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Start a window cleaning business
Window cleaning is one of the lower-cost trades to start. You can begin domestic work as a sole trader with basic equipment, and there is no licence to clean windows in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The detail that catches people out is location. In Scotland a window cleaner's licence can be required by your council under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, so check locally, and removing any waste means registering as a waste carrier. We set the right pieces up with you so you are trading properly from day one.
What you need to start a window cleaning business.
The steps, in the right order. We do every one of them with you.
- 01
Register with HMRC as a sole trader
Register for Self Assessment so you can declare your income and pay tax and National Insurance. Most window cleaners start this way before deciding whether a limited company makes sense later.
- 02
Sort your insurance
Arrange public liability cover before you take on customers, since most will ask for it. Add employers' liability if you take on any staff, as that is a legal requirement.
- 03
Handle the location-specific rules
If you are in Scotland, check whether your council requires a window cleaner's licence and apply if it does. Anywhere in the UK, register as a waste carrier with the relevant environment body only if you will take away gutter clearings or other waste.
- 04
Set up bookkeeping for Making Tax Digital
Keep digital records of income and expenses from the start. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from April 2026 to sole traders with qualifying income over £50,000, with the threshold lowering in later years, so digital records now save a scramble later.
- 05
Build a website and Google Business Profile
A simple website and a free Google Business Profile help local customers find and trust you. Reviews on the profile are one of the strongest drivers of new domestic rounds.
- 06
Set up bookings and a local number
Give customers an easy way to book and a number to reach you. A simple online booking or enquiry form plus a local mobile number is enough to start a steady round.
What you do and don't need a licence for.
- ?
Window cleaner's licence (Scotland only) · Sometimes, by location
In Scotland a window cleaner's licence can be required under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, but it is run council by council and not every council operates the scheme, so check with your local council. Where it applies you apply through the council and it usually involves a Police Scotland background check. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there is no licence to clean windows.
- ✓
Waste carrier registration · Only if you remove waste
Registering as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency (or SEPA in Scotland, NRW in Wales) is only needed if you take away waste, for example gutter clearings or rubbish. Carrying a customer's waste is usually the upper tier, which has a fee. Pure water and window work that leaves nothing to dispose of does not trigger it.
- ✓
Working at height · No licence, but rules apply
There is no licence to work at height, but the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require the work to be properly planned and carried out by a competent person. Ladders are not banned, though they should be justified for low risk, short duration work.
- ✓
VAT registration · Only above the threshold
You must register for VAT once your taxable turnover passes the VAT registration threshold (currently £90,000 over any rolling 12 months). Most domestic-only window cleaners stay below this for some time.
Insurance. Public liability cover is not a legal requirement for a sole trader, but most domestic and commercial customers expect it before they let you work on their property, and it covers accidental damage to glass, frames or interiors. Many window cleaners also carry treatment risk or accidental damage cover for the work itself. If you employ anyone, even one part-time helper, employers' liability insurance is required by law and you can be fined for not holding it.
Starting a window cleaning business: FAQs.
Do I need a licence to clean windows in the UK?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there is no licence to clean windows. In Scotland a window cleaner's licence can be required under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, but it is run council by council and not every council operates it, so check with your local council. Where it applies it usually includes a Police Scotland background check. You only need a waste carrier registration if you take away waste such as gutter clearings.
Do I need insurance to clean windows?
It is not a legal requirement for a sole trader, but public liability cover is expected by most customers and protects you if you damage glass, frames or interiors. If you employ anyone, employers' liability insurance is required by law.
How much does it cost to start a window cleaning business?
Roughly £300 to £2,500 to begin, depending on your setup. A ladder, bucket and squeegee is cheap to start with. A water-fed pole system, tank and van costs more but lets you reach higher windows safely and work faster.
How fast can I start window cleaning?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you can start quickly once you have registered with HMRC, arranged public liability cover and bought your equipment. In Scotland, check whether your council requires a licence, and if it does allow time for it to be processed before you trade.
A small setup, then a companion for as long as you are trading.
You pay once to get the whole business set up properly. Then a simple monthly fee keeps your AI working alongside you for as long as you're trading.
We set the whole business up with you, properly, from day one. Registration, insurance, website, bookings, the lot.
- Registered and legally trading
- Insurance sorted for your trade
- A real website that ranks locally
- Google Business Profile, live on the map
- Online bookings and card payments
- A local phone number that rings your mobile
Stays with you for as long as you are trading. Logs your jobs, chases your money, reminds your customers, and tells you when to raise prices or hire.
Cancel any time. Your data is always yours to export.
Be among the first and keep founding-member pricing for as long as you stay subscribed.
Most services drop you the moment you're registered. Ours never does.
Your AI knows your business from its very first day, because it was there when you started it. It never asks you to explain yourself twice. As you grow, it's the one place you go: today's jobs, what's been paid, customer replies, your next move.
And it's yours. Everything we hold, you can see and export any time. We earn your stay by being useful, not by locking the door. For anything that needs a qualified accountant or adviser, we flag it and connect you to a trusted partner.