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Step 1
Visit USA.gov (see Resources section) for a list of state departments that incorporate businesses. Most states usually call this department the State Corporation Commission or Secretary of State, but USA.gov has specific links applicable to all 50 states.
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Step 2
Decide on a corporate name for your at-home business before visiting your state's corporate affairs website. It must end in "Corporation" or "Incorporated" and cannot be identical to other corporations in your state.
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Step 3
Visit your state's corporations website and use its search function to make sure your desired corporate name for your at-home business is not already being used. Some states do not have online search features to find out the status of corporate names but will offer a phone number for you to call and get that information.
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Step 4
Download any instructions and forms for incorporating a business in your state from the corporations website. Remember, most at-home businesses will need to be incorporated as a basic domestic non-stockholding corporation, which is the simplest and most beneficial corporate entity for virtually all for-profit business operations.
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Step 5
Fill out the required forms, paying special attention to your "Name Reservation Form" and "Articles of Incorporation."
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Step 6
Mailing the forms and payment is permitted in most states, though a few will require you to visit your local courthouse with the "Articles of Incorporation," payment and other required documents such as "Name Reservation Form." In either case, you should receive your corporate documents from the state corporations division within 30 days.
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Step 7
Hire a company that specializes in completely incorporating any business, including at-home operations, as an alternative to do-it-yourself incorporation. There are links to a couple of well-known firms in the Resources section near the end of this article. Such companies typically charge at least $50 on top of required state fees, which are usually anywhere from $75 to $200. You can often get your corporate documents in 2 to 7 business days when using one of these incorporation firms.
