Buying a mowing or garden franchise in Australia: what it costs and what to check

• Across every category on the Register, the median setup estimates were $146,984 (low, 937 profiles) and $400,000 (high, 923 profiles), so lawn and garden sits well below the typical franchise.
• Lawn and garden systems tend to be larger than most: the median profile reported 18 franchisees (12 profiles), against 9 across all categories.
• None of the 12 lawn and garden profiles that answered the question say franchisees have rights to goodwill they generate, so check carefully what you could sell at the end.
• Weed spraying for customers is licensed differently by state: Victoria requires a Commercial Operator Licence for herbicide spraying for a fee, while NSW exempts garden maintenance from its ground applicator licence, although training may still be required.
• Your income follows the seasons and your own capacity to work, so test month-by-month figures, not an annual average.

A mowing franchise can sell you a territory, a flow of customer leads or both. The details decide how busy you will be and how much you keep.

• Exclusive territory: a defined area where no other franchisee can operate. Ask how it is drawn, how many households it contains and whether it can shrink if you miss targets.
• Shared or non-exclusive areas: several franchisees work the same suburbs and leads are allocated by availability or rotation.
• Central lead generation: the franchisor runs the website, advertising and call centre and passes jobs to you. Ask what it costs, whether you pay per lead and what happens to leads you can't take.
• Customer base purchase: when you buy an existing franchise you may pay for its regular customers. Ask for a customer list with visit frequency and price, and how many customers left in the past year.
• Pricing rules: some systems set or recommend prices. Ask who sets them and whether you can charge more for steep blocks, long travel or green waste removal.
• Minimum performance: an agreement may require minimum turnover, customer numbers or response times, and a breach can cost you part or all of the territory.

Your vehicle and equipment are the business. Get the full list from the franchisor and price every item yourself.

• A ute or van and a trailer that can carry your mowers safely, with ramps, tie-downs and secure storage.
• Mowers, edgers, line trimmers, blowers and hedge trimmers, plus spares so a breakdown doesn't stop a whole round.
• Safety gear: hearing and eye protection, gloves, boots and sun protection.
• Running costs: fuel, oil, blades, servicing, tyres, registration and insurance for both the vehicle and the trailer.
• Tax treatment: the ATO treats a ute or panel van designed to carry one tonne or more as a vehicle that isn't a car, so the car limit on depreciation doesn't apply, but you can claim only the business-use share of its costs.
• Instant asset write-off: the ATO lists a $20,000 limit per asset for eligible assets first used or installed on or after 1 July 2023, for businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million that use the simplified depreciation rules.
• Finance: if you borrow for the vehicle or equipment, add the repayments to your monthly break-even, including in the quieter months.

Mowing demand follows grass growth, which slows in cooler weather in many parts of Australia. An annual average can hide a thin winter, so work through these steps.

1. Ask for month-by-month revenue from several current franchisees in a similar climate, not a single annual figure.
2. List your fixed monthly costs: franchise fees, vehicle finance, insurance, phone and software.
3. Estimate how many jobs a day you can realistically do, allowing for travel, green waste tips and weather days.
4. Work out the margin on each job after fuel, blades, dumping fees and the time between jobs.
5. Model your slowest three months and check you can still cover fixed costs and pay yourself.
6. Ask which extra services franchisees sell in quiet months, such as hedging, clean-ups or gutter work, and whether your agreement lets you offer them.
7. Run your own numbers through a break-even calculator before you rely on anyone else's.

The licences you need depend on what you offer and where. business.gov.au says licences and permits depend on your business type, activities, state or territory and local government area, and its ABLIS search lists them.

• Weed spraying in Victoria: a business that applies agricultural chemicals such as herbicides for a fee needs a Commercial Operator Licence, which requires approved training.
• Weed spraying in NSW: providing services that use pesticides to control weeds or pests generally needs an EPA ground applicator licence, but amenity horticulture, including ground and garden maintenance and landscaping, is exempt, although training may still be required.
• Pest control is separate: in NSW, pest management work needs a different licence and training from the ground applicator licence.
• Other states and territories set their own rules, so check with your state regulator or ABLIS before you offer spraying, pest control or landscaping construction.
• If you employ staff, the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 covers businesses that keep gardens in order for private houses, among other garden and landscaping work.
• Ask your council about green waste disposal and any local rules on noise or hours for powered equipment.

FranchiseScope analysed 12 lawn and garden franchisors' profiles on the Franchise Disclosure Register, captured on 19 August 2026. The sample is very small and the answers are self-reported, so treat them as a starting point.

• Setup costs: of 9 profiles that disclosed a low estimate, the median was $18,669; of 8 that disclosed a high estimate, the median was $51,445.
• System size: the median profile reported 18 franchisees, well above the median of 9 across all profiles.
• Goodwill: none of the 12 profiles that answered say franchisees have any rights to goodwill they generate, compared with 10.5% across all categories.
• Restraint of trade: 11 of 12 profiles (91.7%) include a restraint of trade or similar clause, in line with the 90.5% across all categories.
• One-sided changes: 3 of 12 profiles (25%) say the franchisor can vary the agreement on its own, close to the 27.6% across all categories.
• Term: 11 of 12 profiles list a term of 5 years or more.
• Arbitration: all 10 profiles that answered say the agreement provides for arbitration of disputes.

A mowing round is physical, outdoor work in all weather. Plan for the day you can't do it.

• Be honest about heat, noise, vibration, lifting and long days outside, and about how your body will cope over a full franchise term.
• Ask current franchisees how many hours they work in peak season and whether they employ help.
• Look at income protection and sickness cover, because your income may stop when you stop working.
• If you plan to sell one day, check the transfer clauses. The franchisor must not unreasonably refuse a written transfer request, and consent is deemed if it hasn't refused in writing within 42 days.
• Because goodwill rights appear rare in this category, ask what you would actually be selling: the customer list, the equipment and the remaining term.
• Read the restraint of trade so you know whether you could keep mowing in the area if you leave the system.

• Get a map and a household count for your territory, and confirm in writing whether it is exclusive.
• Get month-by-month figures from at least three current franchisees in a similar climate.
• Price the vehicle, trailer and equipment yourself, including replacement costs over the term.
• Check which licences you need for every service you plan to offer, using ABLIS and your state regulator.
• Read the agreement's minimum performance, pricing and territory review clauses.
• Check the restraint, transfer and goodwill terms before you assume any resale value.
• Model your slowest months with a break-even calculator and keep a cash buffer.
• Get independent legal and accounting advice before you sign.