My husband is a painter and we are thinking about starting our own business.. Do we need a license? I know we need to have insurance, there will be no one else working but me and my husband...

A license, there is a city ( sometimes a county) business license, gotten at city or county office. There is also in some places a contractors licesne that some areas may require.

Bonding is a form of insurance, there are several typs, a performance bond, may be required if you are biding on government contracts.

There is bonding of employees that handle your money in case there is theft