Selling under 18 Years old

Start a Business
,

Topic summary

A user approaching their 18th birthday wants to start a business before heading to university in September. They need to register as a sole trader with Inland Revenue and handle international shipping.

Main Challenge:

  • Current regulations require minors to use parental/guardian data and bank accounts for business registration
  • This creates complications for tax returns and payment processing
  • The user seeks a way to have all payment documents in their own name before turning 18

Community Response:

  • Advised waiting the few remaining months until turning 18 to avoid legal complications
  • Recommended using the waiting period for research and preparation
  • Provided links to similar discussions about starting Shopify stores while under 18
  • Emphasized the importance of understanding business fundamentals and visualizing potential obstacles

Status: The question about processing payments in their own name while under 18 remains unresolved. The user clarified they’re not doing dropshipping but need registration for international shipping as a sole trader.

Summarized with AI on November 2. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

BACKSTORY

I am a few months away from turning 18 and wish to start my own business. I am receiving many avenues of support, however I noticed that you cant sell without using the data of a Parent of Guardian.

PROBLEM

My business idea will require me to register as a sole trader with Inland Revenue, and carry out self completed tax returns, and doing this with parental bank accounts and data would be an incredible struggle.

QUESTION

So is there any way I can start my business and still have all payment documents in my name?

2

Hi @DJFoster

Welcome to the community and I am glad you have an entrepreneurial spirit. My advice would be to wait for those few months to pass and do research. There are a lot of topics you need to get at least a basic knowledge. It is not just installing a dropshipping app and you will get $50K a week. Recently I saw a YouTube video that explains one thing: Visualise Obstacles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WONRS7BLh4g&t=631s ) So to be prepared you should visualize possible future obstacles and make plans for how to pass them. For example: you open a store and pay ads but have no sales for months. Well, you should do some research, and as there are hundreds of topics here find common mistakes and compare them to your store and fix and improve.

But for your question, there are a few topics here as well with some good answers and links :

https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-discussions/how-can-i-start-a-shopify-store-if-i-am-under-18/td-p/713372

https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-discussions/what-is-the-best-way-to-start-a-shopify-store-if-i-am-under-18/td-p/2549632

https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-discussions/can-i-start-a-merchandise-shop-under-18-with-parental-consent/m-p/2217940

Good luck and have patience.

2 Likes
3

Thanks for your reply!

I would just like to add that I will not be starting a drop-shipping store, I just need to register as I will be shipping internationally and will be classed as a sole trader. And the reason I am wishing to start this before my birthday, is I will hopefully be heading off to university in September, and wished to have my business established by then, and was mainly just wanting to double check if payments can be done through my own card.

Thanks for your help!

1 Like