How to Start a Sole Proprietorship in Kentucky


Updated: September 27, 2023
Affiliate Disclosure
We’re supported by our users. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase from our links.
Read more


Establishing a sole proprietorship in Kentucky doesn’t require filing formation documents, but there are other filings that need to be completed. Kentucky sole proprietors will want to register their business name, get required business licenses and permits and get an IRS employer ID number (EIN). In this guide we’ll cover the 5 steps sole proprietors should complete to ensure their business is set up and legally compliant.

Liability Risk of Sole Proprietorships

Prospective Kentucky business owners should keep in mind that a sole proprietorship does not protect your personal assets. If you form your business as a Kentucky LLC your personal assets can be protected if you are sued. For more information on the differences, check out our LLC vs Sole Proprietorship guide.

1. Come Up with a Business Name

Initially when starting a Kentucky sole proprietorship you’ll need to choose a business name. You’ll want to make sure the name you choose is unique, easy to remember, and easy to search for. For more detailed directions on choosing a business name check out our 15 tip guide where we go over what makes a great business name.

Business Name Search

Make sure you conduct 2 prelimary searches to ensure that you business name is not already in use in Kentucky and hasn’t been trademarked at the federal level:

2. Register Your Business Name

With an awesome business name picked, it’s now time to get the name registered. For Kentucky sole proprietors your business name is registered by filing a DBA or “doing business as” name. This is also referred to as a “Assumed Name” in Kentucky. Registering a DBA as a sole proprietor allows you to operate under a business name separate from your personal name. You can also use multiple DBA’s to operate under different names that may fit your lines of business better.

In the state of Kentucky the issuance of DBA’s is managed at the county level. To register a DBA name you need to file your Assumed Name application and the filing fee of 46 with the county clerk’s office.

Kentucky DBA Name Filing Help

Get Professional Help to File your DBA

Ensure your Kentucky DBA is filed properly with the help of Swyft Filings.

3. Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

Sole proprietorships are subject to business and professional licensing requirements. Business and professional licenses are issued at the federal, state, and local levels. The types of licenses and permits your business is required to file will vary widely depending upon the nature of your business and how it operates.

Federal Licenses and Permits

Most common types of businesses are not subject to federal licensing, however if manufacture or sell products that are regulated at the federal level you will need the relevant federal license before you begin operating. Below is a list of federal agencies from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that issue federal permits and licenses :

Kentucky State Business Licenses and Permit Resources:

For information on state-level licenses and permits in Kentucky visit the Kentucky One-Stop Business Portal website.

Local Licenses and Permits

Local licenses and permits vary widely depending on where your business operates and the nature of the business, however the most common types of local licenses and permits include:

  • Operating License
  • Building Permits
  • Zoning and Land Use Permits
  • Health Licenses and Perits
  • Signage Licenses

Professional Licenses

If you work in a regulated profession you may also require a profressional license. These licenses are required to show proof that you have completed the required training or possess the required expertise to work in the field. There are a wide variety of industries where a professional license is required but some of the most common are:

  • Accountants
  • Electrictians
  • Financial Advisors
  • Hair Stylists & Barbers
  • Insurance Agents
  • Mechanics
  • Medical Professionals
  • Plumbers
  • Real Estate Agents

With how complex and time consuming the business license research process can be, we recommend using a service to determine which licenses you’ll need to apply for.

Kentucky Business License and Permit Help

Get Professional Help with your Business Licenses

Let the experts at MyCorporation do the research to determine which licenses you need.

4. Get an EIN from the IRS

If you have employees, you are required to get an EIN. EINs are a nine-digit ID number issued by the IRS to identify businesses for tax purposes. You can apply for an EIN for free online using the IRS’ EIN Assistant.

If you don’t have employees, you are not required to get an EIN as a sole proprietor. However, it can be useful to get an EIN. They are often required to open a business bank account and can be used in place of your social security number for most business applications.

Important Note about Sole Proprietor EINs:

Since sole proprietorships are not viewed as separate from an individual, sole proprietor EINs are issued under their names, not their DBA names. As a result, you will only be issued 1 EIN as a sole proprietor for your lifetime. This will be used for any and all businesses you will operate as a sole proprietor. If you apply for an EIN as a sole proprietor and receive reference error 101, this likely means that you have already been issued an EIN previously. If you cannot recall your EIN or have not been issued an EIN previously, you will need to call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Assistance line at 1-800-829-4933 and use the prompts related to reference number 101.

5. Open a Business Bank Account

The final step to making your Kentucky sole proprietorship a reality is to open a business bank account. It’s important to keep your business and personal transactions separate to prevent the co-mingling of funds. The easiest way to do this is to open a designated business bank account and use it only for business transactions. This will make it easier for you to complete your accounting and bookkeeping tasks.

Check out this helpful guide to learn how to opening a business bank account.

Other Items to Consider

Once you have established your sole proprietorship, you will also want to complete these important tasks:

  • Setup Credit Card Processing:
    Considering that over 60% of transactions are done via debit and credit cards, it’s essentially a requirement to accept credit card payments. We go over how to do this in our How to Accept Credit Card Payments guide.

  • Establish an Accounting System:
    You’ll need to determine the accounting method you will use for your business: cash basis accounting vs. accrual accounting. To learn more, check out our guide on small business accounting 101.

  • Get Business Insurance Coverage:
    As a sole proprietor, you lack personal liability protection, so getting adequate business insurance could be your only financial protection method. Learn more about business insurance here.