want to start a little business only ironing shirts. Do I have to register it straight away or wait to see if things take off? o

You can begin by treating it as a sole proprietorship. Depending on its growth, you may want to make it a more formal company at a later date. Our law firm provides legal guidance for start up businesses.
If you will be hiring workers I would definitely confer with a lawyer.

On my profile there are several legal guides. I recommend reviewing the following which may be helpful to you:

Hiring a lawyer; Is it Legal? Is it Illegal?...Understanding the different court systems;
Legal terms used in litigation………………………………………………………..


Commercial litigation .

Our law firm may be able to assist you in this legal matter. You can access our contact information at our website: www.sarnoanddefelice.com or my avvo profile.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER…………………………………………………………………..
Mr. Sarno is licensed to practice law in NJ and NY. His response here is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/ client relationship. The response is in the form of legal education and is intended to provide general information about the matter in question. Many times the questioner may leave out details which would make the reply unsuitable. Mr. Sarno strongly advises the questioner to confer with an attorney in their own state to acquire more information about this issue.

Depending on your jurisdiction, (from your posting it is difficult to tell if you are from NY or Canada. Canadian laws can vary significantly) you will probably need to at least register as a D/B/A (doing business as) in your county. If this is a home-based business, you might want to check your zoning requirements and your lease to see if you are permitted to run a commercial business from your home. If you are leasing space, you may want to consider incorporating as you want to shield your personal assets from any business debt or liability from injury to customers.

Additionally if this is a home-based business you should contact your property and casualty insurance agent to see if a business is covered.

Disclaimer: Please note that this answer does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on, since each situation is fact specific, and it is impossible to evaluate a legal problem without a comprehensive consultation and review of all the facts and documents at issue. This answer does not create an attorney-client relationship.

In NY many people begin their business venture as a sole proprietor, meaning you are your business. You can deduct your expenses on your personal tax return and enter into contracts on behalf of your business. While this is the cheapest approach in the short term, you should consider organizing an entity (e.g., S-Corp, LLC, etc.) in the mid to long term. The reason being that as a sole proprietor you are personally liable for any mishaps/lawsuits/debts that may occur in running your business. Also, if you wish ot use a business name that is not your own personal name (e.g., Amazin' Tees), you will have to get a DBA from the County Clerk for the counties you wish to operate in (which as a practical matter is usually a royal pain.) So you may want to consult with an attorney to determine if your business model and product leave you with a high risk for lawsuit. Although I generally tell people that if they are willing to start a business they should be willing to invest in forming a business entity to run it.

I hope this helps.

Disclaimer: This answer is for informational purposes only and does not constitute general or specific legal advice, nor create an attorney client relationship.