Steinpo007

I would suggest you start by contacting a commercial real estate broker in your city. You can ask a trusted friend (or someone they know) to recommend one for you to contact.

You can also contact your local Chamber of Commerce and/or Better Business Bureau office for a listing of reputable firms in your area.

The broker can help you navigate the process, including paperwork , permits, etc.

As for the paperwork and permits, the Small Business Administration is a good source. They make sure you know who to talk to or contact the right agencies to get licenses, permits and such.

I am going to a 'How to start a small business" workshop given by the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) in my area.

CDF

This posting is getting kind of old, but if you check back, here are my suggestions. Depending on how many students you have at a time, or if it's private lessons, I'd start in your home, if possible. The last thing you need when starting a business is overhead and monthly bills. You may even consider giving lessons in the persons home to solve the location problem.

If you can do this for awhile and build up a client list. Once you get a reliable group of students, then consider taking on extra monthly expenses.

More practically, if it really is a music school you are considering, your major concern will be noise and bothering your neighbors. It's a clean, service industry, so there shouldn't be too many regulations, if any. Commercial zone, or if you do it at a home you may need a variance of some kind.