WITH EMPLOYEES
2,013
U.S. CENSUS CBP 2023
GUIDES · GEORGIA · CLEANING SERVICES
Start a cleaning business in Georgia
UPDATED JUL 2026 · DATA RETRIEVED JUL 2026
THE SHORT ANSWER
To start a cleaning business in Georgia you'll file Articles of Organization with the Georgia Secretary of State on eCorp ($100 online), get a free EIN from the IRS, and get your local occupation tax certificate. Total startup filings: ~$100 and 5–7 business days. No statewide cleaning license is required.
Source: Georgia SOS · IRS — verified Jul 2026
RETRIEVED JUL 27 2026
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU · CBP + NES
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU · CBP + NES
CLEANING SERVICES — GEORGIA ESTABLISHMENTS · NAICS 56172 · 2023
GA
STATE OF GEORGIA
CLEANING SERVICES
CLEANING SERVICES
SOLO OPERATORS
SOLO
53,596
NONEMPLOYER 2023 · 96.4% OF TOTAL
STATE FILING FEE
$100
ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION · CD 030
PROCESSING TIME
PROCESSING
5–7
BUSINESS DAYS
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, CBP 2023 + NONEMPLOYER STATISTICS 2023 — RETRIEVED JUL 2026 CENSUS.GOV/CBP /METHODOLOGY/
MARKET SIGNAL
272,381 new business applications in Georgia (last 12 mo) ▲ 15% YoY
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics — retrieved Jul 2026 Embed this chart
Georgia’s cleaning market clusters around metro Atlanta’s office stock and its fast-growing suburbs, and the state keeps its side of the paperwork cheap: the $100 eCorp filing is the lowest in this pilot. The local layer does the real gatekeeping: an occupation tax certificate from your city or county is required almost everywhere before the first invoice.
File your Georgia LLC in 7 steps
1
STEP 1 OF 7
Choose and search your business name
Your name must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable from existing Georgia entities. Run it through the Corporations Division business search on eCorp first: it lists every registered Georgia entity by name, and the page itself notes it is not the official availability check. The Corporations Division makes that call when you file, so a close match here is your signal to pick something more distinct.
ecorp.sos.ga.gov — business search
Georgia eCorp — business search (UI as of Jul 2026)
2
STEP 2 OF 7
Appoint a registered agent
Georgia requires a registered agent with a physical street address in the state, available during business hours. You can serve yourself, which puts your address on the public record. A commercial agent keeps your home address off the filing.
3
STEP 3 OF 7
File the Articles of Organization on eCorp
File online through the eCorp portal: from the home page, "Online Services" is the entry point, and the filing itself continues behind a user account. The online filing fee is $100, paid by card, and covers the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030). Standard online processing runs about 5–7 business days; expedited service is available for an extra fee.
ecorp.sos.ga.gov — eCorp home
Georgia eCorp — home, Online Services entry; e-filing continues behind an account (UI as of Jul 2026)
4
STEP 4 OF 7
Get a free EIN from the IRS
Apply for an Employer Identification Number on the IRS website once the LLC is approved. It is free and takes about ten minutes online; you need it for banking, hiring, and taxes. Ignore any site that charges for an EIN.
irs.gov — EIN Assistant
IRS — "Get an employer identification number," EIN Assistant entry (UI as of Jul 2026)
5
STEP 5 OF 7
Create an operating agreement
Georgia doesn't require an operating agreement, but it is the document banks, landlords, and partners ask for. A short standard agreement works for a single-member LLC; multi-member LLCs should put splits and exit terms in writing from day one.
6
STEP 6 OF 7
Check licenses and local permits
Georgia has no general statewide business license; instead, nearly every city and county requires an occupation tax certificate (local business license) before you operate. For cleaning work specifically: Georgia has no state cleaning license, but nearly every city and county requires an occupation tax certificate (the local business license) before you operate, and commercial contracts often ask for a janitorial bond and liability insurance.
7
STEP 7 OF 7
Calendar the annual registration and open a bank account
Georgia LLCs file an annual registration with the Secretary of State between January 1 and April 1 ($50 online). Open a separate business bank account with your filed articles and EIN so personal and business finances never mix.
File it yourself, or have it done
Same state fee either way. The difference is your time, and whose address goes on the public record.
DIY
WITH NORTHWEST
State fee
$100
$100
Service fee
$0
$39
Your time
~4 hrs
~10 min
Registered agent (1 yr)
you, publicly listed
included, private
Start your Georgia LLC →
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Common questions
Do I need a license to clean houses in Georgia?
There is no statewide cleaning license in Georgia. You will, however, need an occupation tax certificate from the city or county where the business is based. That certificate is Georgia's local business license. You will also want liability insurance for commercial or property-management contracts.
What ongoing fees does a Georgia LLC have?
Georgia charges $50 for the online annual registration, due between January 1 and April 1 each year. Miss it and the state adds a late fee and can administratively dissolve the LLC. Your local occupation tax certificate also renews annually at rates your city or county sets.
Can I be my own registered agent in Georgia?
Yes. Any Georgia resident over 18 with a physical street address in the state can serve as the agent, including yourself. The trade-off is that the agent's address is public and someone must be available there during business hours to accept service of process.
What does the $100 Georgia filing fee cover?
The $100 online fee files the Articles of Organization and creates the LLC. It does not include the annual registration Georgia requires each year ($50 online), an EIN (free from the IRS), or the local occupation tax certificate your city or county issues.
Source: BusinessFormation.us analysis of U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (establishment counts, NAICS 56172), and Business Formation Statistics (monthly applications); retrieved Jul 2026. businessformation.us/start/cleaning-business/georgia/