How to Start a CMMC Consulting Business in 2025

CMMC compliance is now a contract requirement for every DoD contractor. That creates a massive opportunity for consultants. Here's exactly how to launch your practice — from LLC formation to your first $10,000 engagement.

Why Now Is the Right Time

The Department of Defense has made CMMC Level 2 certification a hard requirement for all defense contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information. With over 80,000 companies in the defense industrial base needing to comply, demand for knowledgeable CMMC consultants has never been higher — and supply is still catching up.

Step 1: Set Up Your Business Entity

Start with an LLC. It costs $50 to $500 depending on your state, takes about a week, and protects your personal assets if a client ever disputes your work. Next, open a dedicated business bank account — mixing personal and business finances creates tax headaches. Finally, get Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance. For a solo consultant, expect to pay $500 to $1,500 per year. This covers you if a client claims your advice led to a failed assessment.

Step 2: Get Certified

The Cyber AB offers two certification paths. The Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) is your entry point — a three-day training course and exam that costs roughly $2,000 to $3,000. It does not give you assessment authority but qualifies you to advise clients. The Certified CMMC Assessor (CCA) requires CCP first, additional training, a background check, and sponsorship by a C3PAO. Start with CCP, build your practice, then pursue CCA if you want to conduct official assessments.

Step 3: Price Your Services

Solo CMMC consultants typically charge $150 to $250 per hour for advisory work. For full engagements — gap analysis through SSP delivery — packages run $5,000 to $25,000 depending on the client's environment complexity. A four-week engagement at $10,000 is a reasonable first target.

Step 4: Find Your First Client

Your fastest path to a first client is your local PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center). PTACs counsel small DoD contractors for free and are always looking for compliance resources to refer their clients to. Introduce yourself, offer a free lunch-and-learn on CMMC basics, and you'll get referrals. Find your nearest PTAC at aptac.us.

Step 5: Use the Right Tools

Managing compliance manually across multiple clients is unsustainable. RegulatoryForge's Consultant plan gives you a multi-client dashboard, AI-powered document generation, and all 110 NIST 800-171 controls in a trackable workspace. You can run a full engagement — intake to SPRS submission — in four to six weeks per client.

Start Today

The barriers to entry are lower than they've ever been. An LLC, a CCP certification, one PTAC relationship, and the right software platform is everything you need to launch. Visit our Consultant Launchpad for a complete step-by-step checklist.