Last updated: May 3, 2026

How to Start a Landscaping Business in Minnesota (2026)

Minnesota does not require a state-level landscape contractor license – there is no Minnesota Board of Landscape Contractors and no individual landscape professional licensure beyond pesticide applicator credentials for chemical applications. That makes Minnesota a relatively low-barrier state for starting a landscape maintenance or installation business, but several state-specific rules shape the operational picture in ways that catch new entrants by surprise.

Three Minnesota-specific rules matter most. First, lawn care services are taxable at 6.875% state plus local sales tax under Minn. Stat. § 297A.61 – mowing, fertilizing, weed control, and pest control on lawns all require the contractor to collect sales tax from customers. Initial landscape installation (planting shrubs, trees, sod) is treated as improvement to real property and is NOT taxable – so the same business performs taxable mow/fertilize work and non-taxable installation work for the same client. Second, Minnesota’s Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law under Minn. Stat. § 18C.60 (statewide since 2005, the first such law in the nation) prohibits phosphorus fertilizer on turf except under narrow exceptions – any landscape contractor offering fertilization services needs to know the rule cold. Third, Gopher State One Call’s 48-hour notice rule under Minn. Stat. ch. 216D applies to every digging job from a tree planting to a sprinkler installation.

Add to that the operating season constraint – Minnesota’s 6-7 month landscape season (April through October typical) compresses revenue into a shorter window than southern peer states – plus the post-2026 Minnesota Paid Leave premium and ESST that apply to seasonal landscape staff, and the operational picture for a Minnesota landscape business looks substantially different from Iowa or Wisconsin.

Minnesota Landscaping Licensing at a Glance

Requirement	Source	Cost	Notes
State Landscape Contractor License	None – no state license required	$0	Distinctive: Minnesota does not license landscape contractors
MDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator (initial + annual)	MDA Pesticide and Fertilizer Mgmt Division	$76 ($50 license + $21 ACRRA + $5 MDA processing)	Required if applying any pesticides commercially
MDA Pesticide Dealer License (if selling restricted-use)	MDA Pesticide and Fertilizer Mgmt Division	$221.50 ($150 + $64 + $7.50)	Required if selling restricted-use pesticides
Category Exam (Core + Category E)	UMN Pesticide Safety and Education Program	$75/category retest fee	Pass score required for license issuance
Sales Tax Permit (lawn care taxable)	MN DOR e-Services	Free; 6.875% state + local	Lawn care taxable; initial install not taxable
Gopher State One Call (per excavation)	Minn. Stat. ch. 216D	Free	48 hours notice excluding day of call, weekends, holidays
Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law compliance	Minn. Stat. § 18C.60	$0 (knowledge requirement)	P-free fertilizer except for soil-test deficiency or new establishment
DNR Invasive Plant / Noxious Weed compliance	Minn. Stat. § 18.78	$0 (knowledge requirement)	Buckthorn, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard etc. management rules
City landscape contractor registration (some cities)	Local jurisdiction	$0-$200 per city	Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Wayzata may require local registration
Workers’ compensation (NCCI 0042/0008/0106)	Minn. Stat. § 176.041	Class 0042 base; tree work higher	Required from first hire (no minimum threshold)

Lawn Care vs. Landscape Installation – The Sales Tax Split

Minnesota’s landscape sales tax treatment under Minn. Stat. § 297A.61 splits neatly into two categories that determine what the contractor charges and remits:

Taxable: Lawn Care Services

“Lawn care services” are fully taxable under § 297A.61 subd. 3(g)(6)(vi). The statutory definition includes all of the following when applied to a “lawn” (a tended area of ground covered with grass or other ground cover – yards, parks, golf courses):

• Mowing
• Raking and leaf removal
• Trimming and edging
• Watering and irrigation system service
• Fertilizing
• Killing weeds, insects, rodents, pests, or fungi
• Spraying for chemical applications
• Sprigging (turf re-establishment)
• Diagnosing the condition of lawns

If you mow lawns, fertilize, or apply any pest control to turf, you collect 6.875% state sales tax plus local (9.025% combined in Minneapolis, 9.875% in St. Paul) on the entire service fee. Important: ditches and medians along roads, freeways, and railroad rights-of-way are NOT considered lawns under the statute, so contractor work in those locations is not subject to lawn care sales tax.

