WIGGINS LOGISTICS
MEDICAL COURIER STARTUP CHECKLIST

Educational template — not legal, tax, insurance, medical, employment, or regulatory advice.
Verify every requirement for the actual state, vehicle, cargo, customer, contract, and operating model.

BUSINESS FOUNDATION
[ ] Choose and research employee, contractor, route, or business-owner model
[ ] Select and register the business structure when appropriate
[ ] Request an EIN through the official IRS process when appropriate
[ ] Create a business email and phone process
[ ] Open a business bank account
[ ] Build bookkeeping, mileage, invoice, and tax-reserve systems
[ ] Request insurance quotes that disclose commercial delivery use
[ ] Prepare W-9 or payroll documents when requested

VEHICLE AND DRIVER
[ ] Verify driver license and vehicle registration
[ ] Record vehicle GVWR and any trailer / combination rating
[ ] Research interstate, intrastate, state, and local requirements
[ ] Confirm vehicle, age, inspection, and insurance requirements with each company
[ ] Create maintenance, inspection, cleaning, and breakdown records

PRIVACY, CARGO, AND TRAINING
[ ] Identify the actual cargo before accepting or handling it
[ ] Complete company and customer onboarding
[ ] Research privacy duties using official HHS information
[ ] Research occupational-exposure duties using official OSHA information
[ ] Obtain function-specific hazardous-material training when required
[ ] Confirm package, temperature, custody, incident, and failed-delivery procedures
[ ] Do not repackage regulated material without required training and authorization

EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES
[ ] Confirm required transport container, secondary containment, seals, monitor, PPE, and spill supplies
[ ] Protect phones, manifests, labels, photos, and recipient information
[ ] Create chain-of-custody, temperature, proof-of-delivery, and discrepancy records
[ ] Create spill, exposure, privacy, accident, breakdown, and failed-delivery procedures
[ ] Track insurance, registrations, licenses, training, inspection, and customer credential expiration dates

OPPORTUNITY REVIEW
[ ] Verify the company through an official website and email domain
[ ] Review classification, control, schedule, substitutions, and termination terms
[ ] Calculate mileage, waiting time, unpaid time, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and tax reserves
[ ] Confirm pay method, deductions, claim responsibility, and payment timing
[ ] Walk away from upfront fees, gift cards, fake equipment checks, guaranteed earnings, and unverified recruiters

Last reviewed: September 2, 2026
Wiggins Logistics LLC — Independent Transportation Resource Center