license applies to your scope of work before you bid.
Alcohol, cannabis and child care
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission and the Cannabis Regulatory Agency both sit within LARA, but each runs its own application process with its own conditions. Check with each agency about its timelines and fees before you sign a lease or buy inventory, since this guide does not state them.
Child care moved from LARA to the MiLEAP Child Care Licensing Bureau in the 2023 reorganization. If you find an older LARA child care page, its instructions may be outdated. Confirm current requirements directly with MiLEAP.
Food, pesticides and cottage food
MDARD oversees food establishments, pesticide use and cottage food. If you plan to sell food made in a home kitchen, check with MDARD which products qualify and which sales channels they may use before you start production. A business that sells at a farmers market, to a restaurant and from a home kitchen can face different rules for each channel, so ask about each one separately.
Other state licenses: towing, dealers, notaries, recyclers and body art
- Towing: The MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division handles towing. Confirm the requirements with MSP before you take any tow work.
- Dealers, notaries and recyclers: The Michigan Department of State handles these categories. Confirm each one's requirements and fees with the department.
- Body art: Body art facilities are licensed through MDHHS, but only after the local health department completes plan review. Start with your local health department before you submit anything to the state.
Local approvals: zoning, occupancy and health
Michigan has 83 counties, roughly 275 to 280 cities, roughly 255 to 258 villages and 1,240 townships. Each unit of local government can set its own zoning rules, and many require a certificate of occupancy before you open or change how a building is used. A local health department may also review your plans. Before you sign a lease, call the zoning office of the city, village or township where you will operate.
Home-based businesses are a common trap. A state license can be in hand while local zoning still prohibits customer visits or signage. Verify zoning before you advertise a home address.
Only 24 Michigan cities levy a city income tax. If you operate in one of them, confirm with that city how the tax applies to you. Ask the city's clerk or treasurer directly rather than assuming the answer from a state page.
Entity and sales tax filings are not licenses
Your entity filing and your trade license are separate steps. Keep them separate on your checklist.
- LLC: File Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700) with LARA. The filing fee is $50. The Articles must include a resident agent and registered office, since Michigan uses the term resident agent. Each year, file the Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) for $25 by February 15, beginning the year after formation. An LLC formed or qualified after September 30 does not owe the statement on the February 15 immediately following.
- Corporation: File Articles of Incorporation for Profit Corporation (Form CSCL/CD-500) for $60. File the Annual Report (Form CSCL/CD-2500) for $25 by May 15, beginning the year after incorporation.
- Assumed name: Sole proprietors and general partnerships file an assumed name certificate with the county clerk in each county where they do business. LLCs, corporations and limited partnerships file a Certificate of Assumed Name (Form CSCL/CD-541) with LARA, at $25 for an LLC and $10 for a corporation or limited partnership.
- Sales tax: Retailers register with the Department of Treasury for a sales tax license. The registration is free and can arrive in as little as 7 business days. The state sales tax rate is 6%.
Michigan imposes no franchise tax. A standard LLC is a pass-through entity, so its members report the income on the Michigan individual income tax, which is a flat 4.25% for the 2026 tax year. An LLC that elects federal C corporation treatment is subject to the 6% Michigan Corporate Income Tax. Ask a CPA which structure fits your situation, because this guide does not weigh tax outcomes for you.
Next steps
- Name your trade or activity precisely, then run the license lookup.
- Contact each governing agency and get its requirements in writing.
- Check local zoning and any certificate of occupancy before you sign a lease.
- File your entity and sales tax registration, then calendar the annual filings.
For planning help, the Michigan Small Business Development Center offers business advising. Complex trades, multi-license operations and anything involving alcohol, cannabis or child care are worth a conversation with a qualified attorney or CPA before you commit money.