If you’ve spent years doing the work for someone else, the only things between you and your own company are paperwork: a business entity, a license where required, and insurance. Here’s the whole path.
Most solo operators can be legitimate in one to two weeks. Many ForeLeaf trades — lawn care, cleaning, power washing, junk removal, pet services — need no trade license at all in our launch markets: register the business, carry insurance, and you’re bookable.
File with your Secretary of State — usually online, same-week. An LLC protects your personal assets and lets you open a business bank account.
Your federal tax ID, issued instantly at irs.gov. Never pay a third party for this.
Varies by state and city (details below). General handyman-type work is often unlicensed; electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and larger construction usually are not.
General liability is the baseline customers and cities expect ($1M is standard). ForeLeaf verifies your COI at onboarding — coverage options through the platform are coming.
Keep company money separate from day one — payouts, taxes, and bookkeeping all get easier.
Join ForeLeaf: verification, background check, payments, your own website, the FMS office — and homeowner jobs when we go live.
Launch-market basics. Rules change and cities differ — treat this as your checklist, and verify current requirements (or let us do it with you).
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Fees and requirements are the state’s and change over time — always confirm with your Secretary of State / licensing board, or have us walk it with you.
This page. The full checklist, the links, the order to do it in. Yours either way.
Formation, licensing, insurance, and renewals managed right inside ForeLeaf — one dashboard for the whole business, start to scale.