How to Start a Lawn Care Business (2026)

The US landscaping services industry pulled in about $184.1 billion in 2025, and more than 700,000 businesses split that work between them (IBISWorld). Most are tiny. The average landscaping company runs on two people. That leaves a wide-open door for anyone with a mower and a pickup. So what does it really take, in dollars and gear, to turn weekend mowing into a business that pays the bills?

Key takeaways

• You can launch a residential lawn care operation for roughly $5,000 to $8,000 in equipment, before you count a truck (LawnStarter). Go used and the floor drops closer to $1,000.
• Filing an LLC runs about $35 to $500 depending on your state, and the median lawn care general liability policy costs $550 a year (Insureon).
• The industry runs on thin margins, around 11.9% on average (IBISWorld), so tight routing and quick invoicing matter more than fancy gear.

How much does it cost to start a lawn care business?

Budget $5,000 to $8,000 for equipment if you buy new residential-grade gear and hold off on a dedicated truck (LawnStarter). Buy used and you can be cutting grass for around $1,000. Go full commercial with a fresh vehicle, and the total climbs past $15,000 and can top $50,000 (LawnStarter). The number you land on depends almost entirely on how much you buy new.

The trap is spending money before the first check clears. A used walk-behind mower, a $150 trimmer, and a borrowed truck will get you through a full season of small residential lots. Upgrade once the route is booked, not before.

What equipment do you actually need?

A commercial walk-behind mower is the one purchase worth doing right, and it runs $1,000 to $5,000 (LawnStarter). Everything else is cheaper than new owners expect. A string trimmer costs $100 to $400, a backpack blower $250 to $500, and an open trailer sits around $1,000 (LawnStarter). Some suppliers bundle all four for as little as $6,000.

Mower first, everything else second

For residential lawns under half an acre, a walk-behind cuts fine and stores in a small trailer. A zero-turn ($6,000 to $10,000 or more) pays off only once you are doing large properties or several acres a day. Do not buy the big machine on day one.

Truck and trailer

You do not need a wrapped work truck. A used pickup starts around $5,000, and a new one runs $30,000 to $50,000 (LawnStarter). Any half-ton that can tow a loaded trailer works. An open trailer is fine to start. Move to an enclosed one ($3,000 to $10,000) when theft or weather becomes a real risk.

Equipment	Typical price	Notes
Commercial walk-behind mower	$1,000 to $5,000	Your core machine
Zero-turn / ride-on mower	$6,000 to $10,000+	Only for large lots
String trimmer	$100 to $400	Edges and fence lines
Backpack blower	$250 to $500	Cleanup on hard surfaces
Open trailer	Around $1,000	Enclosed runs $3,000 to $10,000
Used pickup truck	From $5,000	New: $30,000 to $50,000
Full starter package	From $6,000	Mower, trimmer, blower, trailer

Source: LawnStarter, retrieved August 28, 2026.

How do you set up the LLC, licenses, and insurance?

An LLC is the standard structure, and filing one costs roughly $35 to $500 depending on your state, with a national average near $132 (2026 LLC fee guides). A local business license or DBA usually adds $50 to $100 (LawnStarter). The bigger recurring line is insurance. General liability alone carries a median cost of $550 a year for lawn care pros (Insureon).

Start with general liability. It covers the sprinkler head you clip and the window a rock cracks, and it is often required before a client will sign. Add commercial auto once you tow gear on public roads, and workers’ comp the day you hire your first crew member. A business owner’s policy ($1,013 a year median) bundles liability and property once you have real equipment to protect.

How should you price each job?

The national average for a single mow is about $123, though real quotes swing from $49 to $203 per visit (Angi). Hourly, most lawn pros charge $25 to $60 (Angi). Price the lot, not the hour, once you know your pace. A small yard you can finish in 20 minutes should still carry a minimum charge, usually $35 to $45, or the drive time eats your profit.

Walk each property before you quote. Measure it, note the slopes and gates, and count the trimming. Then set a weekly rate that clears your fuel (fuel alone can run around $5,000 a year per truck) and leaves margin. Charging by the visit and locking in a weekly or biweekly schedule beats one-off jobs every time, because the route density is where the money hides.

