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How to start a cleaning company in Maryland
Residential or commercial cleaning, janitorial, or specialty cleaning services.
Recommended structure
LLC
Typical startup cost
$500 – $10,000
State
Maryland
Step-by-step
- 1Form an LLC and get an EIN
- 2Get general liability insurance + janitorial bonding
- 3Apply for a local business license
- 4Open a business bank account
- 5Set up a booking system (Jobber, Housecall Pro, or simple Calendly)
- 6List on Yelp, Google Business Profile, and Thumbtack
Licenses & permits you'll likely need
- General business license
- Janitorial bond
- Sales tax permit (some states tax cleaning services)
Exact requirements vary by city and county. Confirm locally before you operate.
Insurance
- • General liability ($1M typical)
- • Janitorial bonding
- • Workers' comp (when you hire)
Tax notes
Track mileage between jobs religiously — it's a major deduction. Use MileIQ or QuickBooks Self-Employed.
Business banking
Most cleaning businesses run on cash + Venmo early on. Open a business account immediately to look professional and stay legal.
Official Maryland filing links
File LLC / Corp with Maryland
Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation
Search business name
Confirm your name is available
Apply for an EIN (IRS)
Free federal tax ID
Build your personalized plan
We'll generate a Maryland-specific checklist for your cleaning company and walk you through every step.
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