State-level facts only. Mainstay Filing is our best overall pick; it is named, not linked.
What counts as confirmed
We opened the state’s own page on October 21, 2026 and the quoted sentence appears on it word for word. 37 of 50 states meet that test.
What does not
13 states: the page could not be read by our tools, or did not say whether a general license exists. We link the state’s starting-a-business page and tell you to check with your city or county. We do not fill the gap from memory or from third-party sites.
Scope
General business licenses only. Professional and industry licenses, sales-tax permits and local licenses are separate.