How do you find your first ten customers?

The industry averages an 11.9% profit margin (IBISWorld), so wasting money on ads you cannot track will sink you fast. Free and hyperlocal beats broad and paid at the start. Your first jobs almost always come from three streets, not three states.

• Knock on doors in one neighborhood and offer to mow the block. Density cuts your drive time to near zero.
• Post before-and-after photos in local Facebook groups and Nextdoor. Real yards from your town convert better than stock images.
• Set up a free Google Business Profile so you show on the map when someone searches “lawn care near me.”
• Leave a door hanger on the houses next to every job you finish. The neighbors already saw your work.

What software should run the business day to day?

Once you have more than a handful of clients, scheduling and invoicing on paper falls apart. Paid lawn care software generally runs $30 to $50 a month (LawnStarter), but you do not have to pay anything to start. The right tool depends on how many stops you run and whether you have a crew.

If you are just starting, a free tool like Yardbook handles scheduling, estimates, and invoicing at $0, which is hard to argue with when cash is tight. As the route fills and you want faster quoting, online booking, and automated payment reminders, Jobber is the common next step for small crews. If your day is all about routing dozens of stops and chasing recurring service, Service Autopilot is built for that scale. We break down the full field in our best lawn care software roundup, and GorillaDesk is worth a look if you also do pest or fertilization work.

Software	Best for	Cost model
Yardbook	Solo operators just starting	Free tier available
Jobber	Growing small crews	Paid, tiered plans
Service Autopilot	Route-heavy, recurring service	Paid, tiered plans

Pick the cheapest tool that removes your biggest daily headache, and switch only when you outgrow it. See more picks in our lawn care software hub.

Lawn care startup FAQ

Is a lawn care business profitable?

Yes, though margins are modest. The landscaping industry averages about 11.9% profit (IBISWorld). Solo operators keep more of each dollar because labor is their own time. Profit comes from route density and repeat clients, so a full weekly schedule of nearby lawns beats scattered one-off jobs that burn fuel and drive time.

Do I need a license to mow lawns?

For basic mowing, most areas only require a general business license or DBA, which costs about $50 to $100 (LawnStarter). Applying chemicals is different. Pesticide and fertilizer application usually requires a state applicator certification. Check your state before you offer any spraying or weed control, because the fines for unlicensed application are steep.

How much can I make in the first year?

It depends on your route. With mows averaging around $123 nationally (Angi), a solo operator servicing 15 lawns a week at even $50 each grosses roughly $750 weekly during the season. The industry as a whole is worth $184.1 billion (IBISWorld), and most of that flows to small local operators, not big chains.

What is the cheapest way to start?

Buy used. A used mower, a $150 trimmer, and a borrowed or existing truck can get you cutting for around $1,000 (LawnStarter). Add general liability insurance at a median $550 a year (Insureon) before your first paid job, and run free software until the route justifies paying for a tool.

The bottom line

Starting a lawn care business is cheap to enter and hard to scale, and that is the honest trade-off. A used mower, a trailer, an LLC, and a $550 liability policy put you in business for under $3,000 if you already own a truck. The real work is filling a tight route and getting paid fast. Nail one dense neighborhood, keep your gear simple, and let free software carry the admin until the money says otherwise.

Sources

• IBISWorld (via Aspire), US landscaping industry statistics: market size $184.1 billion in 2025, ~11.9% profit margin, 700,000+ businesses, retrieved August 28, 2026, youraspire.com.
• LawnStarter, lawn care startup cost and equipment prices, retrieved August 28, 2026, lawnstarter.com.
• LawnStarter, lawn care and landscaping industry statistics (revenue and employment), retrieved August 28, 2026, lawnstarter.com.
• Insureon, median lawn care business insurance costs by policy type, retrieved August 28, 2026, insureon.com.
• Angi, lawn mowing cost data (per-visit and hourly pricing), retrieved August 28, 2026, angi.com.
• LLC University, LLC filing fees by state (2026), retrieved August 28, 2026, llcuniversity.com.