Technician jobs · Checklist
What you need to work with us
Every item, why it matters and how to get it, so nothing surprises you between applying and your first job.
Step 1
To apply
- 1
Five minutes and a phone
The application asks for your contact details, your experience, the appliances you work on and the counties you want. No documents, no resume required.
Step 2
Before your first job
You finish these online after a short call and a paid ride-along. Start on the insurance early: it is the step that takes longest.
- 1
General liability insurance, $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate
Including products-completed operations coverage, in your own name or your business's name. You upload the certificate of insurance during setup. Ask your agent to list Atlanta Appliance Techs as the certificate holder (we give you the mailing address) and as an additional insured if the policy allows. If you do not carry it yet, you can still apply and get it before your first job.
- 2
Auto insurance that covers business use
Liability of at least $100,000 / $300,000 / $50,000, or a $300,000 combined single limit, on the vehicle you drive to jobs. A personal auto policy often excludes business use, so ask your agent to confirm coverage for this work.
- 3
EPA Section 608, only for sealed-system work
Needed only if you take refrigerator, freezer or window-AC jobs: Type I or Universal. Split systems need Type II or Universal. Not needed for washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens or ranges.
EPA: Section 608 technician certification - 4
Your local business license
As an independent business you need your own business license, called an occupation tax certificate, from the city where your business is located, or from the county if it is in an unincorporated area, even if you work from home. Gwinnett, Cobb and DeKalb counties license unincorporated addresses; in Fulton County almost every address is inside a city (Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell and others), so apply to your city. Your mailing address does not always tell you which one, so check with the county first.
- 5
A signed contractor agreement
You read and sign it online. It covers per-job pay, your right to accept or decline any job, insurance, and how either side ends the agreement.
- 6
Your W-9 and payment details
Fill in and sign IRS Form W-9 and upload it on our contractor setup page, with the Zelle or bank account details for your weekly pay. If you have a business bank account we pay into it. As a sole proprietor without one, you can use your personal account. Never send your W-9 or bank details by plain email or text.
IRS: About Form W-9 - 7
An EIN (recommended)
A federal Employer Identification Number is free from the IRS. As a sole proprietor you can put it on your W-9 instead of your Social Security number. Apply only on irs.gov; other sites charge for the same free form.
IRS: Get an EIN - 8
Your own vehicle, tools and smartphone
You supply the vehicle, tools, diagnostic equipment and phone you work with. Job details, customer notes and photos go through your phone.
Step 3
Once you are set up
- 1
Job offers come to your phone
In the counties and appliance types you chose. Accept the ones that fit your day and pass on the rest.
- 2
Paid weekly
Pay weeks run Monday to Sunday. Your statement comes Monday morning, and pay goes by Zelle or bank transfer to the account you chose on Friday.
- 3
Keep your certificates current
When a policy renews, upload the new certificate. Tell us within 3 business days if a policy is cancelled or lapses.
- 4
Form 1099-NEC at tax time
We send one for any year we pay you $2,000 or more. You handle your own income and self-employment taxes.
FAQ
Checklist questions
Do I need an LLC?
No. You can work with us as a sole proprietor under your own name, or through an LLC or corporation, and a separate business bank account isn't required either. What matters is that you run your own business: your own vehicle, tools, insurance and schedule, and the freedom to take other work.
What if I don't have insurance yet?
Apply anyway. You need general liability and business-use auto coverage before your first job, not before you apply. Many technicians get both through one agent.
Do I need EPA 608 certification?
Only if you want refrigerator, freezer or window-AC jobs, which involve sealed refrigerant systems. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens and ranges do not need it.
Do I have to give my Social Security number?
Only on your W-9, which every business must collect before paying a contractor. If you have a free EIN, put that on the W-9 instead. Upload it through our contractor setup page, never by plain email or text.
How long does setup take?
Once you have your insurance certificates, setup takes about 20 minutes online.
Already approved? Go to contractor setup to send your documents. Questions: hello@atlantaappliancetechs.com or (470) 778-4087.