When starting a landscaping or lawn care business in the state of California, you will need to complete a few important steps in order to become a legal business. Your landscaping business could include gardening, lawn mowing, leaf removal, excavation, tree work, and more. You may want to start here: How To Start A Landscaping Or Lawn Care Business. You can find the links to help get your new lawn care business registered in California below. You must do your own thorough research, as laws change regularly. Here are some steps you may have to take (not necessarily in order) to start your landscaping or lawn care company, along with links to more information.
Getting started– California’s website about how to start a business in California is found here: Start A Business
-Register your landscaping business name.
Find out more about registering a fictitious name here: California Business Name Availability. Your fictitious name must be registered with your county clerk.
If you need help selecting a name for your landscaping business: How To Choose A Business Name and Landscaping Business Name Ideas
-Select a business structure.
Sole-proprietor, LLC, Partnership, Corporation, etc. Find out more here: California Business Entities
-Register your landscaping business.
You can register your landscaping business with the state of California here: Register Your Business Entity
-Open a Business Checking Account.
You will need to open a separate bank account for your landscaping business with your new business name.
-Register to File Taxes.
You may want to hire an accountant do the work. More info about taxes here: http://www.taxes.ca.gov/ and http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Starting-a-Business
-Get Landscaping Software
Landscaping software will streamline your business before you even start, giving you visibility and control over all your leads, sales, jobs, and tasks from a single program to get your company on the fast track toward growth.
You’ll also be able to create estimates, place material orders, automate the boring (but necessary) stuff, empowering you and your team to finish jobs on time and on budget. Try JobNimbus for Free!
-Get Liability Insurance.
We work with ContractorsLiability.com because they’re the one-stop-shop for General Liability insurance and are able to get online quotes in all 50 states. Learn more >
More about liability insurance here: Contractor Liability Insurance
-Worker’s Compensation.
You will need Worker’s Compensation if you have any employees. Find out more>
-Register as a Contractor.
Depending on what type of work you will be doing, you may need to register as a contractor. To become a contractor, you must apply for a contractor’s license in the state of California. The registration application is found here: http://www.cslb.ca.gov/About_Us/Library/Forms_And_Applications.aspx .
-Get Health Insurance.
Since you will be self-employed, you will need your own health insurance. If you have employees, you will need a plan that will include their health needs also.
-City License.
You may be required to obtain a license to do business in a particular locale, whether you are a resident, or not.
-Permits.
Depending on the locale, you may need to apply for permits before starting certain types of painting jobs.
-Special Certifications and Licenses.
You may possibly need to be certified or licensed to work with certain fertilizers or other lawn chemicals.
