How to start a business in New York State. What are the requirements. Bobby and I discussed the details of opening and operating a business in New York. What cities he would like to explore and what are the requirements. New York state has a very easy and systematic website ny.gov which is very easy to navigate. All filings need to go through the state department, one stop shop. There are no county or city permits required to operate a business in New York. We also discussed how he could check online if a business name was available. For his assignment for tomorrow, Bobby is required to explore the demographics and household incomes of cities in Buffalo, NY.