How to Start a Cleaning Service in Georgia (2026)

Last updated: April 2, 2026

Three things set Georgia apart when you start a cleaning business here. First, every Georgia city and county issues its own Occupation Tax Certificate (OTC) — and the fee structure, portal, and deadline vary county by county in ways that will catch you off guard if you treat this like a generic business license. Second, Georgia’s SAVE Affidavit requirement means every OTC applicant must attest to lawful presence under the state’s immigration-enforcement law (HB 87, O.C.G.A. § 36-60-6) — a step that doesn’t exist in most other states. Third, Georgia’s workers’ compensation threshold of three employees is one of the strictest in the Southeast: you’re required to carry coverage at your third hire, while Florida requires four, South Carolina four, and Alabama and Tennessee both require five. If you’re coming from another state or scaling from a solo operation, that three-employee threshold will hit earlier than you expect.

Cleaning Business Requirements in Georgia at a Glance

Requirement	Agency	Cost	Timeline
LLC or business entity formation	Georgia Secretary of State (sos.ga.gov)	$100 online / $110 by mail	~7 business days online
Annual LLC registration renewal	Georgia Secretary of State	$60/year (due Jan 1 – Apr 1)	Ongoing annually
Occupation Tax Certificate (OTC)	Your city or county — see table below	$75–$400+ depending on jurisdiction and gross receipts	1–3 weeks
SAVE Affidavit (lawful presence)	Filed with OTC application at city/county	No separate fee (notarized document)	Same day if prepared
E-Verify enrollment (if 11+ employees)	USCIS E-Verify / affirm exempt if under 11	Free	1–2 days
Georgia DOR withholding tax registration	Georgia Tax Center (gtc.dor.ga.gov)	Free	Immediate upon registration
GDOL unemployment insurance account	Georgia Department of Labor (dol.georgia.gov)	New employer rate: 2.70% on first $9,500/employee	Register before first payroll
Workers’ compensation insurance	Private insurer — required at 3 employees	$700–$1,400/year (solo/small crew)	Before 3rd employee starts
General liability insurance	Private insurer	$730–$1,600/year	Before first client
Federal EIN	IRS (irs.gov/ein)	Free	Immediate online

How to Start a Cleaning Business in Georgia (Step by Step)

Step 1: Form Your Business Entity

File a Georgia LLC through the Secretary of State’s eCorp portal at ecorp.sos.ga.gov. The filing fee is $100 online or $110 by mail; standard processing is approximately 7 business days. You’ll also need to file an Annual Registration each year between January 1 and April 1 — the 2026 fee is $60 ($50 base + $10 service fee). Obtain a federal EIN from irs.gov at no cost — this is one line in your startup checklist, not a separate step requiring a guide.

Step 2: Apply for Your Occupation Tax Certificate

In Georgia, operating a business without an Occupation Tax Certificate is a misdemeanor. This is not a state-level license — it is issued by whichever city or county has jurisdiction over your business address. Before you apply, determine whether you are inside a city limit or in unincorporated county territory, because that single question determines which office you deal with, what portal you use, and what you pay.

The table below shows what a cleaning business owner faces in Georgia’s major markets:

Jurisdiction	Who Issues OTC	Portal / Office	Approx. Base Fee	Renewal Deadline
City of Atlanta (inside city limits)	City of Atlanta, Office of Revenue	ATLBIZ portal (atlantaga.gov) — ATLCORE system	$191 registration + gross receipts-based tax; $25/employee after first	Renew annually; expire Dec 31
Unincorporated Fulton County (outside Atlanta city limits)	Fulton County Finance	fultoncountyga.gov/business-licenses	Gross receipts-based; verify with county	Renew annually
City of Savannah / Chatham County (unincorporated)	Chatham County Building Safety & Regulatory Services	buildingsafety.chathamcountyga.gov	$75 admin fee + bracket-based gross receipts tax, or $400 flat-tax option in lieu of gross receipts reporting	Renewals due March 1; expire Dec 31
Augusta-Richmond County (consolidated government)	Augusta License & Inspections Dept.	augustaga.gov/2102	Starting at $113; gross receipts-based tiers apply	Expire Dec 31; 10% penalty after 30 days
Gwinnett County (unincorporated)	Gwinnett County Planning & Development	gwinnettcounty.com (Licensing & Revenue)	$80 flat fee + $0.65–$1.30 per $1,000 gross revenue (6 tax classes)	Renewal due February 15
Cobb County (unincorporated)	Cobb County Community Development	cobbcounty.gov/business-license	Gross receipts-based tiers; verify exact amount with county	Expire Dec 31; amnesty periods announced separately

Key takeaway: A cleaning business grossing $80,000 per year in Atlanta faces different math than the same business in Gwinnett County or Augusta-Richmond County. Pull your specific jurisdiction’s fee schedule before budgeting. Cities inside counties (like Marietta inside Cobb, or Duluth inside Gwinnett) may require both a city OTC and a county OTC — check with both offices if you’re in a city.

