• American Patent & Trademark Law Center - General information about patents and trademarks.
• Avoiding Patent, Trademark and Copyright Problems - Part of SBA's Products/Ideas/Invention Series illustrating how to avoid infringing the rights of others and the importance of protecting your own rights.
• BitLaw - A Resource on Technology Law - Contains information on copyrights, trademarks and Internet legal issues.
• Chicago Public Library - Patent and trademark resources found on the Internet.
• Cool Product Idea! Now What? (part I) (part II) - You've come up with a great invention. Before finding someone to make it, you need a plan. Includes lessons learned on product development.
• Explore Basic Issues Before Applying for a Patent: Freedom to Operate and Patentability - Before applying for a patent, be sure to determine if you have freedom to operate...whether or not you can produce and sell a product or use a process without infringing on the intellectual property rights of others.
• InventNET - The Inventor's Network - Inventing and patenting help. Information to help develop and market inventions.
• Inventors' Digest Online - Magazine for inventors. Provides useful information and guidance on all kinds of inventing-related and marketing subjects.
• IPFee.com - A free site that generates custom fee estimates for Intellectual property legal work. Generates legal fee estimates for over 100 types of inventions, trademarks and copyrights. Provides a benchmark for comparison shopping and identifies regional attorneys that can help for a fee.
• Patent Cafe - Online navigational directory for creators and professionals needing informational resources related to patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.
• Trademarks and Business Goodwill - Part of SBA's Products/Ideas/Invention Series explaining what trademarks are, tips for choosing a trademark and how to register a trademark.
• U.S. Copyright Office - Library of Congress site includes basics, faq, registration procedures, forms and a copyright search feature.

Patent Searches:

• Center for Technology and Small Business Development - Assists Missouri residents with patent and new product development.
• Delphion - Provides intellectual asset management software and services that help business and intellectual property (IP) professionals research, manage and analyze intellectual property information.
• Google Patent Search - Google's interface to search the full text of the U.S. patent database
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office - Databases - Part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's web site. Search patent classifications through full-text and full-page image databases.
• United Inventors' Association - Provides leadership, support and services to inventor support groups and independent inventors.
• U.S. Copyright Office - Official web site of the U.S. Copyright Office.
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office - Official web site of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Search patents and trademarks, order copies, apply for patents, register trademarks, pay fees and monitor progress.

• Federal Citizen Information Center - Contains information on laws and federal regulations affecting small business owners. Order publications online.
• FedWorld.gov - A comprehensive central access point for searching, locating, ordering and acquiring goverment and business information.
• LSU Libraries Federal Agencies Directory - Complete U.S. Federal Government Agencies Directory.
• Regulations.gov - Easy-to-navigate site that acts as a clearinghouse of online services for individual citizens, businesses, and governments.
• Selected Government Sites - Official web sites of state and federal agencies that regulate businesses.
• State and Local Government on the Net - Guide to local, state and federal sponsored Internet sites.
• U.S. Business Advisor - Provides business with one-stop access to federal government information, services and transactions.
• U.S. House of Representatives - Official web site of the United States House of Representatives.
• U.S. House of Representatives: Small Business Committee - Find out what bills and hearings are in the U.S. House of Representatives pipeline for small business.
• U.S. Senate - Official web site of the United States Senate.
• U.S. Senate: Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship - Find out what bills and hearings are in the U.S. Senate pipeline for small business.

