How To Start a Landscaping Business in 2026 in 12 Easy Steps

A landscaping business provides lawn care, planting, hardscaping, and grounds maintenance services to residential and commercial clients, and is a great career path for anyone who likes to spend time outdoors and is looking for an in-demand job. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of grounds maintenance workers will grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3% average for all other occupations. That growth can be attributed to the demand for lawn care and landscaping services from both homeowners and large institutions, including universities and corporate campuses. Self-employed workers make up 20% of the occupation.

Even more interesting, self-employed workers of the occupation’s workforce, making a landscaping business a viable option if you’re interested in entrepreneurship. This guide covers the 12 steps necessary to start a landscaping business of your own, including how to gain on-the-job experience, write a business plan, get licensed and insured, set your pricing, and market to local clients.

What is a landscaping business?

A landscaping business designs, installs, and maintains outdoor spaces for residential and commercial clients. Residential work often covers the maintenance of yards, patios, and entranceways, while commercial clients include the landscaping surrounding schools, office buildings, and retail stores.

Services range from routine maintenance, such as mowing and mulching, to full landscape design and construction, such as building walkways, installing greenhouses, and designing and building pools. 

You can choose a landscaping business model based your expertise and the services you plan to offer, which can include:

Maintenance-focused businesses

Maintenance businesses provide recurring services, such as mowing, trimming, and seasonal cleanups. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), grounds maintenance workers are busiest in spring, summer, and fall, and some add services, such as snow removal, in the winter.

Design, build, or installation-focused

Design-build landscaping businesses take on large-scale projects, such as new lawns, hardscape installations (concrete, stone, and wood), and outdoor living spaces.

Specialty verticals

Specialty landscaping businesses focus on a single service, such as irrigation, lighting, or tree work. Some specialties require a state license; in Texas, landscape irrigators must be licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to design, install, or repair irrigation systems.

Hybrid models

Hybrid businesses combine maintenance, installation, and specialty services, using their own crews or bringing in specialists for some services.

How much does it cost to start a landscaping business?

Startup costs typically consist of any one-time expenses you incur in order to get your business up and running, such as the cost of equipment, licenses, and business registration. Operating costs are recurring expenses, such as wages, fuel, and insurance premiums.

Operating cost benchmarks

When it comes to landscaping businesses, federal data gives benchmarks for two recurring costs: crew wages and vehicle use. Use the wage figures to estimate payroll for each type of worker you plan to hire.

The IRS determines its business mileage rate based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating a vehicle. Multiply the rate by the miles you expect to drive between jobs each month to estimate vehicle costs.

Equipment, insurance, and licensing costs depend on your business model and location. Licenses and permits have published fees, so check your state and local agencies for those exact numbers. To determine other expenses, the US Small Business Administration (SBA) recommends getting quotes from equipment dealers, insurance providers, and other vendors.

How to calculate your launch budget

Use these steps, adapted from SBA guidance, to calculate how much capital you’ll need to launch your landscaping business:

1. List every expense your business model requires, including equipment, vehicles, licenses and permits, insurance, legal and accounting fees, marketing, and a website.
2. Estimate each cost using published fees for licenses and permits and vendor quotes for everything else.
3. Sort each expense into one-time costs or monthly costs.
4. Multiply your monthly costs by 12. The SBA recommends budgeting at least one year of monthly expenses and calls five years ideal.
5. Add your one-time costs to your monthly total to get your launch budget.

Next, find your break-even point, which is the number of jobs you need to complete in order to cover your costs. The SBA uses the following formula:

Break-even point = Fixed costs / (Price per job − Variable cost per job)

Fixed costs, such as insurance and loan interest, don’t change with the number of jobs you complete. The SBA suggests adding about 10% to your break-even analysis to cover expenses you can’t predict.

This section is for informational purposes only and isn’t tax, legal, or insurance advice. Consult a licensed accountant, attorney, or insurance professional about your business’s specific situation.

How to start a landscaping business

Follow these 12 steps to start a landscaping business, whether you plan to offer maintenance services, such as seasonal cleanups, or specialty services, such as irrigation. 

Steps one through five cover how to plan and register your business, steps six through eight cover how to fund and equip it, and steps nine through twelve cover how to find and keep clients.

Plan and register your business

1. Get on-the-job experience
2. Choose which landscaping services to offer
3. Write a landscaping business plan
4. Set up your business structure
5. Acquire permits, licenses, and insurance

1. Get on-the-job experience

Entry-level landscaping work doesn’t require prior experience or a formal education. Federal regulations do not list related work experience or formal education credentials as typical requirements for grounds maintenance workers, and most need one month or less of on-the-job training. 

