Open a Business in Whiting

First: which city are you in?

Whiting is its own city. Robertsdale is a neighborhood of the City of Hammond. The steps are the same, but your city license and permits come from different offices.

Not sure? Look up the address on the Lake County GIS map or check your water bill. Some Whiting-ZIP addresses are in Hammond.

Your 10-step path

Most businesses follow these steps in roughly this order. Steps 3 and 7 are the ones people most often skip, and skipping them causes delays.

1. Make your plan and talk to someone, free

   Before you sign a lease, get a second set of eyes on your idea, budget, and location.

   • Who: NWI SBDC, SCORE, the Chamber
   • Cost: Free

   • Book a free advisor through the Free Local Help page (Northwest Indiana SBDC or SCORE).
   • Call the Chamber at (219) 659-0292. We can tell you about available spaces, foot traffic, and events that bring customers downtown.
   • Use our Learning Paths to build a simple plan and startup budget.

   Mark step 1 done

2. Confirm your location is Whiting or Robertsdale

   Some addresses with a Whiting ZIP code are actually in Hammond (Robertsdale). Your city decides which license and permits you need.

   • Where: Lake County GIS map or your water bill
   • Time: 5 minutes

   • Check the address before you sign anything. The City of Whiting asks applicants to “ensure that you are in the City of Whiting proper before submitting permits.”
   • Then follow the Whiting or Robertsdale column in “Which city are you in?” above.

   Mark step 2 done

3. Check zoning and the building before you sign a lease

   Make sure your type of business is allowed at that address and that the space can be used the way you plan.

   • Who: Whiting Building Department / Plan Commission
   • Phone: 219-659-7700

   • Ask the Building Department whether your use is allowed and whether you’ll need an Improvement Location Permit or a Board of Zoning Appeals variance.
   • Planning to remodel, change walls, or add electrical or plumbing? You will need a building permit, and contractors working in Whiting must hold a Whiting contractor’s license.
   • On 119th Street, read the city’s Redevelopment Standards and Historic District Guidelines first.

   Mark step 3 done

4. Register your business with the State of Indiana

   Pick your business structure (sole proprietor, LLC, corporation) and register it.

   • Where: INBiz (Indiana Secretary of State)
   • Time: Online, same week

   • Register at inbiz.in.gov. Your state tax registration starts there too.
   • Not sure which structure fits? Ask your SBDC advisor or an accountant before filing.

   Mark step 4 done

5. Get your federal EIN

   An Employer Identification Number is your business’s federal tax ID. Most businesses need one, and the City of Whiting’s license application asks for it.

   • Where: IRS.gov
   • Cost: Free

   • Apply online at IRS.gov. Beware of websites that charge for this.

   Mark step 5 done

6. Register for Indiana taxes

   After INBiz, the Indiana Department of Revenue handles your state tax accounts.

   • Where: INTIME (Indiana DOR)
   • Cost: $25 per location for retail

   • Selling products? You need a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate for each location that collects sales tax. It’s a one-time $25 fee per location, it must be displayed at your store, and it renews every two years.
   • Hiring employees? Add withholding tax in INTIME and register with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development for unemployment insurance.

   Mark step 6 done

7. Get the permits your business type needs

   Some businesses need approvals before the city license. See “Extra steps by business type” below.

   • Common: Food, alcohol, signs, sidewalk café, historic district

   • Food: Lake County Health Department permit and a pre-opening inspection.
   • Alcohol: Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission permit (attach a copy to your Whiting license application).
   • New sign or façade change: Sign Permit, plus a Certificate of Appropriateness in the Historic District.

   Mark step 7 done

8. Apply for your city business license

   Register your business with your city. Whiting’s license is paid annually.

   • Whiting: $50 per year, Clerk-Treasurer
   • Robertsdale (Hammond): $105 general business, expires June 30

   • Whiting: complete the Business Registration License Application with your state tax number or federal ID. Mail it to City of Whiting, Clerk-Treasurer, P.O. Box 230, Whiting, IN 46394, or bring it to City Hall at 1443 119th Street. The city routes it through zoning, fire, electrical, and building review.
   • Robertsdale: apply through the Hammond City Controller, including a recycling plan. Approvals can include building, fire, police, and zoning. Late applications pay a $200 fee.

   Mark step 8 done

9. Set up insurance, banking, and records

   Protect yourself before your first customer walks in.

   • Who: Your insurance agent, bank, accountant

   • Open a separate business bank account. Find a Business lists local Chamber-member banks, credit unions, and insurance agencies.
   • Talk to an insurance agent about general liability, property, and, if you have employees, workers’ compensation.
   • Each year, file a business personal property return with the Lake County Assessor by May 15.

   Mark step 9 done

10. Open your doors and get noticed

    You did it. Now let Whiting know.

    • Who: The Chamber
    • Cost: Membership dues

    • Join the Chamber for a ribbon cutting, a social media welcome, a directory listing, and a shout-out at the next Quarterly Luncheon.
    • Ask about the City of Whiting’s façade grant: a 50/50 match up to $7,500 per address.
    • Get your events on What’s Happening and plan around Pierogi Fest and Wickedly Whiting crowds.

    Mark step 10 done

Extra steps by business type

These are on top of the 10 steps above.

Who to call

Keep this list handy. Most questions can be answered with one phone call.