{"id":20132,"date":"2023-12-16T21:47:46","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T21:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/?p=20132"},"modified":"2026-10-20T20:57:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T20:57:07","slug":"cost-of-starting-lawn-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/cost-of-starting-lawn-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does It Cost to Start a Lawn Care Business?"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes has-medium-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>\u2022 <strong>Plan 6 cost categories:<\/strong> Startup costs fall into legal and licensing, equipment, fuel, marketing, insurance, and software.<br>\u2022 <strong>Budget for fuel and upkeep:<\/strong> Gas and routine mower repairs are recurring costs to plan for after launch.<br>\u2022 <strong>Scale as you earn:<\/strong> A bare-bones launch with a used mower and local flyers lets you grow your business as revenue comes in.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cost to start a lawn care business can be as low as $500, but most lawn care businesses typically cost <strong>$5,000<\/strong> to <strong>$8,000<\/strong> to start, not including the total price of a truck.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A successful business requires some investing for equipment, marketing, and sometimes hiring additional staff. You can start as a solo endeavor where you do all the work yourself, or you can hire part-time, full-time, or on-demand labor.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide breaks down every startup cost so you can plan your budget. If you would rather skip the business side and just keep your own yard looking great, LawnLove connects you with local providers for <a href=\"https:\/\/signup-web.lawnlove.com\/cart\/contact-info?intent=mowing\">lawn mowing service<\/a>.<\/p>   <div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-5ab62c33-264a-4723-894d-39005ed75fe7\" data-linktodivider=\"false\" data-showtext=\"show\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-enablesmoothscroll=\"false\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\"><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\" style=\"\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\" style=\"text-align: left; \"> \t\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\" style=\"\">In this article:<\/div> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\" style=\"\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column\"> \t\t\t\t<ul style=\"\"><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/cost-of-starting-lawn-business\/#0-what-are-the-startup-costs-for-a-lawn-care-business\" style=\"\">What are the startup costs for a lawn care business?<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/cost-of-starting-lawn-business\/#7-faqs\" style=\"\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>   <h2 id=\"0-what-are-the-startup-costs-for-a-lawn-care-business\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"what-are-the-startup-costs-for-a-lawn-care-business\">What are the startup costs for a lawn care business?<\/span><\/h2>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Startup costs for a lawn care business fall into 6 main categories: legal and licensing, equipment, fuel, marketing, insurance, and management software. You can start lean with a used mower and flyers, then add costs as you take on more jobs and more complex work.<\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Startup cost<\/th><th>Typical range<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>LLC setup<\/td><td>Around $100<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DBA (fictitious name)<\/td><td>Around $50<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Website<\/td><td>$100 to $500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Equipment (no truck)<\/td><td>$5,000 to $8,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Online marketing<\/td><td>$200 to $2,000 per month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Business software<\/td><td>$0 to $100+ per month<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>    <h3 id=\"1-what-legal-and-licensing-fees-do-i-pay\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"what-legal-and-licensing-fees-do-i-pay\">What legal and licensing fees do I pay?<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Business license<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Budget a few hundred dollars for the legal basics: a business license, a business structure, and insurance. You need a business license for your company and a name. Setting up an LLC (limited liability company) typically costs around $100.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In some states, you can file a fictitious name fee, also known as a doing-business-as (DBA) filing, which costs around $50. Other expenses might include legal fees for setting up a corporation.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Taxes<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You also have to register with the federal government and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to get a number for withholding taxes.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most states also require you to collect and pay sales tax on services completed. Check with your state&#8217;s department of taxation for the requirements of your state.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Insurance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You also need insurance if you plan to hire staff. Workers&#8217; compensation insurance is mandatory. Workers&#8217; compensation rates range from <strong>$0.50 to $2 per $100<\/strong> of covered payroll.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond workers&#8217; compensation, plan for 2 more line items:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>Insurance premiums:<\/strong> Company and employee premiums are usually based on your estimated income.<\/li>    <li><strong>Business bank account:<\/strong> Open one to process checks and deposits so you can pay bills with business checks.<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The alternative is accepting cash only, which will severely limit your customers and make it impossible to offer expensive services like landscaping.