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The rule that matters most for a cleaning business is DOLE Department Order 174-17. It applies when you supply janitorial workers to client companies under a service agreement, and it carries a ₱100,000 registration fee, ₱5 million in substantial capital and a certificate valid for only 2 years. Our sources do not tie it to household or one-off cleaning.[1]
Two kinds of cleaning business
The rules split on who your client is and how the work is set up. Use this to see where you stand before you sign anything.
- Homes, condo units, move-in and move-out cleans, one-off deep cleans: standard permits
- Your cleaners stationed at a client company's office, mall or school under a service agreement: DOLE contracting rules
- Not sure: ask the DOLE regional office before you sign a long contract
What DO 174-17 asks of contractors
A DOLE position paper says DO 174-17 raised the contractor registration fee from ₱25,000 to ₱100,000, raised substantial capital from ₱3 million to ₱5 million, and cut the certificate's validity from 3 years to 2 years.[1]
A 2017 Inquirer business column explains how the capital is counted: ₱5 million paid-up capital for a corporation, partnership or cooperative, or ₱5 million net worth for a single proprietorship. The same column notes that janitorial services are commonly outsourced to maintenance service companies.[2]
Growing without the ₱5 million
Many owners start with households and small shops, where the client buys a cleaning job, not a team of workers. Build a track record there, save, and plan the DOLE registration as a separate step for when company contracts become the goal.
Once you hire cleaners, you take on employer duties. Start with our first employee guide and register with SSS as an employer.
Questions people ask
- How much is DOLE registration for a janitorial agency?
- A DOLE position paper puts the DO 174-17 registration fee at ₱100,000, up from ₱25,000.
- Do I need ₱5 million to start a cleaning business?
- Only if you register as a DOLE contractor under DO 174-17. A 2017 Inquirer column says a single proprietor needs a net worth of at least ₱5 million for that.
- How long is the DOLE contractor certificate valid?
- Two years under DO 174-17, down from three years.
- Does DO 174-17 cover house cleaning?
- We found no source that ties it to household or one-off cleaning. It applies to contractors who supply workers to a principal under a service agreement. Ask DOLE if your setup is unclear.
Cleaning business prep list
- Decide if you will serve homes, companies or both
- Write a simple job order form that lists the tasks and rate per visit
- Read any company contract for words like "manpower" or "deployment"
- Ask DOLE before signing a contract that stations your staff at a client site
- Register as an employer with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG once you hire
- Keep proof of training for each cleaner you send out
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- DOLE Position on Labor Service Cooperatives · DOLE (posted by Cooperative Development Authority) · January 2021
- Gray areas in Dole Order 174 · Philippine Daily Inquirer (column by Raul J. Palabrica) · 27 March 2017
The extra permits, in one table
| Permit or registration | Agency | When it applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration as contractor/subcontractor under DO 174-17[1] | DOLE | if supplying cleaning/janitorial workers to client companies under a service contract | PHP 100,000 |
| Substantial capital of PHP 5 million[1] | DOLE | contractors under DO 174-17 | Not published |
| Certificate of registration valid 2 years[1] | DOLE | contractors under DO 174-17 | Not published |
| Sole-proprietor contractors: net worth of at least PHP 5 million (corporations/partnerships/cooperatives: PHP 5 million paid-up capital)[2] | DOLE (DO 174-17) | if supplying cleaning/janitorial workers to a principal under a service agreement (DO 174-17 contracting) | not applicable |