How to Start a Cleaning Business in Massachusetts: Complete Guide

Starting a cleaning business in Massachusetts typically costs $1,000 to $5,000 depending on your business structure and insurance needs. Each state has different rules for registration, taxes, and workers' compensation. This guide covers everything you need to start a cleaning business in Massachusetts, including filing fees, licenses, insurance, labor laws, and local tips.

Why Start a Cleaning Business in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has about 7 million people. The Greater Boston area alone holds nearly 5 million. That means a huge market for cleaning services.

The state has a high cost of living. This works in your favor. Clients in Massachusetts pay more for cleaning than in most other states.

Boston is also home to world-class hospitals and universities. These create special niches that pay top dollar. From biotech lab cleaning to student housing turnovers, the options are strong.

How Do You Choose a Business Structure?

Your first step is picking the right business structure. Massachusetts offers two main choices for new cleaning companies.

Sole Proprietorship

This is the easiest way to start. You do not file anything special with the state. You are a sole proprietor as soon as you begin working.

You may want a business name. If so, file a Doing Business As certificate with your city or town clerk. The fee is usually $20 to $50.

The downside is that you have no personal protection. If a client sues, your personal savings are at risk.

Limited Liability Company

A limited liability company is the better choice for most cleaning businesses. It keeps your personal money separate from your business money. If someone sues your company, your personal savings stay safe.

To form one in Massachusetts, file a Certificate of Organization. You file this with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The filing fee is $500 by mail or $450 online.

You must also file an annual report each year. The annual report costs $500. This makes Massachusetts one of the most expensive states for keeping a limited liability company.

How Do You Get an Employer Identification Number and Tax Accounts?

An Employer Identification Number is a free number from the federal government. You need it to open a business bank account and file taxes.

Apply for free at the Internal Revenue Service website. You get your number right away online.

Massachusetts Income Tax

Massachusetts has a flat income tax rate of 5 percent. This applies to most business income.

Some income types are taxed at 12 percent. Cleaning business income falls under the 5 percent rate.

You file and pay through the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. You can set up your account at their website.

Cleaning Services and Sales Tax

Good news for cleaning businesses in Massachusetts. Cleaning services are not subject to sales tax. The state sales tax rate is 6.25 percent, but it does not apply to cleaning.

You only need to collect sales tax if you sell physical products. If you only provide cleaning services, you do not need to charge sales tax.

What Licenses and Permits Do You Need?

Massachusetts does not require a state cleaning license. You do not need a special permit to offer general cleaning services. But you still need a few things in place.

State Business Registration

You must register your business with the state. This happens when you form your limited liability company. If you are a sole proprietor, you register through your city or town clerk.

Local Licenses and Permits

Many cities and towns in Massachusetts require a local business license. Boston has extra permit rules for many types of businesses. Check with your city or town clerk to find out what you need.

Fees vary by location. Most local licenses cost $25 to $100 per year.

Doing Business As Filing

Your business name may differ from your legal name. If so, you need a Doing Business As filing with your city or town clerk. The fee is usually $20 to $50.

What Insurance Do You Need?

Insurance protects your business from one bad day. Massachusetts has strict rules about certain types of coverage. Here is what you need:

• General liability insurance — Covers property damage and injuries at a client's home or office. Costs $400 to $1,200 per year. Every cleaning business needs this
• Workers' compensation insurance — Required for all employers with one or more employees. Fines reach $250 per day if you skip this
• Surety bond — Protects clients if an employee steals. Not required by the state, but many clients ask for it. Costs $100 to $500 per year
• Commercial auto insurance — Needed if you use a vehicle for business. Massachusetts requires auto insurance for all vehicles on the road

For more details on each type of coverage, read our Cleaning Business Insurance Guide.

What Are Massachusetts Labor Laws?

Massachusetts has strong worker protection laws. If you plan to hire employees, you must follow these rules from the start.

Minimum Wage

The Massachusetts minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. This is a flat rate with no automatic annual increases. It is one of the highest state minimum wages in the country.

Tipped workers must earn at least $6.75 per hour in direct wages. Tips must bring their total pay to at least $15.00 per hour. If tips fall short, you must make up the difference.

Paid Sick Leave

Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for most workers. Employees earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. They can use up to 40 hours of sick time per year.