Step 3: The SAVE Affidavit — Georgia’s Unique Requirement

Georgia’s Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act (HB 87, signed 2011, codified at O.C.G.A. § 36-60-6) requires every person applying for an OTC — or any business license or permit — to submit a notarized affidavit attesting to lawful presence in the United States. This is separate from E-Verify. The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, administered through USCIS, is the federal system Georgia ties into, but the affidavit itself is submitted directly to your city or county clerk.

What you need to prepare before filing your OTC application:

• A government-issued ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
• A notarized SAVE affidavit (your county’s form — most jurisdictions have their own version). Prior-year notarized affidavits are not accepted; you must submit a current-year document.
• If you have 11 or more employees (working at least 35 hours/week each): your E-Verify account number and enrollment date.
• If you have 10 or fewer employees: a signed exemption affidavit stating you are below the E-Verify threshold.

Most cleaning businesses starting out will sign the E-Verify exemption affidavit. As you grow past 10 employees, E-Verify enrollment becomes mandatory for each subsequent OTC renewal. Download your county’s specific forms from the county website before your appointment — walking in without the notarized affidavit will result in a rejected application.

Step 4: Register as a Georgia Employer

Once you hire employees, two state-level registrations are required:

• Georgia DOR Withholding Tax Account: Register online at the Georgia Tax Center (gtc.dor.ga.gov). Select “Withholding Tax” as the account type. Your account number is issued immediately. Georgia’s flat income tax withholding rate for 2026 is 5.19%.
• GDOL Unemployment Insurance Account: Register at dol.georgia.gov before your first payroll. New employers are assigned a flat rate of 2.70% on the first $9,500 of each employee’s wages for 2026 (verify the wage base with GDOL, as it is subject to annual adjustment). After several years of experience, your rate is calculated based on your claims history.

Step 5: Workers’ Compensation — Georgia’s 3-Employee Rule

Georgia requires workers’ compensation insurance when you have three or more employees, counting full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers equally. Corporate officers and LLC members count toward the threshold and cannot be excluded to reduce your headcount.

This threshold is stricter than most of your Southern competitors:

State	Workers’ Comp Required At
Georgia	3 employees
North Carolina	3 employees
Florida	4 employees (non-construction)
South Carolina	4 employees
Alabama	5 employees
Tennessee	5 employees

Coverage is regulated by the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation (sbwc.georgia.gov). Purchase through a private insurer — Georgia has no state fund. For cleaning businesses, annual premiums on a small crew typically run $700–$1,400 depending on payroll size and claims history. Federal OSHA applies in Georgia (the state has no state OSHA plan), but workers’ comp insurance is entirely a state requirement.

Step 6: Understand Georgia’s Sales Tax Treatment of Cleaning

Georgia does not impose sales tax on cleaning services. Per the Georgia Department of Revenue (dor.georgia.gov), janitorial and cleaning services are exempt from sales and use tax. You do not charge clients sales tax on your labor. You do pay sales tax when you purchase cleaning supplies, equipment, and chemicals — those purchases are taxable at the point of sale. If you resell any products separately (e.g., selling cleaning kits or products as a retail line), those product sales would be taxable. Register for a sales tax account at the Georgia Tax Center only if you plan to sell tangible personal property.

Cost to Start a Cleaning Business in Georgia

Item	Low Estimate	High Estimate	Notes
LLC formation (Georgia SOS)	$100	$110	Online vs. mail filing
Occupation Tax Certificate	$75	$400+	Varies by jurisdiction and gross receipts; Atlanta’s $191 base + per-employee fee is a common benchmark
Notarization (SAVE Affidavit)	$10	$25	Notary fee varies; many banks provide free notarization
General liability insurance (annual)	$730	$1,600	$111–$133/month range for small crew; biBerk, The Hartford competitive in GA
Workers’ comp insurance (annual)	$700	$1,400	Required at 3 employees; purchase through private insurer
Cleaning equipment and supplies	$300	$1,500	Vacuum, mops, microfiber, commercial-grade chemicals
Vehicle / transportation	$0	$500	Personal vehicle usable initially; commercial auto insurance required if used for business
Total estimated startup	$1,300	$3,900	Solo operator to small crew, first year

Georgia Market Context: Where the Cleaning Work Is

Georgia’s cleaning business market is driven by several demand engines that distinguish it from most other states:

Atlanta’s healthcare corridor: The I-285/I-85 corridor running through Midtown and Emory connects Grady Memorial Hospital (the largest public hospital-based health system in the Southeast), Emory University Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and dozens of outpatient and specialty clinics. Healthcare facilities require specialized cleaning protocols and represent some of the most stable, highest-margin commercial contracts available. Janitorial contractors operating in this market need documented disinfection procedures and often bloodborne pathogen training.