That said, some services and platforms require more, like if you plan on implementing very technical work. Most states require a license to apply pesticides, according to the BLS, as well as additional training of up to one year for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators. Lawn Love, a lawn care marketplace, screens providers for at least one year of professional lawn care experience and verifies that they have their own equipment.

Sources of relevant on-the-job experience may include:

• Landscaping and lawn care businesses. Apply for entry-level crew roles, where tasks include mowing, pruning, planting, and following landscape designs to lay sod or place plants.
• Institutional grounds crews. Some golf courses, university campuses, and municipalities add instruction in horticulture, arboriculture, tree climbing, or small-engine repair to on-the-job training, according to the BLS.
• Registered apprenticeships. The US Department of Labor approves titles such as Landscape Technician and Landscape Management Technician for Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Search apprenticeship.gov for programs near you.

2. Choose which landscaping services to offer

To determine which landscaping services to offer, take into consideration your skill set, available equipment, and local demand. The SBA recommends doing market research to determine the demand for your services, how many similar options already exist in your area, and what customers pay for those alternatives. Compare the services other landscaping businesses in your area offer with what customers ask for.

You’ll also want to make sure you can price yourself competitively in a way that stands out in the market but still helps you turn a profit. Angi’s 2026 cost data lists these national average price ranges for landscaping services:

Prices vary with lawn size, labor costs, prep work, and location, according to Angi. Check what businesses in your area charge before you set your own prices in step eight.

Homeowners are considered residential clients, and typically fall into two categories: contract work (as is the case with weekly lawn mowing or seasonal work) and one-time work. For ongoing work, lawn care professionals typically charge homeowners a monthly fee, while one-time visits are billed at an hourly or per-service rate, according to Angi. 

Commercial clients include businesses and institutions, such as office buildings, retail stores, and schools. To bid on federal contracts, register your business on SAM.gov, which the SBA says is free and must be renewed each year. For school district or local government work, check that organization’s purchasing office for its bidding requirements.

3. Write a landscaping business plan

A business plan outlines your landscaping business’s goals and how you plan to reach them within a set time period. The SBA describes a business plan as a road map for how to structure, run, and grow your business, and notes that lenders and investors commonly request a traditional business plan in order to secure capital. If you’re aiming to use your business plan to apply for a loan, ask your lender whether they have a preferred business plan template.

To begin writing your own landscaping business plan, start with Shopify’s free template, which includes these sections:

• Company overview. Describe your business, your background, and how your services differ from competing landscaping businesses.
• Services offered. List the services you plan to offer and your price for each, using your research from step two.
• Market analysis. Estimate the size of your local market and assess the strengths, weaknesses, and market share of the landscaping businesses you’ll compete with.
• Marketing plan. Explain how you plan to reach new clients.
• Logistics and operations plan. Detail how you’ll source equipment and vehicles, and how you’ll manage client communications and scheduling.
• Financial plan. List your startup costs and project your revenue and expenses. The SBA recommends projections for the next five years, with quarterly or monthly projections for the first year.
• Executive summary. Summarize your landscaping business and its objectives on one page. Write this section last, after you’ve completed the rest of the plan.

4. Set up your business structure

Your business structure affects your personal liability, your taxes, the paperwork you file, and your ability to raise money, according to the SBA. You’ll want to choose a structure before you register your business with your state. Common business structures include: 

A limited liability company (LLC) is a business structure formed under state law. By default, the IRS treats an LLC with one member as a disregarded entity, reported on the owner’s tax return, and an LLC with two or more members as a partnership. Either type can file Form 8832 to be taxed as a corporation instead. The SBA notes that LLC members are considered self-employed and pay self-employment tax toward Social Security and Medicare.

A C corporation pays income tax on its profits, and in some cases profits are taxed twice: once when the business earns them, and again when shareholders receive dividends. 

An S corporation passes profits through to owners’ personal income, but it must file with the IRS for S corporation status and meet IRS eligibility requirements. Corporations cost more to form and require more extensive record-keeping than other structures, and they can raise money by selling stock, according to the SBA. Converting to a different structure later can have tax consequences, according to the SBA, which suggests consulting business counselors, attorneys, and accountants before you choose.

Before you register, check that your business name is available at each level where you’ll use it:

• State entity name. Search your state’s business registration office. Most states don’t allow you to register a name that someone else has already registered.
• Trademark. Search the US Patent and Trademark Office’s trademark database for your business and service names.
• Doing business as (DBA) name. Check your state, county, and city requirements if you’ll operate under a name other than your legal or entity name. Most states require you to register a DBA if you use one.
• Domain name. Check whether your preferred website address is available through a domain registrar.

After you register your business, apply for an employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS. An EIN is free, and you use it to pay federal taxes, hire employees, open a business bank account, and apply for licenses and permits, according to the SBA. Apply directly through the IRS, and avoid websites that charge a fee for an EIN.