• Business Insurance: The Basics - Types of insurance every business owner should consider; article includes a section on coverages often overlooked
• Disaster-Proof Your Business - Preventive measures, in the form of business interruption insurance, can protect you and your business in case of disaster
• Insurance Options for Business Continuation - Part of SBA's Management and Planning Series discussing the life insurance needs of a small business owner and how important business life insurance is when planning for the future of business.
• Keeping Insurance Costs Down - Tips for selecting an insurance company or agent, types of coverage and methods for reducing costs
• Making Sure Your Home Base is Covered - Home-based businesses require a distinct type of insurance coverage
• Small Business Insurance and Risk Management Guide - Part of SBA's Management and Planning Series providing entrepreneurs with help in strengthening insurance programs by identifying, minimizing and eliminating business risks.
• "Liability Insurance for the Child Care Center" - Abstract of publication that provides step-by-step advice on important questions related to shopping for child care center insurance (Note: University of Missouri Extension publication; must be purchased).
• "Liability Insurance and the Family Daycare Provider" - Abstract of publication that outlines liability insurance options and helps evaluate and compare liability insurance policies. (Note: University of Missouri Extension publication; must be purchased).
• Missouri Department of Insurance - Workers' Compensation Questions - Provides answers to questions employers ask most often.
• Missouri Statute Chapter 287: Workers' Compensation Law - Citation of law.
• Working Without a Net Can Be Bad for Your Health - A review of health insurance for the business owner

• Business Licenses and Permits - Information on business licenses and permit requirements. Provides guidance on sales tax number, EIN, motor vehicle and occupational licenses, selling to the state, plus local permits and zoning.
• Contacts for Licenses and Permits - Form lists legal requirements for starting a business in Missouri and provides contact information for assistance.
• Legal Formation - Third section of "Doing Business in Missouri". Provides information on how to select the proper legal business structure including sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation and limited liability company.
• Missouri Business Links - Links to state agencies that answer common questions that start-ups and business owners have concerning state permits, regulatory requirements, forms, fees and contact information for their particular business.
• Online Business Registration - Combined online registration form where Missouri businesses can easily register for the following: retail sales tax, withholding tax, unemployment tax, corporate/franchise tax, consumer's use tax, vendor's use tax. (Combined registration project of Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Employment Security and the Department of Revenue)

• Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair (CCAR) - Provides environmental information and best practices to help automotive shop owners, managers and technicians better understand their environmental responsibilities and to help them achieve compliance with environmental program requirements.
• Earth 911 Business Resources - "Helping business help the environment;" a Web site helping businesses find recycling centers, employ conservation practices and practice conservation ideas.
• Greener Choices - A Web site from Consumer Reports that offers reliable and practical information on green products, including a toolkit with a toxics search and electronics recycling.
• Guide to Making Your Company More Green - Action steps and resources to help ensure that your business environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Small Business Assistance Program - Provides services to help Missouri businesses compliance issues for air pollution, water pollution, drinking water, hazardous waste management, land reclamation and solid waste management.
• Missouri Environmental Assistance Center - One-stop resource for pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance for Missouri small businesses.
• Missouri Industrial Assessment Center - IAC provides energy and productivity assessments to qualified small-to-medium-sized manufacturing companies. A program of MU's College of Engineering.
• Other Government Agencies - Links to other state and federal web sites.
• Putting Energy into Profits - Provided by the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program, this publication can guide businesses in saving money from lighting, heating, air conditioning and office equipment purchase, use and maintenance.
• Small Business Owners Willing to Pay More for Green Products - This Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey reveals that small business owners are environmentally savvy, want to help reduce greenhouse effects.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 7 - EPA regional programs and initiatives for Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska (Region 7).

• ADA (Americans with Disabilities) Guide for Small Businesses - Guide presents an informal overview of some basic ADA requirements for small businesses that provide goods or services to the public.
• HIPAA - Office for Civil Rights - Useful materials and links regarding the new HIPAA privacy rule and public health with an emphasis on smaller providers and other small businesses.
• The Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns - Provides access to disability resources, services and information for individuals and businesses.
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Provides access to state health rules, standards, data and other resources.
• Missouri Department of Public Safety - Provides support services and resources to promote public safety.
• OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - Provides research, information, education and training in the field of occupational safety and health.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Includes regulations, laws and information on (recalls, safety, testing, hazards, etc.) for manufacturers, distributors and retailers.