How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business
Setting up as a virtual assistant: choosing your services, the basic paperwork, written client arrangements and the first month you invoice.
A virtual assistant business handles tasks for other business owners: inbox and calendar work, admin, research or customer replies. Decide what you'll take on first, then handle the paperwork. Hourly versus retainer billing and timesheets are explained in the virtual assistant invoicing guide linked below.
On registration, the SBA's launch guide (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says: "Your location and business structure determine how you’ll need to register your business." It also says: "If you conduct business as yourself using your legal name, you won’t need to register anywhere." And on money: "As soon as you start accepting or spending money as your business, you should open a business bank account."
First monthly invoice, sample figures only: a 20-hour block at 20 × $35.00 = $700.00 plus 3 further hours at 3 × $35.00 = $105.00 comes to $700.00 + $105.00 = $805.00. Use your own figures; these are only an illustration.
Step-by-step startup guide
Follow these steps to launch your virtual assistant business on solid footing.
- 1
List the tasks you'll handle
Write down the work you'll do for clients, and the tasks you'll turn down or refer elsewhere.
- 2
Set your hours and tools
Decide when clients can reach you and which apps you'll use for messages, shared files and time tracking.
- 3
Work out your registration
The SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says: "Your location and business structure determine how you’ll need to register your business." Ask your state and local offices which filings a trade name or an LLC needs.
- 4
Apply for an EIN, then bank separately
The SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says: "Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is your business’s federal tax ID number." The IRS's EIN page (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated October 16, 2026) says: "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN."
- 5
Write each arrangement down
Before the first task, set out the work, the hours or block size, response times and how you'll treat a client's private information.
- 6
Send the first monthly invoice
Bill the hours or block in your arrangement, with any extra hours on their own line. The virtual assistant invoicing guide covers retainers and timesheets.
Tips for starting your virtual assistant business
- Use whatever bookkeeping method you'll stick with. The IRS (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated May 1, 2026) says: "You may choose any recordkeeping system suited to your business that clearly shows your income and expenses."
- Log time by client and by task from the first day.
- Know when self-employment tax starts. The IRS self-employment tax page (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated October 30, 2026) lists this condition: "Your net earnings from self-employment (excluding church employee income) were $400 or more."
- Ask your state whether any of your services are taxable before you add sales tax.
How Billed helps you get started
Features to look at as you set up your business.
Log Time
Billed's features page says: "Log time for your tasks quickly and easily and save time."
Export Timesheets
Billed's features page says: "Create and export your and your team’s timesheets."
Recurring Invoices
Billed's features page says: "Save time by sending invoices on a regular schedule so you don’t have to create invoices again and again."
Client Payments
Billed's features page says: "See all the payments made by a client in one place."
Frequently asked questions
Bill Your First Client
Create invoices, track payments and keep your clients' details in one place with Billed.
At a glance
| Step | Answer quoted here | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | "Your location and business structure determine how you’ll need to register your business." | SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) |
| Bank account | "As soon as you start accepting or spending money as your business, you should open a business bank account." | SBA (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) |
| Records | "You may choose any recordkeeping system suited to your business that clearly shows your income and expenses." | IRS (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated May 1, 2026) |
| First invoice | Hours or block, extra hours | Virtual assistant invoicing guide |
When this isn't for you
If you're hired as an employee by an agency that places assistants with clients, this guide to running a VA business won't fit.