This section is for informational purposes only and isn’t legal or tax advice. Consult an attorney or tax professional about your business’s specific situation.

5. Acquire permits, licenses, and insurance

Licensing requirements depend on your location and services. The SBA lists construction among the activities that state and local governments commonly regulate, and it recommends checking your state, county, and city requirements. A few examples of license requirements include:

• California: Landscaping jobs need a Contractors State License Board (CSLB) license unless they’re under $1,000, need no permit, and use no hired workers. C-27 Landscaping Contractor applicants need four years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee, or contractor within the past 10 years.
• Montana: Businesses that apply pesticides need an applicator’s license from the Montana Department of Agriculture, and commercial applicators must show proof of financial responsibility.

Most states require licensing for workers who apply pesticides. The SBA says businesses with employees must carry workers’ compensation, unemployment, and disability insurance, and some states require more. Coverage types for a landscaping business include:

• General liability. Covers bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses, and legal defense costs.
• Workers’ compensation. Covers employees’ work-related injuries and illnesses. Grounds maintenance workers have one of the highest fatality rates of any occupation, according to BLS.
• Commercial auto. Covers vehicles your business owns or uses.
• Contractor’s equipment. Covers mowers, trimmers, and other tools in transit or at job sites. It’s a type of inland marine insurance.
• Pollution liability. Covers injury, property damage, and cleanup costs from pollutants, such as pesticide drift. Montana requires licensed pesticide businesses to meet liability requirements for off-target chemical damage.

This section isn’t legal or insurance advice. Consult an attorney or licensed insurance professional about the requirements for your business.

Fund and equip your business

6. Raise funds
7. Purchase landscaping equipment
8. Set your pricing

6. Raise funds

Your funding needs depend on what you already own and the startup costs you’ve determined for your business. If you have a truck and the equipment for the services you plan to offer, your startup budget will need to cover registration, licensing, insurance, and operating costs. Buying a vehicle or specialty equipment adds to that cost. Set your funding target using your launch budget and the financial plan in your business plan.

It’s a good idea to build seasonal gaps into that target as well. Grounds maintenance workers are busiest in spring, summer, and fall, and some jobs are seasonal, according to BLS. To estimate the cash reserve you’ll need for slower months, you should:

1. Project your revenue and expenses for each month of your first year.
2. Subtract each month’s expenses from its revenue.
3. Keep a running total of those monthly results, starting from zero.
4. Find the lowest point in the running total. That amount is the cash you’ll need at the start of the year to cover slow months.

There are a variety of ways you can fund your landscaping business, including: 

• Self-funding. Use your savings or capital from family and friends, which lets you keep complete control of the business but take on all the risk.
• Bank and credit union loans. Contact local banks and credit unions to request a loan, and compare offers for the best terms.
• SBA microloans. Borrow up to $50,000 through the SBA microloan program, which lends through nonprofit intermediaries and allows funds to be used for working capital, machinery, and equipment.
• SBA-guaranteed loans. Use Lender Match, the SBA’s free online referral tool, to connect with participating SBA lenders.

Once you have your EIN, open a business bank account. Mixing business and personal finances complicates tax filing and can expose personal assets to business liabilities.

7. Purchase landscaping equipment

Match your equipment to the services you chose in step two. Start only with the equipment your current services require to keep overhead low; you can scale-up or add specialty equipment as you expand your services. 

O*NET’s task list for landscaping and groundskeeping workers includes operating mowers, tractors, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, and pruning saws, along with hand tools such as shovels, rakes, and hedge trimmers. Common equipment needs for these tasks include:

Protective gear should be a required addition to your equipment arsenal—73% of surveyed landscaping and groundskeeping workers wear safety equipment such as glasses, gloves, and hearing protection every day, according to O*NET. For vehicle and labor operating costs, see the benchmarks in the startup and operating costs section.

Compare prices from equipment dealers, hardware stores, and online marketplaces before making a purchase. Various ways to acquire equipment include:

• Buying new. Pay with savings or financing. SBA microloans can be used to buy machinery and equipment.
• Leasing or renting. Compare total lease payments over the term with the purchase price, and rent specialty equipment, such as an excavator, for individual jobs.
• Buying used. Search CPSC’s lawn mower recalls before you buy, since federal law prohibits selling products under a CPSC recall. Ask the seller for maintenance records.

8. Set your pricing

There are a variety of pricing strategies you can use to set your prices. Full-cost pricing incorporates all associated costs of a product or service, including equipment, transportation, insurance, permits, taxes, and labor. Tiered pricing is a common model for service businesses. While it’s important to stay informed about competitor pricing in your area, you should determine your own rates based on your area, expertise, profit margins, and overhead costs.

