Business Licensing Reference Guides - Cleaning Businesses

The process to register a business in PA varies based on several factors.  To ensure you complete the basic steps to register your business, you should create a Business Registration Checklist.  After answering a series of questions, you will be provided a step-by-step guide.  Complete each step and you will be on your way to operating.

Beyond the basic business registration steps as determined by the checklist, there is no general business license that all Pennsylvania businesses are required to obtain.  Instead, there might be a specific license based on your business activity.  Continue reading below for specific requirements associated with your business. 

A cleaning business should consider the following items:

  1. Sales Tax License: Residential and commercial building cleaning services are subject to sales tax in Pennsylvania.  You will need a sales tax license to collect and remit sales tax on your cleaning service.  You can learn more about sales tax as it related to building cleaning services by reviewing PA Code 60.1.  You can obtain a sales tax license by completing an online business tax registration in the Department of Revenue’s myPATH  For assistance with registering in myPATH, refer to the Apply for State Business Taxes help guide and/or the Obtaining State Tax Accounts video tutorial.  There is no fee to submit your application.

Besides the items mentioned above, there are no other requirements for a cleaning business. 

After completing any requirements as determined by reviewing the items above, your business should be ready to begin operating. 

Revised 3/15/2025