Licenses and permits to open a warehouse or 3PL in Atlanta
A warehouse adds occupancy and fire rules for storage, and customs filings when it handles imports. Here are the 8 filings, in the order they're made.
Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Internal Revenue ServiceUS federal
Owners with an SSN or ITIN apply online. A company whose responsible party has neither (most China-based owners) faxes or mails Form SS-4, or calls the IRS international line.
- Fee
- Free
- Filed
- Paper form, faxed or mailed
- Takes
- Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.
LLC formation
Georgia Secretary of State, CorporationsGA
Form the LLC or register a foreign company online.
- Fee
- Varies
- Filed
- Filed online
Create/Update Importer Identity Form
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal
Sent to CBP (usually through your customs broker), or created in the ACE portal. Needed before your first entry as importer of record.
- Fee
- Free
- Filed
- Paper form, mailed
- Takes
- Up to 5 business days.
Sales tax registration
Georgia Department of RevenueGA
Register for sales and withholding tax online.
- Fee
- Free
- Filed
- Filed online
- Takes
- After registering online in the Georgia Tax Center, you should get your tax account number by email within 15 minutes.
Customs Bond
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal
Bought from a CBP-approved surety, usually through your customs broker, who files it electronically. A continuous bond covers a year of entries.
- Fee
- Varies
- Filed
- Filed on the agency's portal
- Takes
- At least 5 business days for review.
- Renews
- Continuous bonds renew yearly.
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal
Applied for online in ACE. Lets you see your entries, duties and bond.
- Fee
- Free
- Filed
- Filed online
Hazardous materials registration
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT)US federal
Filed online when you ship or offer certain hazardous materials in bulk, such as large lithium battery shipments.
- Fee
- Varies
- Filed
- Filed online
- Renews
- Every year by June 30.
Atlanta business license
City of Atlanta, Department of Finance, Office of RevenueAtlanta
Every business location inside city limits registers. Apply on the city's ATLBiz portal with a government photo ID, the articles of incorporation, notarized SAVE and E-Verify affidavits and the EIN; the city runs the zoning review itself, and some kinds of business also upload a regulatory permit.
- Fee
- Varies
- Filed
- Filed on the agency's portal
- Takes
- Atlanta doesn't publish how long a new license takes; the zoning review is done inside the city as part of the application.
- Renews
- Every year: the certificate expires December 31; renew on ATLBiz from January 1 to February 15 ($500 late filing fee) and pay by April 1.
More on opening in Atlanta
Questions people ask
Other businesses in Atlanta
Agency requirements change. Check each agency's page before you file.
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Get the plan for your warehouse or 3PL in Atlanta
This guide covers the city. Your exact address decides the county, the health district and the zoning. Placetta maps every filing for it, fills the official forms from your details, adds the deadlines and puts them up for your approval.
- The full list for your address, in filing order
- The official forms, filled line by line
- Renewal and inspection reminders