Legal Contracts for Personal Errands & Concierge Businesses: LegalZoom, Northwest, or Attorney?

The quick answer

LegalZoom is good for basic documents like your core client service agreement for regular grocery runs or a simple privacy policy for your website. Use Northwest for setting up your LLC and getting a professional registered agent, which is key for privacy. You need a real attorney for custom contracts, like a complex agreement with a corporate client, a partnership with another concierge, or any time you're dealing with significant client assets or sensitive data.

Side-by-side breakdown

LegalZoom: Offers a big library of templates. Monthly plans starting around $7.99 can include quick legal questions with attorneys and help forming your business. It's fine for standard agreements like your basic client intake form or a simple agreement for one-off tasks. Quality can vary. Northwest Registered Agent: They are top-notch for registered agent services, costing about $125 per year. They also help form your LLC or corporation. A big plus for errand runners is their focus on privacy—they use their address instead of your home address for official mail. Many say their customer service is better than LegalZoom's. Hiring an attorney: Expect to pay $150-500 per hour for a business lawyer. You need them for special contracts, like creating a custom agreement for a multi-year senior care plan, forming a partnership with another errand provider, or dealing with any high-risk situations such as managing valuable client property. A one-time review of your main client agreement might cost $300-800 but can save you from a $3,000 or $30,000 problem later.

When to choose LegalZoom

Choose LegalZoom when you need a common legal paper fast and your situation is simple. Good uses for a personal errand or concierge business include: creating the operating agreement for your single-member LLC, a basic client service agreement for routine tasks (like grocery delivery or package pickup), a simple independent contractor agreement if you hire a temporary helper for busy seasons, or a straightforward confidentiality agreement for a new corporate client referral. The monthly Q&A feature can be handy if you have ongoing questions about minor client issues or basic compliance.

When to choose Northwest

Use Northwest when you need a registered agent, which is a must-have for any LLC or corporation you form for your personal errand service. They're also great if you're just starting your business entity (like an LLC) and want to keep your home address private from public records. Northwest's pricing is clear, their customer support is generally seen as better than LegalZoom's, and they won't try to sell you a bunch of extra services you don't need, which is a common complaint about others.

When to hire a real attorney

Hire an attorney for important situations. This includes: any client contract where you're managing valuable items (like a client's luxury car for service or high-value personal property), any multi-year service agreement for senior care, a detailed agreement with a corporate client or a property management company, forming a partnership with another concierge, or if you plan to hire other errand runners and need iron-clad non-compete or non-solicitation clauses. Also, if the other party (a client or a business partner) has their own lawyer reviewing the deal, you should too. Spending a few hundred dollars on a lawyer to review your key client agreements upfront can save you thousands later if a dispute over lost keys, missed appointments, or client property arises.

The verdict

For forming your business (like an LLC) and getting a registered agent, go with Northwest. For basic client agreements, privacy policies, or quick legal questions, LegalZoom can work. But for anything complex, high-value, or specific to your unique concierge services—like custom contracts for corporate accounts, managing significant client assets, or detailed independent contractor agreements—always hire a local attorney. Most personal errand and concierge businesses will use all three at different times as they grow; it's not a one-time choice.

How to get started

Here’s how to set up your legal foundation: 1. Figure out which legal documents you need right away. This often includes a comprehensive client service agreement, a liability waiver for handling property, and maybe an independent contractor agreement if you plan to use backup runners. 2. Look at how standard your needs are. If a template from LegalZoom perfectly covers your basic weekly grocery run service, start there. 3. If you're setting up an LLC or S-Corp for your errand business, use Northwest to handle your business formation and registered agent needs for privacy and ease. 4. Plan to spend $500-1,000 in your first year for a lawyer to review your most important contracts, especially your main client agreement and terms of service. This is a smart investment. 5. Review all your legal documents once a year, or whenever you add new services (like senior companionship or corporate concierge), to make sure they still fit your business.

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