Want to become legal.....

[biggin69]

This will be my second year in the bussiness and I want to become make this year legit be getting licensed, Insured, ect., or I will not continue this year. I live in Ohio about thirty miles north of Cincinnati. Is there anyone from this area that knows what I need as far as license and insurance (I only cut residential)? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Lawn care business tips

WE are located in MI, but some universal things you need to have. First have you got a DBA (doing business as), if you are using any pesticide you will need to get a commercial applicator license, and as for insurance you will need at least limited liability. As for insurance doing residential you can get 500,000 but if doing commercial you will need more (we have clients wanting 2.000.000 coverage). Also a tax id number. Hope this helps you some.

[biggin69]

DBA...???

[Steve]

Hi biggin69,

Have you gone to your local county court house and registered your business name yet? When you do this, you create a business name (DBA) = doing business as.

It's like John Smith 'doing business as' John's Lawn Care.

Once you register your business name, which is nothing more than filling out a piece of paper and paying a fee of like $25 or so you get a paper from the county where you can then open a commercial bank account. You will need that if you want to deposit checks made to your business name.

Have you done this part yet? I just want to know where you are at in this process so we can help you further.

[PremierLand]

Forget the DBA, for $40 more you can become Incorporated if you do it yourself, the right way. Atleast in michigan. Also, get commercial auto insurance (it is better and wayyyy cheaper, I pay $100 per month per truck for full coverage and the oldest truck I have is a 2000 f350 dump), also get atleast a 2mil liability, workers comp, and insurance on all your equipment like mowers, trailers, etc. Hopefully you will never have to make a claim, but if you do, you will be glad you have it. Trust me, I know from expierence.

I go through Allied insurance, and I think they go through Nation Wide, which i think might be nationwide (hence the name).

I think I pay around 7 grand a year for 2mil liability, my trucks, workers comp, snow plowing insurance, street sweeping insurance, and all my equipment. It is well worth it IMO.

[biggin69]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Feb. 23 2007,9:41)]Have you done this part yet? I just want to know where you are at in this process so we can help you further.

No I have not done this. That is why i am asking as I do not know where o start.

Okay have a few things that I think might help you.:

If you havent already registed your business name below is the web address to check the avaliablity of the business name you wantsorry its so long but had to include everything or it would not get you to the final site)

http://www1.sos.state.oh.us/portal....=PORTAL

Also if you are going to use pesticides go to:

www.ohioagriculture.gov

They will give you info on how to obtain (what tests and fees you will need)

Hope this helps!

[Steve]

I think a reason why many lawn care operators when they get started go with the dba versus the incorporation is because it's a little easier to file for.

But those lcos who don't go the incorporation route intially tend to incorporate a few years later when they get really rolling.

What's the benefit? Well I am sure others can jump in but one of the biggies is that a corporation is it's own legal entity. That means if something happens while you are working and you seriously injury someone, your business might be sued but because it is it's own legal entity, ideally it protects your assests becuase you are a separate legal entity.

DBA (doing business as) is just you doing business under a fictitious business name. So when your business is sued, it is you being sued.

biggin69, do you have any preference which you would choose?

[biggin69]

I had planned on DBA (Sole Pro???somthing here in my town) but now you have me thinking.

Note: I will be doing all of the work myself. I will have no employees but me.

[Steve]

I am glad we have you considing all this. Another issue is filing taxes. PremierLand probably would agree, filing them for an llc is a little more difficult than doing it as a dba and you may need an accountant. However if you already have an accountant, no big deal then.

As Kim said, here are all the forms

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOSApps/SOS/FormRefbs.aspx

Let us know what you decide to do.