This applies to all employers with 11 or more workers. Smaller employers must offer unpaid sick time.

Paid Family and Medical Leave

Massachusetts has a paid family and medical leave program. Both employers and employees pay into this fund.

It provides up to 12 weeks of paid family leave. It also provides up to 20 weeks of paid medical leave.

You must set up payroll deductions for this program. The Department of Revenue manages the payments.

Employer Taxes

When you hire employees, you pay state employer taxes. These include:

• Unemployment insurance — Rates vary based on your experience rating. New employers pay a set starting rate
• Paid family and medical leave — Shared between employer and employee through payroll deductions
• Workers' compensation insurance — Purchased through private carriers. Rates depend on your payroll and claims history

What Safety Rules Apply?

Massachusetts has a partial state workplace safety plan. The state plan covers only state and local government workers. Federal workplace safety rules cover private cleaning businesses.

This means your cleaning business follows federal safety rules. Massachusetts also has its own Department of Labor Standards. This agency handles certain workplace safety matters.

Chemical Safety

You must keep Safety Data Sheets for every cleaning product you use. Train your workers on each chemical they handle.

Cover how to use each product safely. Also cover what to do if there is a spill or skin contact.

This training must happen before workers use any product. Update training when you add new chemicals.

Injury Prevention

Create a simple safety plan for your team. Cover the most common cleaning injuries like slips, falls, and chemical burns.

Teach workers how to lift heavy items the right way.

Keep a first aid kit in every work vehicle. Make sure all workers know where it is.

Indoor Air Quality

Massachusetts has rules about indoor air quality in workplaces. When using strong chemicals, make sure the space has good airflow.

Open windows when possible. Use fans to move fresh air into the area.

How Do You Set Cleaning Prices in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has a high cost of living. This means you can charge more than in most states.

But you also have higher costs to cover. Factor in the $500 annual report fee and high labor costs.

Typical pricing ranges in Massachusetts:

• Home cleaning (hourly) — $35 to $65 per hour depending on your area
• Home cleaning (flat rate) — $150 to $350 for a standard 3-bedroom home
• Deep cleaning — $250 to $500 depending on home size
• Move-in or move-out cleaning — $300 to $550 or more
• Office cleaning — $0.07 to $0.18 per square foot, or $30 to $70 per hour
• Vacation rental turnover — $100 to $200 or more per turnover

Prices at the top of these ranges are common in Boston and Cambridge. Prices at the lower end are more typical in Springfield and Worcester.

Use our Price Calculator to find the right rate for your area. For detailed pricing methods, read our Pricing Guide.

What Cleaning Niches Are Profitable in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has cleaning niches that do very well because of the state's unique market. Here are the top options:

Biotech and Lab Cleaning

Cambridge and Kendall Square form one of the top biotech hubs in the world. These labs need special cleaning that follows strict standards. This niche pays very well because few cleaners have the right training.

You can also serve research labs at universities in the area. The demand is high and growing fast.

University and College Cleaning

Greater Boston has over 100 colleges and universities. Harvard, Boston University, Northeastern, Tufts, and Boston College are just a few.

Student housing needs deep cleaning every summer. Campus buildings need regular service all year.

This niche gives you steady work with large contracts.

Back Bay and Beacon Hill Luxury Homes

These Boston neighborhoods have historic brownstones and luxury condos. Residents here pay top dollar for quality cleaning. The South End, Cambridge, and Brookline also have strong demand for premium home cleaning.

Cape Cod and Islands Tourism

Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket draw huge crowds in the summer. Vacation rental hosts need fast turnover cleaning between guests.

This niche is very busy from May through September. You can charge premium rates during peak season.

Healthcare Facility Cleaning

Massachusetts has world-class hospitals. Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women's, and Dana-Farber are just a few.

Medical offices and clinics also need regular cleaning. This niche pays well and demand keeps growing.

How Do You Market a Cleaning Business in Massachusetts?

Getting clients in Massachusetts follows many of the same steps as anywhere. But a few strategies work especially well here.

Google Business Profile

This is the most important free marketing step. Set up your profile with your city, services, hours, and photos.

Ask every happy client for a Google review. Most people search online before hiring a cleaner.

