Starting a photography business: your first-month checklist

The usual order of things. Pick your state below for its exact rules, deadlines and official links.

1. 1

   Check sales tax and drone rules

   Photographers don't need a special license in most places, but some states may tax photo sales and prints, and paid drone photos need an FAA Part 107 certificate. FAA drone rules

2. 2

   Get general liability insurance

   Covers a guest who trips over your gear and, with equipment coverage, your cameras and lenses. See options

3. 3

   Get your EIN

   Free from the IRS, online in about 10 minutes. Banks, clients and payroll all ask for it. You never need to pay a service for it. How to get it free

4. 4

   Open a business bank account

   Keeps the company's money separate from yours, which is what protects your LLC. See options

5. 5

   Set up booking and invoicing

   Online booking and automatic invoices get you paid faster. See options

6. 6

   Set up bookkeeping

   Track every sale and expense from day one so taxes take hours, not weeks. See options