Contact your appropriate state or local city hall regarding requirements and procedures for obtaining business permits. Industry associations generally have directories of their members. The Encyclopedia of Associations or National Trade and Professional, and the Associations of the United States , publications available in many local libraries, contain lists of industry trade associations. Additional private publications, which list U.S. manufacturers and suppliers, include the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and the Harris Manufacturing Directory . These publications are also available at many local libraries.
Cabotage is the trade or transport of cargo in coastal waters between two points within a country.
U.S. cabotage laws are referred to as the Jones Act. Many nations, like the U.S., have cabotage laws which require domestic owned vessels to perform domestic interport water transportation service. The actual interpretation and enforcement of the Jones Act is the responsibility of the U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Coast Guard. The SGS Government Programs Inc. is an independent service company with prices worldwide. It carries out the majority of preshipment inspections.