Business Setup Planner

1. 01Check whether the licence must come firstSep 12, 2026

   In some states a trade licence is held by a qualifying individual and the entity can't be registered for that work until it exists. Search '[state] contractor licensing board' before you file anything — this is the step that makes people do the whole thing twice.

   Can start todayFree
2. 02Clear the nameSep 14, 2026

   Search your Secretary of State's entity database and the USPTO trademark database. Have two backups — filings get rejected for names that are merely similar, and the rejection costs the fee and the week.

   Blocked until: Check whether the licence must come firstFree
3. 03File the LLC with the Secretary of StateSep 29, 2026

   File directly on the state's site, not through a reseller charging a multiple of the state fee for the same form. State filing fees range roughly $50-500 depending on where you are.

   Blocked until: Clear the name10 days waiting$50–$500
4. 04Get the EIN from the IRSOct 1, 2026

   Free, about ten minutes, issued immediately at irs.gov. Apply once the LLC is approved so the name matches exactly — a mismatch causes problems at the bank. Anyone charging for this is charging for a free government form.

   Blocked until: File the LLC with the Secretary of StateFree
5. 05Write the operating agreementOct 2, 2026

   Rarely required for a single member, and it's the document that proves the LLC is genuinely separate from you — which is exactly what gets examined when someone tries to pierce your liability protection.

   Blocked until: File the LLC with the Secretary of State$0–$400
6. 06Open the business bank accountOct 3, 2026

   Bring the stamped formation document, the EIN letter, the operating agreement and ID. This is the hard blocker in the sequence — nothing about the money side can start until the state approves the filing.

   Blocked until: Get the EIN from the IRS$0–$25
7. 07Set up Stripe and test itOct 5, 2026

   Needs the EIN and the business account. Turn on payment links — a link you can text from a driveway gets paid far more often than 'I'll send an invoice over'. Charge yourself $1 and refund it before a real customer is involved.

   Blocked until: Open the business bank accountFree
8. 08Bind general liability insuranceOct 12, 2026

   $1M/$2M is the level most commercial and property-management work asks for. Get three quotes at matching limits, and ask for a blank certificate of insurance the day you bind — customers ask for it constantly.

   Blocked until: File the LLC with the Secretary of State3 days waiting$400–$1,800
9. 09Get the surety bondOct 17, 2026

   A bond pays your customer if you fail to perform — it protects them, not you. Priced as a percentage of the bond amount, typically 1-3% with good personal credit. File it with the board yourself rather than assuming the agency did.

   Blocked until: Bind general liability insurance3 days waiting$100–$900
10. 10Submit the licence applicationDec 1, 2026

    Application, exam results, experience verification, bond, certificate of insurance, entity documents, EIN, fee. Photocopy the whole packet — boards lose applications and the burden of proof is yours.

    Blocked until: Get the surety bond30 days waiting$150–$900
11. 11Get the city and county business licencesOct 31, 2026

    Almost every city wants one regardless of trade. Cheap, quick, and the most commonly forgotten — it's usually discovered when a customer or an inspector asks.

    Blocked until: File the LLC with the Secretary of State7 days waiting$25–$300
12. 12Start the books and open the tax accountOct 23, 2026

    Connect bookkeeping from the first transaction and open a separate savings account for tax. Reconstructing nine months of this next April costs a weekend and loses you deductions you can no longer prove.

    Blocked until: Open the business bank account$0–$40
13. 13Claim the Google Business ProfileNov 13, 2026

    Free, and it outperforms a website for local service work because 'plumber near me' shows the map first. Verification is usually by postcard, so start it early — the wait is calendar time you can spend on other steps.

    Can start today14 days waitingFree

Fees and processing times are ranges. Licensing, bonding and workers’ compensation rules vary by state, county, city and trade — this plan tells you where to check, not what your answer is. Confirm with the agency, and take advice on anything that turns on your specific numbers or partners.