This is important in terms of choosing a shelf company.  A state that requires a business license also requires disclosure of the owners.  A change of ownership resets the age of the shelf company to Zero; in the eyes of a bank or loan company.

The solution:  Acquire the shelf company from a state that doesn't require a business license, or disclosure of the owners.

What states are best to locate a good shelf company?  The best shelf companies are found in Montana, Wyoming and New Mexico.

2.  After you acquire the shelf company, then file for the Employer Identification Number (EIN), and open the bank account.

Don't acquire a shelf company that has established EIN.  A shelf company may owe back taxes, credit card bills, and other unseen obligations.  For this reason, you should acquire a shelf company that doesn't possess an assigned EIN or bank account.

Many shelf company providers sell shelf companies with existing EIN's and/or bank accounts; and charge much more.  Please think this through.  They are offering you a shelf company that is sour with debts, potential tax liabilities, unpaid taxes, unfiled returns, and other potential issues.  You are much better off acquiring a shelf company that has no EIN and no bank account.

3.  Update the Secretary of State where in the state where the shelf company was filed, and the state in which you seek to do business.

This is critical.  All information on the state level, business licenses on your local level, , website, and other public information must show a consistent address, and the same principals, for your shelf company.  Consistent information is important to DNB and the banks.

4.  File the shelf company in your home state.  If you live in California, file the shelf company in California.

The banks want to see that you're doing business in the same state in which you live.  It's logical.  Anyone who purchases a shelf company from Wyoming, and lives in California, will need to file the shelf company in California.  The banks seek to validate that you are where the shelf company is doing business. Further, they seek to validate that the shelf company is where you are.  For these reasons, simply file the shelf company in the state in which you live.

5.  It's normal to buy an established or existing business.  If someone asks you if you purchased a shelf company, tell them the truth.  Tell them you acquired an existing business.

6.  The name of the shelf company may involve most industries.  At this time, banks are not dealing fairly with any business seeking financing for real estate projects.

If your shelf company name involves words such as; real estate, realty, development, financial, or the like, you are unlikely to obtain financing.  Since banks lost so much money on real estate and financial speculators, they are unlikely to extend any credit to any business in those industries. 

7.  Don't change the name of the shelf company.  Instead, file the shelf company in the state in which you seek to do business, and then file a Doing-Business-As(DBA).

Name changes reset the age of the shelf company to zero; in the eyes of any finance company.  A better alternative is simply to file a DBA for the shelf company in the state where you do business.  In this way, you manage to do business under the preferred name, and the age of the shelf company remains in tact.

8.  Obtain small loans and accounts using your shelf company.  Then pay off those obligations early.  The account will be reported to DNB and your shelf company accumulated Paydex score is developed.  An accumulated score of 80 is your goal.

9.  After reaching an accumulated Paydex score of 80 for about three to six months, then you're ready to apply for financing.