At one time, people were allowed to trade and sell products and services however they wanted. This changed with the development of civilization and governmental control. One way that a local, state or federal government exerts control over businesses is by requiring a business license for them to operate. A business license is something that is obtained by a business owner that allows that person to perform business activities as specified by that owner's business license application. This application usually exists as a paper form. Obtaining such a license also usually requires paying a fee to the appropriate governmental body. The requirements that a person must meet to obtain a business license can vary greatly from state to state and district to district. In certain municipalities, every business that operates in that area must have a valid business license. However, in other districts, a small home business may be allowed to operate without a business license. For example, a farmer that sells produce in front of his or her home may be allowed to make sales without a business license. This may also be the case for certain online businesses such as a web designer that works from home. Whether or not a business license is required for a person's proposed business may not be obvious. However, obtaining this information should be relatively easily. All a person usually has to do is make a phone call to the appropriate local or state government agency. If not, a person can usually find out whether or not a license is required by visiting a local governmental office. Usually, these are located in county courthouses. In certain cases, finding out whether or not a business license is required in a certain geographic location may still be confusing. Thankfully, zoning laws were developed to address this and other similar problems. According to specific zoning laws, people in certain residential areas may not be allowed to operate certain businesses at all. This is why researching the appropriate zoning laws is very important. Otherwise, these limits on a person's business may be unclear. While most people think of business licenses in terms of local and state licenses, federal business licenses may be required under certain circumstances. One example is a business that sells firearms. A federal business license may be required to make sure that business is also adhering to Federal Laws that regulate the sale of guns.