NOT Taxable: Initial Landscape Installation

Installation of shrubbery, plants, sod, trees, bushes, and similar items is NOT taxable as a service because it is treated as an improvement to real property. The contractor is treated as the end-consumer of the materials and pays sales tax to the supplier when purchasing the plants, soil, mulch, and other inputs – not when invoicing the customer. This includes:

• New shrub and tree installation
• New sod or seed installation
• Hardscape construction (patios, walls, walkways)
• Drainage and irrigation system installation
• Initial landscape design and grading

The Mixed-Service Trap

Many landscape businesses do both – install new landscaping AND maintain existing lawns for the same client. The bookkeeping must clearly separate the two: lawn maintenance invoices include sales tax, installation invoices do not. Contractors who blur the line risk audit findings against either side. The MN DOR’s Sales Tax Fact Sheet 121A (Lawn and Garden Maintenance, Tree and Shrub Services) and Fact Sheet 121B (Landscape Construction and Maintenance) spell out the rules in detail.

MDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator + Category E (Turf and Ornamentals)

If your landscape business applies any pesticide commercially – including herbicides for weed control, insecticides for grub or insect control, fungicides for lawn disease – you need a Minnesota Commercial Pesticide Applicator license through the MDA Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division. Mechanics:

• Annual fee: $76 total ($50 license + $21 Agricultural Chemical Response Reimbursement Account (ACRRA) surcharge + $5 MDA processing fee). Late fee $25 if filed after March 1.
• Examinations: Pass the Core exam (general pesticide handling, safety, regulations) plus Category E (Turf and Ornamentals) exam. Both administered by the University of Minnesota Pesticide Safety and Education Program. Retest fee $75 per category.
• Category E coverage: Lawns, parks, athletic fields, golf courses, nurseries, greenhouses – the broad “non-agricultural” Category E covers virtually all landscape work involving pesticides outside of food production.
• Recertification: Annual renewal at the same $76 fee. Continuing education required to maintain certification – typically completed through UMN Extension PSEP workshops, online courses, or industry trade shows.
• Pesticide Dealer License: Required separately if you SELL pesticides (vs. just applying them). $221.50 annual ($150 + $64 ACRRA + $7.50 MDA).

The Category letter system in Minnesota differs from peer states. Wisconsin uses Category 3.0; Iowa uses Category 3A/3B. Minnesota’s Categories run A through O with Category E as the relevant turf-and-ornamentals category. If you cross state lines for landscape work, you need separate certifications in each state.

Minnesota’s Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law – First in the Nation

Minnesota was the first state in the United States to regulate phosphorus fertilizer use on lawns and turf. The Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law under Minn. Stat. § 18C.60 took effect in 2004 in the seven-county Twin Cities metro and statewide in 2005. Twenty years later, the rule is still distinctively Minnesotan – and a frequent compliance trap for out-of-state contractors expanding into Minnesota.

The rule prohibits applying any fertilizer containing phosphorus (the middle “P” in NPK fertilizer ratings) to turf, with two narrow exceptions:

1. Soil test exception: A current soil test must show insufficient phosphorus for healthy turf growth before phosphorus fertilizer can be applied. The test must be from a recognized lab and must specifically reference the property where application occurs.
2. New establishment exception: When a property owner is first establishing turf via seed or sod during the first growing season, phosphorus fertilizer is permitted to support root development.

Practical implications for landscape contractors:

• Stock phosphorus-free fertilizer (NPK ratios with 0 in the middle, e.g., 30-0-10) for routine lawn care customers.
• Maintain documentation – soil tests, new establishment dates, and customer contracts – showing why phosphorus was applied if challenged by MDA enforcement.
• The University of Minnesota Extension and MDA both publish phosphorus-free fertilizer recommendations and BMPs for lawn care.
• Golf courses operate under different rules – the Golf Course Superintendent Phosphorus Certification program at UMN supports compliance for golf-specific applications.

Gopher State One Call – The 48-Hour Rule for Every Dig

Under Minn. Stat. ch. 216D, every excavator must contact Gopher State One Call (call 811 or visit gopherstateonecall.org) at least 48 hours before any non-emergency excavation. The 48-hour clock excludes the day of the call, weekends, and legal holidays. Effective August 1, 2024, the 48-hour window for normal and update notices begins at 12:01 a.m. the day after the request is submitted.

