Do I need a business license to sell my crafts?
Navigating legal requirements like business licenses and copyrights feels terrifying and unclear when selling handmade items to friends, family, or online. This confusion leads creators to feel discouraged, doubt themselves, and consider giving up on selling what they make.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1selling on facebook marketplaceDid this help you?
- 2asking friends and family for opinionsDid this help you?
- 3Selling items illegally without permission from the IP holderDid this help you?
- 4Directing students to independent public art markets to make purchases outside of school groundsDid this help you?
- 5Checking with the principal for approval and reaching out to parents for permission before any transactionDid this help you?
- 6Refusing transactions with students entirely to avoid conflicts of interest or policy violationsDid this help you?
- 7Selling locally within the country of originDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Is it really illegal for wanting to sell little things i make to friends and family? Is it stupid for me to want to sell things that i make? Or should i like give up on that?”source ↗
“So, the ball is officially rolling and Im beginning the process of product research and getting samples from manufacturers for prototyping my product. I want to make sure I know what needs to happen once my product is ready to go BEFORE it is so that I can get my ducks in a row.”source ↗
“What are some legal things I should be sure get done before any sales? What would be the best way to start an online presence for my business for awareness? How did you set up a functional website for sales and info?”source ↗
“It's toxic and u need approval to sell”source ↗
“A student saw what I was working on and told me he wanted to buy a pair of earrings from me.”source ↗
“When I imagine him giving me cash at work in exchange for the item, it feels wrong, like something I’d be slightly nervous for admin to know about.”source ↗
“I had a student who wanted to buy something for his mom. He wanted to give me the cash and I could order it online for him. ... I wouldn’t do it. That could be spun so many directions if someone wanted to twist it.”source ↗
“The process of copyright is kind of terrifying and I don’t see anyone explaining the process.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 3Where to buy real handmade art online
- 11How do I figure out what compliance rules apply to selling internationally?
- 6How to avoid customs fines and drone laws abroad
- 2How to start a custom merch store without buying upfront inventory
- 24How to tell if Etsy or handmade items are mass-produced dropshipped junk