Time required to start a business in United States
United States: Time required to start a business was 4.2 days in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
4.2 days
Change on year
down 25.0%
World rank
167th
of 188 countries
All-time high
6.2 days
in 2013
All-time low
4.2 days
in 2019
Years of data
7
2013–2019
Time required to start a business in United States, 2013–2019
Source: Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in days.
Analysis
In 2019, time required to start a business in United States stood at 4.2 days. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is down 25.0% on the previous year and down 32.3% over ten years.
United States ranks 167th of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Time required to start a business in United States, year by year
| Year | days | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 6.2 days | — |
| 2014 | 5.6 days | -9.7% |
| 2015 | 5.6 days | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 5.6 days | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 5.6 days | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 5.6 days | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4.2 days | -25.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4.2 days is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.5 days, 49% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is time required to start a business in United States?
- Time required to start a business in United States was 4.2 days in 2019, according to Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest time required to start a business recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 6.2 days in 2013.
- What is the lowest time required to start a business recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2 days in 2019.
- How does United States rank for time required to start a business?
- United States ranks 167th out of 188 countries with data for 2019.
- Is time required to start a business rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Time required to start a business. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business.