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>How long does it take to file the paperwork to start a business?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It may sound complex, but it is possible to complete these procedures in as little as one day. With all of the resources available online, it&#8217;s easier than ever to get started.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/checklist-to-start-lawn-care-business\/\">Checklist for Starting a Lawn Care Business<\/a><\/p>    <h3 id=\"2-equipment-and-materials\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"equipment-and-materials\">Equipment and materials<\/span><\/h3>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_2952-1.jpg\" alt=\"Trailer with mower and tools\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">You can start your lawn care business with a mower and some basic tools. Photo Credit: Jeff Herman | LawnLove<\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The equipment that you need depends on what services you plan to offer, but a mower, string trimmer, edger, and leaf blower cover most basic jobs.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember that you can always start off small and expand your services as the business grows; buying a manufacturer bundle or used gear keeps that first bill low.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For starters, you&#8217;ll need the essentials below:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>Mowing equipment:<\/strong> A reliable lawn mower is your core tool; see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/lawn-mower-cost\/\">lawn mower cost<\/a>.<\/li>    <li><strong>Trimmers and edgers:<\/strong> For clean borders and finishing work.<\/li>    <li><strong>Leaf blower:<\/strong> For cleanup after every job.<\/li>    <li><strong>Safety gear:<\/strong> Eye and ear protection, gloves, and sturdy footwear.<\/li>    <li><strong>Transport:<\/strong> A truck or equipment trailer to haul it all between jobs.<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out our resources on <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/lawn-pro-resources\/getting-started-with-equipment\">getting started<\/a> with the right equipment.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/tools-you-need-for-lawn-care-business\/\">Important Tools You Need for Your Lawn Care Business<\/a><\/p>    <h3 id=\"3-do-i-need-a-truck-and-trailer\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"do-i-need-a-truck-and-trailer\">Do I need a truck and trailer?<\/span><\/h3>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lawn-care-truck-and-trailer1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Lawn care truck and trailer\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A truck and trailer are some of your biggest upfront expenses. Photo Credit: Amy Stenglein | LawnLove<\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, a truck and trailer are usually your second-biggest expense after equipment. A single riding mower can top 500 pounds, so look for a truck rated to tow up to 9,800 pounds, then add a flatbed trailer with a ramp.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Budget for a shed or a rented storage unit to store your lawn equipment.<\/p>    <h3 id=\"4-what-will-i-spend-on-fuel\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"what-will-i-spend-on-fuel\">What will I spend on fuel?<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plan on hundreds of dollars a month once you factor in both your truck and your gas-powered equipment. You&#8217;ll spend a good amount of time on the road getting from one job to the next, and many pros travel well outside their own neighborhood to complete work.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Especially with large trucks and heavy equipment, you can easily spend hundreds of dollars per month on gas. Building effective routes is one way to reduce this cost, along with finding relatively fuel-efficient trucks.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll also need to fuel up your lawn mower and other gas-powered equipment. It costs about $7 per hour in fuel to run a gas-powered mower.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Equipment maintenance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maintaining your lawn care equipment day to day is not typically expensive, but repair costs come up as a normal part of the job and should be budgeted for. The <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/lawn-mower-service-cost\/\">cost to repair<\/a> a lawn mower typically ranges from $60 to $100, and much more for a zero turn.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Chelsea Morris of High-Class Grass in Virginia Beach, Virginia, advises, &#8220;Take care of your own equipment. Clean it at the end of every day, even if you just use an air compressor or take your blower and blow out underneath the deck and the engine.&#8221;<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Did you know?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LawnLove helps you plan the most cost-effective lawn routes with our map view. Schedule jobs that are close to one another to maximize your time and save on fuel.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/apply\"><strong>Signing up with LawnLove is simple<\/strong><\/a>. With just a few clicks and a background check, you&#8217;ll get access to more lawn care jobs near where you live.<\/p>    <h3 id=\"5-marketing-expenses\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"marketing-expenses\">Marketing expenses<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can begin <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/lawn-care-business-marketing-tips\/\">marketing your business<\/a> by passing out flyers, using signage locally and on your truck, and relying on word-of-mouth referrals. Depending on your goals and the size of your local community, this may get your first customers with little to no money.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing online can be relatively inexpensive as well. You&#8217;ll first need to create a simple website, which can cost as little as <strong>$100-$500<\/strong> to either do yourself or to hire someone to set up a basic WordPress or Wix site.