Missouri

[David Moriconi]

So this means we'll see you in Jeff City this time this year opposing with the rest of us???

[Gary Farnsworth]

We here in Kansas have a lot of expense to perform inspections in Missouri. Living in Kansas, you have to register with the Missouri secretary of state's office; $155 per year. Since I do not have an address in Missouri, I have to apply for a "registered agent" so the state of Missouri can send correspondence to the "registered agent", who then opens up my mail, scans it in, and sends the letter to me via e-mail. There is only one registered agent in KCMO; that is an attorney's office at 107th and Holmes. Their fee for this is $150 per year. Then, I have to have an occupational license in KCMO to do business in their fine city, and pay earnings taxes. Many other cities, I believe at least 50 out of 80 around here, require some sort of licensing or operational permits. Kansas City Kansas is $80 per year. All of these licenses and occupational permits are voluntary; there is no enforcement. But if and agent or client complains, you get stuck with about $7,000 a year for fees, taxes, permits, and license fees, over and above any state home inspection licensing fees, insurance requirements, etc. With the state and federal taxes my accountant makes me pay, this out of pocket expense is about $22,000 per year, or about $110 per inspection. Of course, according to the Missouri secretary of states office, real estate agents, doctors, dentists, lawyers, are all exempt. Guess how and why.

[mnahrgang]

Hey Gary, This is the first I have heard about someone from out of state having to register with the MO secretary of states office. What's the scoop on that? There are plenty of IL inspectors who just work over this side of the border. I'm pretty sure they haven't registered.

[James H. Bushart]

That's okay....there are just as many Missouri boys doing inspections in Illinois without licenses.

I don't even think the Illinois guys care about licensing anymore.

[Gary Farnsworth]

There are pizza and furniture delivery guys working across state lines; painters, landscapers, even KCPL linemen, HVAC, etc. Again, these license requirements are NOT enforced, unless some client or RE agent complains about someone to the secretary of state's office. Mark, just jump on the Missouri secretary of state web site, and click on business. You can even go to the city of KCMO and read the list of people that have licenses. Almost no inspectors listed; most list themselves as "real estate". The states are missing out in millions of dollars in lost revenue due to contractors, builders, HVAC, etc. in licensing and occupational permits, but they never enforced it. It is all voluntary. We are "involved" in real estate transactions, but technically, we are not real estate agents, who are exempt. Most of the time these people, like us, do not get caught. Fine line here.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Mark;

http://www.sos.mo.gov/forms/corp/corp42.pdf

[mnahrgang]

What is "A foreign corporation"? I would interpret that to be a corporation that is not a US corporation.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Any corporation that operates outside the state of Missouri. I am an s-corp, so rules may be different for other forms of companies.

[Marcel Gratton]

Originally Posted by bboerner

I'll be right beside you Jim.

Bill,

With your pants down or up...

Enjoy,

[Marcel Gratton]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

On this, I too will stand shoulder to shoulder with you. (Our other differences aside.)

James B,

You must consider yourself as a very fortunate man (shoulder to shoulder with you) ...

Enjoy,