Nextdoor and Local Facebook Groups

Massachusetts residents are active on Nextdoor and local Facebook groups. Join groups for your service area and share helpful cleaning tips.

When someone asks for a cleaner, your name will come up.

Partner with Property Managers

Boston has a huge rental market. Property managers need regular cleaning between tenants. Student housing turns over every year.

Offer property managers special rates or a referral bonus. One good partnership can keep you busy year-round.

University Bulletin Boards and Groups

Campus bulletin boards and student groups can bring in clients. Students and faculty often need affordable cleaning help. Post flyers near campus housing areas.

Yelp and Thumbtack

Both platforms are popular in the Boston area. Yelp reviews carry a lot of weight. Claim your profile and respond to every review.

Thumbtack lets homeowners send you quote requests directly.

For a complete marketing plan, read our Marketing Your Cleaning Business guide. Also check out How to Get Cleaning Clients Fast.

How Much Does It Cost to Start in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts is more expensive to start a cleaning business in than most states. Here is a breakdown of what to expect:

• Limited liability company filing — $500 by mail or $450 online (one-time)
• Annual report — $500 per year (required every year to keep your limited liability company active)
• Doing Business As filing — $20 to $50 (if using a different business name)
• Local business license — $25 to $100 per year (varies by city or town)
• General liability insurance — $400 to $1,200 per year
• Workers' compensation insurance — Varies by payroll (only if you have employees)
• Cleaning supplies and equipment — $200 to $500 to start
• Marketing (initial) — $100 to $500

What Is on Your Massachusetts Startup Checklist?

Follow this list step by step. Complete each item before moving to the next:

1. Choose your business structure — Form a limited liability company at the Secretary of the Commonwealth website ($450 online)
2. Get an Employer Identification Number — Apply free at irs.gov
3. Open a business bank account — Keep personal and business money separate
4. Register with the Department of Revenue — Set up your state tax account at mass.gov
5. Get your local business license — Check with your city or town clerk
6. Buy general liability insurance — Get at least $1 million in coverage
7. Buy cleaning supplies — Start with the basics and upgrade as you grow
8. Set your prices — Use our Price Calculator and factor in Massachusetts costs
9. Set up your Google Business Profile — This is your most important marketing tool
10. Book your first clients — Tell friends, post on Nextdoor, join Thumbtack
11. Get workers' compensation insurance — Required before your first employee starts
12. File your annual report on time — The $500 fee is due every year to keep your limited liability company active

What Are the Best Tips for Massachusetts?

Here are practical tips from successful Massachusetts cleaning business owners:

• Start solo to keep costs low — Massachusetts has high fees. Work alone until you have enough clients to justify hiring
• Budget for the annual report — The $500 yearly fee catches many new owners off guard. Set money aside each month
• Target the university market — Over 100 colleges means huge demand for move-out and summer deep cleaning
• Build Cape Cod contacts early — Summer rental cleaning is very profitable. Start reaching out to hosts in early spring
• Plan your routes around traffic — Boston traffic is some of the worst in the country. Group clients by neighborhood
• Offer green cleaning — Massachusetts clients care about the environment. Eco-friendly cleaning helps you stand out
• Get workers' compensation on day one — The state enforces this strictly. Do not hire without coverage
• Use software from the start — Use MaidProfit for scheduling, quoting, and invoices so you can focus on growing

What Are the Guides for Nearby States?

Thinking about expanding to a nearby state? Each state has different rules and fees. Check our other New England state guides below.

Where Do You Find Massachusetts Government Resources?

Here is a complete list of every government website from this guide. Bookmark these for later.

What Other Guides Can Help Your Business?

These free guides cover topics every cleaning business owner needs. They work hand-in-hand with this state guide.

Start Your Massachusetts Cleaning Business Today

Massachusetts has higher fees than most states. But it also has higher demand and higher prices. The extra cost of doing business here pays off with better earnings.

Start by forming your limited liability company and getting your Employer Identification Number. Get insured and check with your local clerk for permits.

Set prices that cover your costs. Then focus on getting your first clients through Google, Nextdoor, and local partnerships.

Every successful cleaning company in Massachusetts started with one owner and one first client. This guide gives you a clear path to follow. Take the first step today.