Importer/ Wholesaler/ Registration

Definition

Importer registration is required in the following 7 states. Registration is not required in all 7 states for all types of products. For example - TX does not require registration for upholstered furniture products.

Importer Registration

Importer licenses in these states allow an I/W/D to sell the products of any registered manufacturer in that state.

CA - California CT - Connecticut MA - Massachusetts OH - Ohio TX - Texas

These states require an I/W/D to obtain a separate license for EACH registered manufacturer it sells the products of.

DET - City of Detroit, MI
VA - Virginia

A state will not issue an importer license if the manufacturer is not registered with a current license.

To register as an I/W/D, there are some things to consider:

1) Does the manufacturer of the products have the required licenses in the required states before you attempt to register your company as the I/W/D?

One way to know is simply to ask the manufacturer. But don’t take their word for it - ask them to send you copies of each state license as proof. This is not out of line.

2) If all of the licenses are in place, can you trust the manufacturer to maintain the licenses from expiring?
If the manufacturer lets any of it’s licenses expire while your products are in the marketplace, they are subject to violation if they are discovered by a state inspector. YOU will be responsible for these fines for any tags or registration in violation.