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Why start a cleaning business in Florida?
Aside from feeling like you’re living in vacationland (hello, land of Disneyworld, sandy beaches, and palm trees!), there are many advantages to starting a cleaning business in Florida. Wondering what the main benefits are? Well, for starters, LLCs, sole proprietorships, and S corporations are exempt from paying state income tax. The government also awards small businesses over $31,979.00 million of grants and funding each year.
If that alone doesn’t convince you, running a cleaning business in Florida means working in the booming market of vacation homes, hotels, and Airbnbs that all need cleaning. This article will provide all the essential information you need to know on how to start a home cleaning company in the state of Florida, including necessary permits, training for staff, equipment needed, insurance requirements, and more. Let’s get started!
A quick note:
The contents of this article are meant to help you grow your cleaning business, but should not be taken as legal advice. Always consult with an attorney and/or accountant to help make legal and financial decisions. If you need help finding a professional in your area, see what other cleaning business owners recommend in our ZenMaid Mastermind.
We suggest reading these articles first if you haven’t already:
Do I Need a Cleaning License in Florida?
While the state of Florida does not require residential cleaners to have a business license, most of its cities and counties do. Be sure to check with your city or county clerk’s office to learn if your area requires a license.
File/Register your business with Florida
You will likely need to register your cleaning business with the Florida Department of State, the IRS, and the Florida Department of Revenue. You can search for your business licensing requirements here at The State of Florida’s Official Business Information Portal.
Costs for licensing range from $8.75 to $900. For a full list of costs to expect, head over here.
To search for your county’s specific licensing and registration requirements, search in this database of Flordia county websites.
Business license requirements in Florida
Florida does not require a business license for general house cleaning businesses. But as policies can change, check with the state’s licensing needs when registering a new business.
Be sure to also check with your individual county, city, or local municipality. Requirements can vary and some may need a general business tax, licensing, or other filing requirements for business.
Call your local municipality office and inquire if this is required.
Get business insurance
For a breakdown of why you need insurance, the different kinds of insurance to consider, plus the difference between insurance and bonding, read this guide first.
In the cleaning industry, business insurance is always worth it since you’re usually entering someone else’s property. That said, your business may have unique needs and need different categories covered than the cleaning business down the street. Check out this resource to compare different business insurance companies in Florida.
