Legal Question in Business Law in Missouri

Re: Question on starting online business selling to churches

You need to register with the Secretary of State's office. You need to either form a corporation or an LLC if you want liability protection, or if you don't, you can file a registration of a fictiotious name (e.g., "peoples in steeples"). The fictitious name, sometimes called a DBA (doing business as) gives you the right to call your business by a trade name.

You will need to get a sales tax license because even though you are selling to churches, the possiblity exists that at least some of your buyers might be independent of the clergy, and might owe sales tax. You can contact the Missouri Department of Revenue for additional information.

You should probably see an attorney if you want help and advice on how best to avoid problems in your business.