How to Start a Landscaping Business and Land Your First Clients

Maintenance is the simpler place to start, and installs can come later once you have a crew and the right license. Here is how the two sides compare.

It depends on where you work and what you do. The SBA points out that requirements change with business structure and from state to county to city, and that local governments set the registration, licensing and permitting rules.

California shows where the line can fall. The Contractors State License Board's consumer guide says gardeners who routinely maintain yards, meaning mowing, weeding and shrub trimming, generally are not required to hold a state license. Construction style work such as fences, decks, patios and irrigation systems is different.

A CSLB bulletin raised California's minor work exemption from $500 to $1,000 on January 1, 2025, so construction style landscaping jobs of $1,000 or more, or any that need a permit, call for a licensed contractor. Older CSLB handouts still show $500, so go by the newer bulletin.

This is the rule new lawn care owners most need to check. The EPA says federal law requires anyone who applies or supervises the use of restricted use pesticides to be certified, and that state, territorial and tribal authorities certify applicators.

The EPA also notes that many states require all commercial applicators to be certified, not only those using restricted use products.

In plain terms: if you plan to spray weed killer, spread weed and feed, or treat lawns for insects for paying customers, check with your state agriculture or pesticide agency first. Starting with mowing only and adding treatments once you are certified is a simple way to stay on the right side of the rules.

Buying used equipment is a common way to keep startup costs down. Have a mechanic check any used mower before you hand over cash.

• Starter equipment: a reliable commercial mower, string trimmer, edger, backpack blower, hand tools, safety gear and a trailer. Spend the most on the mower, since it does most of the work.
• Rent before you buy for occasional jobs like aeration, sod cutting or digging.
• Insurance: general liability matters when a mower throws a rock through a window or a client trips over your equipment. Ask about commercial auto for the truck and trailer, and workers' compensation once you hire, under your state's rules.
• Business setup: register the business, get an EIN, open a business bank account, and use scheduling and invoicing software from the start.

Lawn prices depend on your area, lot sizes and competition, so check what local companies charge before you set rates.

For example, with made up numbers: if a typical lawn takes 30 minutes including drive time, and you want your crew to bring in $70 an hour, that lawn should be at least $35 a visit. Tight routes matter, because ten lawns on one street earn more than ten lawns spread across the county.

• Mowing: price per visit by lot size, on a weekly or biweekly schedule. Walk the property before quoting, since slopes, gates and obstacles all add time.
• Cleanups and mulch: price by the job, using your labor hours plus materials and disposal.
• Installs: quote materials, labor, rentals and a margin, and put the scope in writing.
• Season packages: bundle spring cleanup, mowing and fall leaf removal, so clients sign once and you can plan your routes.

Homeowners search when the grass starts growing, so get set up in late winter. BrightLocal's 2026 study found 52% of consumers started their latest local search on Google Search and 9% on Google Maps, and 73% of searches started on a phone. That is where your first clients will find you.

• Google Business Profile. Set it up as a service area business. Google allows up to 20 service areas and says your overall area should be no more than about 2 hours of driving from your base, but list only the towns you want on your routes.
• A simple, mobile friendly website with pages for lawn care, cleanups and installs, the towns you serve, photos of your own work and a quote form. See landscaping marketing for how to build on it, and what a good contractor website includes.
• Door hangers on the streets you already mow. Neighbors see your work every week, and a denser route keeps costs down.
• Reviews after every first visit, with a plain ask for an honest review and no incentives. Here is how to get more Google reviews.
• Answer every call in spring. You cannot hear the phone over a mower, so set up a missed call text back before the season starts.