Lawyers, accountants, architects, and consultants typically operate under a professional body’s own licensing and ethics rules in addition to standard business registration, and, being service-based, live or die by the customer-acquisition and follow-up discipline in Getting and keeping customers more than most sectors, there is no physical product to fall back on.
This is a general orientation, not an exhaustive regulatory guide. Sector-specific rules change and vary by county and regulator. Confirm current requirements for your specific business with the relevant regulator before relying on anything summarised here.
Frequently Asked Questions about Professional services
Do lawyers, accountants, architects and consultants need licensing beyond standard registration?
Yes, typically under their own professional body's licensing and ethics rules, in addition to standard business registration.
What determines survival for a professional-services business more than most sectors?
Customer-acquisition and follow-up discipline, since being service-based means there is no physical product to fall back on.