License & permits · New York

Starting a cleaning business in New York

Last checked against official sources: 2026-10-19

The big one in New York: if you form an LLC, you must publish a notice in two newspapers for six weeks and file a Certificate of Publication within 120 days. If you don't, your LLC's authority to do business is suspended.[1]

What you need in New York

  1. Decide: sole proprietor or LLCFiling LLC Articles of Organization costs $200,[2] plus newspaper publication costs and a $50 Certificate of Publication fee.[1]
  2. Register your business nameIf you trade under a name that isn't your own, register it as a DBA.[3]
  3. Get your free EIN[4]
  4. Read the state's sales tax guidance for cleaningNew York's tax department has issued guidance on sales tax for interior cleaning and maintenance services: TSB-M-91(4)S. Read it, or ask the department, before you set prices.
  5. Check local licensesNew York Business Express lists state and local permits by business type.

The New York LLC publication rule, step by step

  1. File your Articles of Organization$200 filing fee.[2]
  2. Publish in two newspapersDesignated by the county clerk where your LLC's office is, for six consecutive weeks. The newspapers charge for this.[1]
  3. File the Certificate of PublicationWith the newspapers' affidavits and a $50 fee, all within 120 days of forming the LLC.[1]
Newspaper costs vary a lot by county. Ask the county clerk which papers are designated and call them for prices before you form the LLC.

Questions people ask

What happens if I don't publish my New York LLC?

If the Certificate of Publication isn't filed within 120 days, the LLC's authority to carry on, conduct or transact business is suspended.[1]

How much does it cost to form an LLC in New York?

The Articles of Organization filing fee is $200[2], plus the newspapers' publication charges and a $50 fee to file the Certificate of Publication.[1]