• To conduct business within NY State as a business entity, you must register with the NY Secretary of State or local County Clerk.
• Partnerships and sole proprietorships (only if operating under a name other than the proprietor’s) must register with the County Clerk's Office where the business is conducted.
• Corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships must register with the Secretary of State, Department of State, in Albany.
  
• For more information, please refer to Forming a Business in New York: An Overview.
  

Federal Employer ID Number (EIN)
Federal law requires corporations, partnerships, and certain sole proprietorships to have an Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number, or EIN.  For more information, please refer to Do You Need an EIN? 

The EIN is used to conduct business in New York City. No additional identifying number is required.

You can apply for an Employer Identification Number online or by using Federal Form SS-4.  For more information, please refer to How to Apply for an EIN.