Registering Your Startup to do Business in Alabama

Forming your business entity in Delaware—specifically, a corporation—gives you a lot of flexibility, but you may still need to follow local laws depending on what state you operate in.

Specifically, if you do business in Alabama, you need to register with the state. We’ll walk through the process and simplify it. But first, how can you tell whether you’re legally doing business in Alabama?

Delaware C corps—and all other corporations formed outside of Alabama—are referred to as “foreign” corporations by the State.

Alabama statutes do not specifically define what is considered doing business in the state. However, Alabama statutes provide that the following activities would not require you to register with the State:

• Defending or settling a lawsuit
• Having a bank account in the state
• Selling through independent contractors

Every state has rules about when a company is required to pay sales tax. These are called sales tax nexus rules.

You can think of the nexus as a special version of that state’s border; if you perform certain business activities within that border, you fall into the state’s sales tax nexus, and you’re required to register for and collect state sales tax.

Typically, these actions take the form of buying and selling goods and services.

In Alabama, the sales tax nexus rules only apply to sellers who sell physical goods or services to Alabama residents.

Until 2018, selling or buying non-physical goods—like subscriptions to streaming services, SaaS memberships, etc.—did not, generally speaking, qualify you for sales tax nexus. After an important court ruling in 2018, that changed. Now, if you buy or sell non-physical goods or services in a state, you may fall within its sales tax nexus.

If you have physical presence in Alabama, then you will likely need to collect and remit sales tax. You may be physically present in a state if you have warehouses, retail spaces, or employees and/or representatives of the business in the state.

You will need to pay sales tax as long as you have physical presence regardless of any minimum thresholds. You can learn more about physical presence for sales tax purposes through the State’s website.

If you have a physical presence in Alabama, then you will likely need to collect and remit sales tax. You may be physically present in a state if you have warehouses, retail spaces, or employees and/or representatives of the business in the state.

You will need to pay sales tax as long as you have physical presence regardless of any minimum thresholds. You can learn more about physical presence for sales tax purposes through the State’s website.

As usual, this isn’t legal advice—just a guide. If you’re not 100% clear on whether you fall within Alabama’s sales tax nexus, it’s best to confer with your legal counsel and/or an accountant that has expertise in Alabama’s legal code and tax regulations.

• Select a name under which to do business. This doesn’t have to be the name you registered when incorporating in Delaware, but it can be.
• Fill out an application. You’ll need to file a Foreign Corporation Application for Registration to the Alabama Secretary of State along with a Delaware Certificate of Good Standing.
• Pay the fee. Now you pay the Alabama Secretary of State a $150 filing fee.
• Submit your Foreign Corporation Application for Registration.
• Wait. Processing typically takes two to four weeks.

Once you’re approved to operate as a qualified foreign business in Alabama, you’ll need to comply with certain requirements.

To stay in compliance and continue legally doing business in Alabama, you need to meet two requirements: maintaining a registered agent and filing your annual report. On top of that, you will also need to pay a corporate income tax and a business privilege tax.

Your registered agent in Alabama is your point of contact with local authorities. If you don’t have a physical address for your company in Alabama, it may be advantageous to find a registered agent to receive state notices on your behalf.

Foreign corporations are required to have a registered office in Alabama. The office cannot be a P.O. box, rather it must be a physical address of your registered agent or a licensed registered agent service.

Your registered agent will forward any important information, such as business mail, to you. There are a number of firms that contract out registered agents. They typically cost $50 – $100 per year.

Every two years, you must file a statement with the State, updating any changes to the company address or the composition of the Board and officers. You’ll include info like:

• The legal name of your business
• The name and address of your registered agent
• The names and addresses of board members, managers, and officers

Your annual report is filed with your business privilege tax. There is no independent filing fee for your annual report.

Alabama has a corporate income tax. The tax is directly imposed on the net income of your corporation. For more information on filing and paying your corporate income tax, please see the following guidance from Alabama’s Department of Revenue.

Alabama also has a business privilege tax. This tax operates like a franchise tax. A franchise tax is typically calculated based on the net worth of or capital held by a corporation. For more information on filing and paying your business privilege tax, please see the following guidance from Alabama’s Department of Revenue.

If you meet the requirements to collect sales tax in Alabama, you will need to register with the Alabama Department of Revenue. You can register to collect sales tax through [My Alabama Taxes (MAT) provided by the Alabama Department of Revenue.

When you hire a new employee in Alabama, federal and state laws require that you report new hires to the state. The deadline for reporting new hires in Alabama depends on the size of your business. You can report your new hires online.

Your payroll provider should be able to take care of paycheck withholdings, but it’s up to you to register as an employer with the State and set up an online employer account.

For a comprehensive guide of your responsibilities, Alabama provides the following information.

To register your business in Alabama, you’ve got to keep track of a lot of moving parts. Failing to file the right forms, provide the right information, or stay on top of compliance laws can lead to serious headaches.

Capbase makes it easy. When you incorporate your Delaware corporation on Capbase, we will generate the required information needed to register to do business in Alabama and keep you up to date on any required filings.

The compliance calendar inside your Capbase account will notify you of upcoming fees, reporting, or other requirements, so you can keep your startup in good standing with Alabama state officials. Try Capbase now.