Hartsfield-Jackson and the logistics belt: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest by passenger volume, and the surrounding Clayton and South Fulton County corridor hosts airport vendors, cargo handlers, and hotel chains. Along I-85 into Gwinnett and Barrow counties and along I-285 around the perimeter, Amazon, UPS, and Home Depot distribution centers create consistent demand for industrial and warehouse cleaning.

Savannah’s port-driven industrial expansion: The Port of Savannah is the third-busiest container port in the United States by volume and is adding five new container berths through a $4.5 billion infrastructure plan. The Garden City Terminal area and the Savannah metro’s distribution center corridor — which includes Amazon, IKEA, Target, and Shaw Industries — generates demand for industrial cleaning services. Savannah’s historic district hospitality sector (hotels, restaurants, event venues) also sustains residential and commercial cleaning demand year-round due to tourism volumes.

Suburban residential growth: Metro Atlanta’s suburban ring — Forsyth County, Cherokee County, Paulding County, and Henry County — has been among the fastest-growing suburban areas in the United States. New construction, owner-occupied housing, and dual-income households create sustained demand for recurring residential cleaning.

Related Georgia Business Guides

• Starting a Business in Georgia: Complete Guide

← Back to all Georgia business guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SAVE Affidavit and why does Georgia require it for a cleaning business license?

The SAVE Affidavit is a notarized document you must submit with every Occupation Tax Certificate (OTC) application or renewal in Georgia. It attests to your lawful presence in the United States. The requirement comes from Georgia’s Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act (HB 87, 2011), codified at O.C.G.A. § 36-60-6. Georgia is one of only a handful of states that applies this requirement universally to business license applicants — it is not a federal requirement and is not required in most other states. A prior-year notarized affidavit is not accepted; you must submit a current document for each application or renewal cycle.

Do I need separate licenses from the city and the county in Georgia?

It depends on where your business address is located. If you operate from within a city’s incorporated limits, you apply for your OTC from the city (e.g., City of Atlanta, City of Savannah, City of Marietta). If you are in an unincorporated area, you apply to the county (e.g., Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Fulton County for areas outside Atlanta). Some cities that sit inside a county may require OTCs from both the city and the county — this is common in Cobb County, where cities like Marietta and Smyrna issue their own OTCs and the county also requires one for county-jurisdiction areas. Confirm with both offices for your specific address.

When does Georgia require workers’ compensation for a cleaning business?

Georgia requires workers’ compensation insurance as soon as you have three or more employees, counting full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers equally. Corporate officers and LLC members count toward that threshold and cannot be excluded. There is no exemption for small cleaning businesses below a revenue threshold. This is stricter than Florida (4 employees), South Carolina (4), Alabama (5), and Tennessee (5). Buy coverage through a private insurer — Georgia has no state workers’ comp fund — and do not wait until your third employee’s first day to shop for coverage, as underwriting can take a week or more.

Does Georgia charge sales tax on cleaning services?

No. Georgia exempts cleaning and janitorial services from sales and use tax. You do not collect sales tax from your clients on the service itself. However, you do pay sales tax when you purchase cleaning supplies, equipment, and chemicals at retail — those are taxable inputs for your business. If you separately sell products to clients (not just use them in the cleaning process), those product sales would be subject to sales tax. The guidance is available from the Georgia Department of Revenue at dor.georgia.gov.

How does the Atlanta OTC fee compare to other Georgia counties for a cleaning business?

Atlanta (City of Atlanta, inside city limits) charges a $191 annual registration fee plus a gross receipts-based business tax and $25 per employee after the first. Gwinnett County charges an $80 flat fee plus $0.65–$1.30 per $1,000 of gross revenue. Chatham County (Savannah area) offers a $400 flat-tax option instead of tracking gross receipts — useful if your revenue is higher. Augusta-Richmond County starts at $113 and scales by gross receipts tiers. In all cases, these are annual fees and must be renewed; operating without a current OTC is a misdemeanor under Georgia law.

Is there a Georgia state-level business license for cleaning businesses beyond the county OTC?

No. Georgia does not issue a state-level business license for general cleaning services. The Occupation Tax Certificate, issued by the local city or county, is the primary operating permit. There is no separate state certification or registration required for residential or commercial cleaning. The closest thing to a statewide compliance layer is the SAVE Affidavit and E-Verify requirements that apply to all OTC applicants under O.C.G.A. § 36-60-6 — but those are conditions of the local OTC, not separate state permits. If you add pest control services (applying pesticides to client properties for compensation), that triggers a separate Georgia Department of Agriculture licensing requirement.

How much does it cost to start a cleaning business in Georgia?

Startup costs for a Georgia cleaning business typically run $1,300–$3,900 for a solo operator to small crew. The main costs are: Georgia LLC formation ($100), Occupation Tax Certificate ($75–$400+ depending on jurisdiction), notarization for the SAVE Affidavit ($10–$25), general liability insurance ($730–$1,600/year), and workers’ compensation insurance ($700–$1,400/year, required at 3 employees). Cleaning equipment and supplies add $300–$1,500. There is no state-level business license fee for cleaning services.