Getting started in errand running
Steps to go from zero to your first paying errand-running client.
- 1
Define your service area and task list
Pick a local radius you'll cover and a clear list of errand types you'll take on (grocery runs, pharmacy pickups, dry cleaning, waiting in line, light personal shopping) — a defined scope is easier to price and market than "anything."
- 2
Get general liability and commercial auto insurance
Budget roughly $1,900-4,000/yr combined — a personal auto policy typically excludes business use, so commercial auto coverage matters as soon as you're driving for paying clients.
- 3
Get bonded
A basic $10,000-25,000 surety bond (roughly $100-250/yr) is inexpensive relative to the trust it builds with clients who are handing over house keys, cards, or cash.
- 4
Set your rates and a receipt process
Price your hourly rate using the calculator above, decide a minimum booking length, and settle on how you'll handle client funds (their card, a prepaid float, or reimbursement against itemized receipts) before your first job.
- 5
Register the business locally
Check your city/county for any business license or permit requirement for a home-based service business — requirements and fees vary by location.
- 6
Target a specific client niche first
Busy professionals, new parents, and especially seniors/people with mobility limits are the core errand-service market — senior-focused errand work in particular tends to support a higher rate given the added reliability and communication expected.
- 7
List yourself locally and get reviews
A Google Business Profile, local senior-center or community-board postings, and word-of-mouth from repeat clients (errands are naturally recurring) drive most early bookings.