Is is legal for a private person to set up a chemistry lab in the U.S.?

Question

...in other words, a person who took chemistry in college for a semester and who knows a good bit about chemistry and reads all the books they can find but is not a graduate of a university or a true chemist in the professional sense of the word. Is it legal for them to set up a small lab at their residence in the U.S. for research and to conduct experiments? I'm not talking about an illegal drug manufacturing lab or anything illegal like that. I'm talking about a legitimate chemistry lab for experimental and research purposes. A place with the resources to further an insatiable interest in chemistry.

Answer 1

You may absolutely start any legal business you want if you have the money to buy the supplies and if you pay the fee to obtain the licenses required for starting any business.

However, be warned that some chemicals fall under laws requiring qualified supervision of their use. If you try to start a business without proper credentials, you might be denied the licenses needed for those restricted chemicals. There is also a storage safety requirement which might be harder for you to meet if you don't have someone on staff who is properly trained in handling hazardous materials. And trust me, in a research lab, there will ALWAYS be SOME kind of hazardous materials. Whether it is organic (flammable) solvents or strong reagents (acids, corrosives, alkalies, etc), there will e SOMETHING in that lab that won't like you.

Answer 2

I'm not too sure, but I am sure that you need certain qualifications to get the correct tools and chemicals to set up your lab...