Picture framing: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering picture framing
Clients bring in prints, photos, certificates and artwork that need to be protected and displayed well. Your archival materials, your sample boards and your mounting method are what win framing work and referrals.
What customers ask
- Will the frame protect my piece from fading?
- What glass do you recommend for my room?
- Can you show me mat colors before I choose?
- How long will the frame take?
- Can you frame a piece that is fragile or oversized?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the piece size, its medium, the room it will hang in and whether it is valuable.
- Show a sample board with mats, frames and glass options next to the client's piece.
- Explain the glass and mat choices in plain words, including what each one protects against.
- Mount the piece with a removable method, and say so in the quote.
- Put the frame, the mats, the glass, the backing and the hardware in the quote so the client knows what is included.
- Check the frame for dust before pick-up, and give the client hanging and care steps.
What to put on your profile
- Photos of finished frames with the mats and glass shown, with consent
- A list of your framing services, such as conservation framing, custom sizes and shadow boxes
- The archival mats, backings and glass types you use, described in plain words
- Your mounting method and how you protect valuable work
- Your business registration and any local permit that applies to your shop
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a reframing visit when the client moves or changes the room
- Suggest a glass cleaning and frame check once a year
- Offer a matching frame for a second piece in the same collection
Licenses and permits
A license is often not required for picture framing, but rules differ by state and city. Keep your business registration, any local business license your city requires, and sales tax registration if your state requires it for framed item sales, and list your registrations on your profile.
Questions
Do I need a license to frame pictures for pay?
A license is often not required for picture framing, but rules differ by state and city. Check your local city or county rules for business licensing and confirm any state tax registration for framed item sales.
How do I handle a piece that does not fit the frame?
Measure the piece again, check the mat opening and the rabbet, and explain the fix to the client. Do not cut the piece to fit the frame without the client's approval.
Should I offer archival mounting for every piece?
Offer it for valuable and fragile pieces. Explain what archival mounting protects against, and let the client choose after you explain the options.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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