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then drive traffic to your site using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, local internet advertising, and search engine optimization (SEO). We&#8217;d recommend an online marketing budget of $200 to $2,000 a month if you can swing it.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could do marketing yourself or hire a consultant. Even better, you could let a service such as LawnLove help you with no additional cost for advertising. LawnLove automatically matches lawn care providers with customers in your area based on your skills and the jobs that need to get done.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This works well especially as businesses are getting started, supplementing your marketing and bringing in money for more robust advertising.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of our pros use LawnLove even if they have a successful business outside the platform because it&#8217;s easy and lets you focus on running the business.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want more information? <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/apply\"><strong>Apply to be a LawnLove provider<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/how-to-get-new-lawn-care-customers\/\">How to Get New Lawn Care Customers<\/a><\/p>    <h3 id=\"6-what-software-and-admin-costs-should-i-expect\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"what-software-and-admin-costs-should-i-expect\">What software and admin costs should I expect?<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expect to spend $0 to $100+ a month on software, plus the back-office basics that keep you organized. Those costs vary whether you run solo or with a network of contractors. At a minimum, plan for:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>A home base:<\/strong> A headquarters or dedicated office space to operate from.<\/li>    <li><strong>A business phone:<\/strong> Preferably with an answering service.<\/li>    <li><strong>Organization software:<\/strong> A computer with a spreadsheet tool to track scheduling, budgets, and payments.<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/lawn-care-software-for-billing-and-payments\/\">Lawn care software<\/a> can cost anywhere from $39 a month to more than $100 a month, but there are also free options.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LawnLove&#8217;s lawn care providers get free business software that handles scheduling, booking, tip collection, and expense tracking, so you can skip the paid tools and keep your management costs near zero while you grow.<\/p>    <h2 id=\"7-faqs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>    <div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-0\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is owning a lawn care business profitable?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. A lawn care business can be profitable once you control costs by keeping routes tight, maintaining your equipment, and limiting marketing spend. It helps that demand is strong: U.S. landscaping services are a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibisworld.com\/united-states\/industry\/landscaping-services\/1497\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$176.7 billion<\/a> industry. Many solo operators turn a profit in their first year after building a steady customer base.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-2\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Should I hire employees or work solo when I start?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You can do either. Many owners start solo, doing all the work themselves, since that keeps costs low and lets you get going with just a mower and basic tools. When you\u2019re ready to grow, you can hire part-time, full-time, or on-demand labor.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is lawn care a good business to start in 2026?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Lawn care remains a solid business to start because demand is steady and startup costs are relatively low compared to many trades. Homeowners always need mowing, trimming, and seasonal cleanups, and you can begin small with a single mower. Joining a platform that sends you local jobs makes it even easier to get going.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>    <h2 id=\"8-grow-your-lawn-care-business-with-lawnlove\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"grow-your-lawn-care-business-with-lawnlove\">Grow your lawn care business with LawnLove<\/span><\/h2>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting a lawn care business takes money, but it does not have to take a fortune in advertising to find your first customers. LawnLove connects skilled, background-checked lawn care providers with homeowners in their area, so you can spend less time chasing leads and more time mowing.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ready to put your equipment to work? <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/apply\">Apply to become a LawnLove provider<\/a> and start taking on local jobs near you.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Main Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/photos\/MAEADSffq58-crop-unrecognizable-gardener-showing-pile-of-american-dollars-above-grass\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Karolina Grabowska from Pexels<\/a> | Canva Pro<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What&#8217;s the cost to start a lawn care business? Most launch for $5,000 to $8,000 (minus the truck). See every startup expense broken down by category.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20246,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[523],"tags":[508],"class_list":["post-20132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lawn-care-pros","tag-pro-resources"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Person-holding-a-pile-of-American-dollars-above-grass.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Lawn Love","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/james\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20132"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20132\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50333,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20132\/revisions\/50333"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}