Pressure Washing Permit Requirements in Minneapolis, MN

Complete permit and license guide for starting a pressure washing in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.

Verified 2026-09-03 6 stops $150–$750 est. 1–3 weeks to obtain all required licenses and insurance
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

    Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online)

State of Minnesota

2 stops

  1. Minnesota Sales Tax Permit

    Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Minnesota. Register with the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

    Official government source

    Free1–3 business days

  2. General Liability Insurance (Recommended)

    Minnesota does not require pressure washing businesses to carry general liability insurance, but commercial clients and property managers routinely require a certificate of insurance, typically $1 million per occurrence, before hiring. Coverage for property damage from high-pressure water is the main exposure. Commercial auto insurance is separately required if you operate a company vehicle, and workers' compensation is mandatory once you have any employee.

    Official government source

    Not set by government - premiums are quoted by insurers, commonly a few hundred to about $1,500 a year for a small crewSame day to a few business days once a quote is bound

City of Minneapolis / Hennepin County

3 stops

  1. Minneapolis Business License — Not Generally Required

    Minneapolis does not require a general, city-wide business license, and there is no gross-receipts business fee. The city licenses only specific categories in its business-license directory and License Fee Schedule — contractors and trades, food service, alcohol and tobacco, animal, lodging, vehicles-for-hire, entertainment and cannabis. Pressure washing is not among them, so a pressure washing business needs no Minneapolis business license. Home-based operators must still meet the city's home-occupation zoning rules, and window cleaning above 24 feet is a separately licensed activity.

    Official government source

    $0 — Minneapolis has no general business license to buyNot applicable — no city application is filed

  2. Stormwater / Wastewater Discharge Compliance

    Pressure washing businesses in Minneapolis must keep wash water containing detergents, oils or other pollutants out of storm drains. The City's Public Works Surface Water & Sewers division operates the municipal storm sewer system and enforces the illicit-discharge rules, and the Minneapolis Health Department's Environmental Health Permit office issues the temporary water discharge permit required to discharge water to a storm drain or sanitary sewer. In practice wash water must be contained and disposed of properly rather than released to a storm drain.

    Official government source

    No fee for ordinary compliance. A temporary water discharge permit costs $122.30 per event, whether discharging into the sanitary sewer system or the storm drain system (Minneapolis Environmental Program Fee Schedule, Minneapolis Code of Ordinances 50.70)Ongoing compliance. A permit or approval must be obtained in advance of the discharge; failing to obtain one can double the permit fee and draw a citation

  3. Minnesota Certificate of Assumed Name (Secretary of State)

    A pressure washing business operating under a trade name must file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the Minnesota Secretary of State — not with Hennepin County — before accepting jobs under that name, then publish the certificate in a qualified legal newspaper in the county where the business is located for two successive issues (Minn. Stat. 333.01).

    Official government source

    $50 filed in person or online, $30 by mail, plus the newspaper's separate publication charge; renewal is freeImmediate when filed online or in person, roughly 4-7 business days by mail; the two-issue newspaper publication adds time on top

Terminus

Open for business — est. $150–$750 · 1–3 weeks to obtain all required licenses and insurance

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