For a landscaping business, apply that to an hourly rate:

Hourly rate = (Annual costs + Annual profit target) / Annual billable hours

To fill in the formula:

1. Add up your annual costs, including wages, vehicle use, insurance, equipment, licenses, and fuel. Use the benchmarks in the startup and operating costs section to guesstimate.
2. Set an annual profit target.
3. Estimate your billable hours (the hours you’ll spend working on client properties, not driving, estimating, or doing administrative work). Account for the slower months you mapped in step six.
4. Divide your total costs and profit target by your billable hours.

To quote a job, multiply your hourly rate by the estimated hours it will take to complete the work, then add any necessary materials, such as mulch, sod, or plants.

Getting paid

For larger jobs, such as installations, collect a deposit when the client books and schedule the remaining payments against completed work. Keep in mind that some states limit the amount you can take as a deposit. In California, the down payment on a home improvement job can’t exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, and later payments can’t exceed the value of the work completed. Check your state’s contractor licensing agency for deposit rules before you set your terms.

If clients book through your website, appointment booking apps in the Shopify App Store can collect a deposit at scheduling. For example, Meety, a Built for Shopify app rated 5.0 stars, offers deposits on its Enterprise plan.

Find and keep clients

9. Create a business website
10. Develop local marketing efforts
11. Use tools to manage communications and scheduling
12. Expand your landscaping business

9. Create a business website

Build your landscaping website on Shopify, where you can list each service as a product that clients can book and pay for online. When you add a service, mark it as a service so no shipping charges apply:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.
2. Select a service, or create a new product for it.
3. In the Shipping section, uncheck This is a physical product.
4. Click Save.

Include these pages or sections on your site:

• A bio covering your background and experience
• The services you offer, with the prices you set in step eight
• The areas you serve
• Contact information and a way to request a quote or book a visit
• Customer testimonials, used with each client’s permission

To help clients find your site through search, publish articles that answer landscaping questions in your area, such as seasonal lawn care or plant selection. Google’s Search Essentials identify creating helpful, reliable, people-first content as a core practice; they also recommend using the words people search within page titles, main headings, and alt text.

10. Develop local marketing efforts

Focus your marketing on the service area you defined in step two. Drive time between jobs isn’t billable toward your hourly rate, so a tighter service radius keeps more of each workday billable.

For printed flyers and postcards, USPS Every Door Direct Mail delivers to every address on the carrier routes you select, with no mailing list or stamps required. Its online tool lets you filter routes by demographics such as age, income, and household size.

Claim and verify your Google Business Profile, then list your services, service area, hours, and photos of completed work. Google ranks local results on relevance, distance, and prominence, and businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to appear in local search results. The number of reviews a business has is one factor in its prominence.

Review platforms set different rules for asking customers for reviews. Some common benchmarks include:

• Google. You can ask customers for reviews, but Google’s policy prohibits offering incentives, such as discounts or free services, in exchange for a review. It also prohibits discouraging negative reviews or asking only satisfied customers.
• Yelp. Yelp’s policy asks businesses not to request reviews from anyone, including customers, and its software may not recommend reviews that appear to have been solicited. Claim your Yelp page and let customers know they can find you on Yelp without asking them for a review.

Local lead-generation platforms charge you when a potential client reaches out:

• Google Local Services Ads. Pay only when a customer contacts you through your ad. Every business must pass Google’s screening and verification before it can advertise.
• Thumbtack. Pay for leads that match the preferences you set, and control spending with aweekly budget.

When a lead requests a quote, create a draft order in Shopify for the job. You can set a custom price on any line item to quote a job-specific rate. Then, email an invoice that includes a checkout link the client can use to pay.

11. Use tools to manage communications and scheduling

Keep client messages and bookings in one place. Shopify Inbox, a Shopify app, lets you respond to client messages on desktop or mobile and manage conversations across your staff. From any conversation, you can open the client’s customer profile in your Shopify admin.

Appointment booking apps are third-party apps, available through the Shopify App Store, that let clients book appointments from your website. The App Store’s appointment booking apps collection lists four apps. Each one has Built for Shopify status, a rating of 4.9 stars or higher, and a free plan. Some of these apps can also collect deposits when clients book.

12. Expand your landscaping business

In your first 90 days, focus on three things: booking jobs, refining your pricing, and deciding when to hire. Book your first jobs through the marketing channels you set up, and track where each client came from. After each job, record your actual hours and material costs, then compare them to what you quoted. Adjust your hourly rate and future quotes to match what jobs actually cost you to complete.

To decide when to hire, compare your booked and pending work against your available hours as a solo operator. The SBA’s guide to hiring employees covers setting up payroll and understanding state and federal labor laws. Before you hire, confirm your state’s new-hire reporting deadline and its insurance requirements for employers.