What to put on a window cleaning cargo van
- 'Window cleaning', then 'residential & commercial' The two markets look for different words. Say both and the property manager and the homeowner each see themselves.
- Phone number big enough for the house across the street Window cleaning sells to neighbors. The lead is standing in her kitchen reading your van through her own clean window.
- Gutter cleaning, screens, solar panels, pressure washing: your add-ons Add-ons are where the ticket grows. Listing them on the van turns a window job into a half-day.
- Insured / bonded line You're on ladders at someone's house. Bonded and insured, where true, is the line that gets the second-story work.
- Review QR on the rear doors Window cleaning gets quick, happy reviews. Make it a two-second scan while the van is parked at the curb.
- Water-fed pole / pure water, if that's your method Commercial clients know the term; it signals streak-free glass and no ladders on their storefront.
Layout by zone: driver door, side, rear
Example text for a window cleaning business (a made-up company; 555 numbers are placeholders). Real text, so you can read it the way a customer would.
Do you need DOT numbers on a window cleaning cargo van?
A traditional window cleaning van with ladders, buckets and poles is light. A water-fed pole rig changes that: a pure-water system carries a tank (often 100 to 300 gallons), a pump, filters and reels, and water weighs about 8.3 lb a gallon. Most window cleaning vans stay well under the federal marking line even so, but a big tank in a half-ton van is the one setup worth checking against the GVWR sticker.
The federal rule (from the same verified data as our checker): name and USDOT number on both sides of the power unit from 10,001 lbs (49 CFR 390.21T(b)(2)); other triggers in the federal box below.
The federal baseline, the same in every state
- USDOT Number + Legal / Trade Name, both sides of the power unit (49 CFR 390.21T(b)(2); 49 CFR 390.21T(b)(1))
- Readable from 50 feet in daylight, no inch minimum · sharp contrast
- MC Number: recommended, not required (49 CFR 390.21T)
- Triggers: 10,001 lbs or more · placard-level hazmat · 9+ passengers for hire · 16+ passengers
Verified 2026-07-23 · next review 2026-10-21
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Recommended set for a window cleaning business
Mistakes window cleaning owners make with vehicle lettering
- Letters too small for the distance. Window cleaning leads read the van from 60 feet, across a street. Door-sized lettering alone is not enough on the side panel.
- No commercial message. Office parks and storefronts are the repeat money, and 'residential' alone tells them to look elsewhere.
- Ladder racks blocking the lettering. Plan the side layout around the rack rails so the name sits in the clear band under them.
- Clear-coat-colored lettering on a white van. Silver on white has no contrast; use a dark blue, black or a saturated brand color.
- No way to book from the curb. A QR or short URL on the rear gives the neighbor something to do with the impulse.
Window cleaning vehicle lettering FAQ
Does a window cleaning van need a USDOT number?
Almost never for a standard van, because the federal rule is a weight rule and a ladder van is light. A water-fed rig with a large tank is the exception worth checking. The checker above uses your van's GVWR and how you operate; it isn't about the trade.
How do I letter a van with a ladder rack?
We lay the lettering out in the band between the rack rails and the body line, or below the rails, and show it on the proof against a photo of your van if you send one. Letter heights are chosen so the name still reads from across the street.
What's the best add-on to list?
Gutter cleaning, for residential; it's the question every customer asks while you're on the ladder. For commercial, pressure washing and awning cleaning. List three, not ten.
Magnets or permanent lettering?
Permanent lettering for a dedicated work van. Magnets are for a personal car you occasionally use for estimates, and they come off at the car wash.
Can the lettering match my business cards and shirts?
Yes. Send the logo file and the colors (or a photo of the shirt) and we match the font and the color from our vinyl range on the proof.
More than one vehicle?
Fleet pricing from 15 vehicles, matched layouts across every unit, unit numbers included, one proof for the whole batch.
See fleet & volume pricing →General information, not legal advice. Each rule above shows the date we last verified it against the cited source; the state agency has the final word.