A car service is not a taxi service; in most jurisdictions, you need a special permit to pick up customers who flag you down on the street. You will need to limit your business to responding to reserved appointments and to telephoned requests for service. In most states, you will need a chauffeur’s license or endorsement to your personal driver’s license. The vehicle may need to be registered as a limousine or commercial vehicle. Your insurance company will require full coverage of your vehicle for commercial use. Depending on your clientele—and by extension the price range you plan to charge—you will need a clean, well-maintained, and spacious vehicle.
You don’t need a Cadillac limousine for ordinary car service jobs, but your 1994 Ford Escort with fuzzy dice hanging from the windshield and dents in the passenger side front door just won’t do. You will need to have a flexible schedule, especially if you will be accepting jobs picking up clients at airports; if a plane is several hours late, you will have to wait around for your incoming customer or arrange for another service to take your job. (For that reason, some car services do not accept airport pickups or limit the amount of time they will wait for a delayed flight.) If you will be operating the car service on a part-time basis, you may be able to use the vehicle for other purposes. Be sure to consult your accountant about proper record keeping for mixed use of a business asset. An insurance agent can counsel you about commercial vehicle insurance and liability coverage.