How to start a mobile detailing business

Price by vehicle size so a large SUV is not the same price as a coupe.

A general business license usually covers detailing. Many cities restrict letting wash water and chemicals run into storm drains, and some apartment complexes do not allow washing on site. Call your city's stormwater or public works office and ask what you must do with runoff, and carry a water reclaim mat if they require one.

The SBA lists the launch steps in this order: pick a location, choose a structure, choose a name, register, get federal and state tax ID numbers, apply for licenses and permits, open a business bank account, and get insurance. For a mobile detailing business working out of a truck, the location is usually your home address and the area you will serve.

• Structure. A sole proprietorship is the simplest. An LLC keeps the business separate on paper. Ask an accountant which fits your state and your plans.
• Tax ID. The IRS gives out an employer identification number (EIN) online, and says you never have to pay a fee for one. Websites that charge for an EIN are not the IRS.
• Self-employment tax. The IRS lists the self-employment tax rate as 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. Income tax comes on top, so set money aside from every job.
• Bank account. Open it before the first payment lands, so every dollar in and out is easy to find at tax time.

Your name goes on the truck, the invoices, the Google profile and the yard signs, so pick it once. The free auto detailing name generator gives 36 ideas for your town and style, each with a domain idea, and lists the checks to run before you commit: your state's business name search, a federal trademark search and the domain itself.

The SBA describes general liability insurance as cover for financial loss from bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses and defending lawsuits. It says businesses with employees are required to carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance, and some states ask for more.

Ask your agent about general liability and garagekeepers or care, custody and control cover for damage to customers' vehicles while you work on them. Commercial auto covers your van.

No total here on purpose. What you spend depends on what you already own, new or used, and how much work you plan to take on. Price your own list with a local supplier, then put the numbers in the startup cost table of the free business plan generator, which adds them up for you.

• A van or truck with a water tank, pressure washer and generator, or access to customers' water and power
• Vacuums, an extractor for upholstery, and a steamer
• A dual-action polisher, pads and compounds if you offer paint correction
• Microfiber towels, brushes, buckets and products
• A water reclaim mat where local rules call for one

The rig (tank, pressure washer, generator) is the main cost. Many start using the customer's water and power and build the rig later.

Build packages from your time per vehicle size, products used and the drive, plus profit. The free labor rate calculator sets your hourly cost and the break-even calculator shows how many cars a month cover your rig. Price paint correction and coatings separately and by condition.

• Office parks and dealerships. Detail several cars in one stop.
• Your neighborhood. Book streets, not scattered addresses.
• Instagram and Google photos. Before and after shots sell detailing.
• Repeat schedules. Koira reminds past customers when it is time again.

Take a deposit to hold each booking, and collect the rest with pay at the door. Offer a monthly plan through Koira plans.

Add a second detailer and rig once your weekends are booked weeks ahead. Read how detailers run on Koira.