• Starting & Operating a Business
  • The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps your business open its doors faster and stay open. SBS offers in-person support through one-on-one conversations with Small Business Advocates. Connect with a Small Business Advocate.
  • MyCity Business Site: An easily accessible, all-in-one resource for applications, permits, licenses, and related information needed to open and operate a business in New York City. Features an AI virtual assistant, step-by-step guides, emergency preparedness resources, and connections to financial assistance.
  • Customized list of business requirements
  • M/WBE Certification – Increase your opportunities to do business with the City
  • Inspection Checklists
  • Paid Safe and Sick Leave: What Employers Need to Know

• Financial Assistance
  • NYC Funds Finder: The Department of Small Business Services has partnered with Next Street to make affordable financing more accessible to all NYC entrepreneurs. It is the City’s first online funding marketplace for small businesses. The Funds Finder offers complimentary financial counseling, assistance with preparing documents, and custom lists of funding opportunities
  • NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund: The Department of Small Business Services has launched a $75 million loan fund to help NYC’s small businesses rebuild, grow, hire, and thrive. The Fund is being promoted as flexible, low fixed-interest-rate capital. Review the Pre-Application. New applications paused as of 2/13/23. Businesses may complete the inquiry form to be notified regarding if the application reopens and additional financing options.
  • NY State Seed Funding: The New York State Seed Funding Grant Program was created to provide assistance to early-stage small businesses to succeed in the state’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Find grants and loans you might be eligible for, access 1-on-1 support, webinars & more. Learn more here.
  • Childcare Business Tax Credit Incentives: 1. Property tax abatement for property owners who retrofit space to accommodate childcare centers. Property owners who create a childcare center or increase the number of seats at an existing childcare center may be eligible for a property tax abatement covering up to $225,000 of construction costs.  2.  Income tax credit for businesses that provide free or subsidized infant/toddler care for their employees.
  • Additional information on financial assistance for businesses related to the COVID-19 pandemic can be found on our COVID-19 Resource Page
• Business Violation Resources 
  • Select your business type or industry to display a list of common violations.
  • Curable Violations: Frequently Asked Questions
  • Settlements: Frequently Asked Questions
  • Request a Compliance Consultation.
  • 10 Things Every Business Should Know.
  • What to Expect When You’re Inspected: A Guide for Food Service Operators.
  • Small Business Help. If You Are A Small Business Owner And You Do Not Have A Lawyer Or A Paid, Professional, Registered Representative: OATH will provide you with the opportunity to speak with an OATH Procedural Justice Coordinator who can provide you with legal information and resources to help you prepare for your case. These individuals can provide you with information about the hearing process, the options available to you, and answer questions that you may have.
• Required Signage
  
  • Required Sign Checklist for Restaurants & Bars
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Know Your Rights:  Employers with at least 15 employees are required to post the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s  mandatory “Know Your Rights” poster, which updates and replaces the previous “EEO is the Law” poster. The new poster must be placed in a conspicuous location in the workplace.
• Business Courses
  • SBS offers free business courses to guide NYC entrepreneurs through each step to start, operate, and grow a business. Learn more & complete the simple application to get started.
  • The Office of Nightlife introduces Nite School, a series of monthly classes to educate industry owners, workers and patrons about City agency resources, best practices as well as safety and harm reduction programs. Learn more here.
  • Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free learning program developed to help small businesses grow and build their skills to succeed in the digital economy. Access courses, events, coaching sessions, and grant opportunities.
• Commercial Lease Assistance Program
  • If your business needs help with a commercial lease issue in New York City, you may be eligible for free legal services through the Department of Small Business Services. Request Commercial Lease Assistance.
  • Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A provides free legal services to small businesses across NYC regarding assistance with commercial leases. It offers a free virtual clinic for small business owners seeking legal assistance. This resource offers business owners the opportunity to meet with one of their attorneys in a 30-minute session to discuss needs related to their commercial lease—including lease renewal, termination, negotiating a sublet, landlord harassment, and more. The clinic runs Tuesdays from 4PM to 6PM on Zoom. Check out the flyer here and sign up here. For more information, contact the intake team at 718-487-1340 or CLAhelp@bka.org
• Business & Employee Training
  • This provides federally funded grants to help NYC-based businesses train and retain their employees. This competitive, reimbursable training grant is available for businesses that are for-profit, operating for at least one year, and able to pay for training upfront. Learn how it works and determine if your business is eligible.
  • SBS’s Training for Your Employees program provides no-cost, online training to help business owners and employees with essential technology tools and COVID-19 safety. Learn more about how it works and what to expect.
• Veteran Owned Businesses & Entrepreneurs
  • Veteran Business Owners can fill out this online form to be included on an interactive map of NYC Veteran Businesses by NYC Department of Veterans’ Services.
  • Through the Veteran Business Leadership Association (VBLA) NYC Department of Veteran’s Services offers free one-on-one business counseling, access to capital, and help with government contracting.
• Emergency Response Assistance
  • The SBS Emergency Response Unit can help local businesses impacted by emergencies through providing the latest emergency information, helping business owners regain access to their location and recover items, coordinate with the NYC Police Department and other responders, connect businesses to attorneys and business organizations, and help accelerate the restoration of business operations. For assistance, businesses should contact our Emergency Response Unit through the SBS Hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC (888-727-4692) or via email at eru@sbs.nyc.gov.
• Graffiti Free NYC
  • Get free graffiti removal service. Complete the Graffiti Free NYC Program Consent Form.
• Reduce Food Waste
  • The Sanitation Foundation, the official nonprofit of the NYC Department of Sanitation, runs the biannual Food Waste Fair. The Food Waste Toolkit is a digital directory that walks business owners through various strategies for reducing food waste.
• Internet Access
  • Internet Advisor offers a comprehensive listing of internet providers searchable by coverage area, price, and rating.
• Pest Prevention
  • Best Practices for Pest Proofing Food Service Establishments
  • How to Reduce Rats Around Outdoor Dining
  • Find a New York State licensed pest management specialist