For landscape work, the 48-hour rule applies to:

• Tree planting at any depth that may strike utilities
• Fence installation
• Patio, retaining wall, paver, or hardscape excavation
• Sprinkler/irrigation line installation
• Drainage swale or French drain construction
• Sod removal and replacement requiring soil disturbance below typical mowing depth

Locate requests are valid up to 14 calendar days from submission. Excavator and utility operator can agree on a mutually acceptable locate completion period if documented through Gopher State One Call. Failure to call before digging exposes the excavator to civil liability for the full cost of utility damage plus potential statutory penalties under § 216D.06.

Invasive Plants and Noxious Weeds

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Department of Agriculture (MDA) jointly regulate invasive plants and noxious weeds under Minn. Stat. § 18.78 et seq. The Minnesota Noxious Weed list categorizes plants as:

• Prohibited: Must be eradicated; sale and propagation banned. Examples: garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed, common buckthorn (in some categories).
• Restricted: Cannot be propagated or sold; existing plantings may remain. Examples: glossy buckthorn, Norway maple in some uses.
• Specially Regulated: Specific use restrictions; commonly Asian honeysuckles, certain reeds.

Practical implications for landscape contractors:

• Don’t sell or install prohibited or restricted species. Reputable Minnesota nurseries (Bachman’s, Tonkadale, Otten Bros., Wagner’s) follow the lists, but online sources can be inconsistent.
• Buckthorn removal is one of the most common landscape contracts in Twin Cities suburbs and inner-ring neighborhoods – can be a profitable specialty.
• Disposal of removed invasives requires care – some species cannot be composted or chipped without spreading viable seeds or rhizomes.
• The MN DNR Invasive Plant List and MDA Noxious Weed List are updated periodically; check current status before quoting eradication or installation work.

Cost to Start a Landscape Business in Minnesota

Cost Category	Solo Lawn Care (Year 1)	Full-Service Landscape with 2 Employees (Year 1)
LLC formation (MN SOS, online)	$155	$155
MDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator + Category E	$76 + $75 retest fees if needed	$76 + $75 retest fees if needed
UMN Pesticide Safety and Education training	$100-$300 (Core + Category E prep)	$100-$300
Equipment (mower, trimmer, blower, vehicle)	$8,000-$25,000 (used to new pro grade)	$25,000-$80,000+ (multiple crews)
Trailer + commercial vehicle	$3,000-$15,000 (used trailer, used pickup)	$15,000-$40,000 (commercial trailer + truck)
Insurance (general liability + commercial auto + property)	$700-$1,500	$2,000-$5,500
Workers’ comp (NCCI 0042/0008, payroll-based)	n/a (solo)	$1,500-$5,000+ depending on payroll
UI tax + Minnesota Paid Leave (year 1, 2 employees)	n/a	$1,500-$5,000+
Initial inventory (chemicals, fertilizer, plants for installs)	$500-$2,000	$3,000-$10,000
Marketing, website, branding	$500-$2,000	$1,500-$5,000
Software (scheduling, billing, route optimization)	$300-$1,000	$500-$2,500
Estimated Year 1 total	$13,231 – $48,051	$50,406 – $153,506+

Minnesota’s 6-7 month operating season (April through October typical, with snow plowing as a winter side business for many landscape operators) compresses landscape revenue into roughly half the year. Successful Minnesota landscape businesses often diversify into snow removal, holiday lighting, or commercial snow plowing to maintain year-round revenue and crew employment.

Minnesota Landscape Market Context: Where the Demand Is

• Twin Cities Metro: The largest landscape market in the state. Higher-income suburbs (Edina, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Woodbury, North Oaks) drive premium-pricing residential maintenance and installation work. Commercial landscape contracts for the Fortune 500 corporate campuses (Target HQ, Best Buy, UnitedHealth, 3M, General Mills) and downtown Minneapolis/St. Paul properties anchor large-scale commercial work.
• Lakes Country (Brainerd, Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, Lake Minnetonka): Vacation-home and lakefront-property landscape work, particularly shoreline restoration and erosion control. Seasonal demand spikes Memorial Day through October. Higher-margin work but limited season.
• Rochester: Mayo Clinic and Mayo’s Destination Medical Center expansion have driven both residential and commercial landscape demand. Highly compensated Mayo workforce supports premium-pricing residential work.
• Iron Range, outstate, and rural markets: Smaller markets with less premium pricing but consistent demand. Many outstate landscape businesses also operate as snow plow contractors during winter and excavation/grading specialists.
• Snow plowing crossover: Twin Cities and outstate Minnesota landscape businesses regularly maintain commercial snow plowing contracts during winter (November – April), creating year-round employment for crews. Snow plow rates run $80-$200 per residential push and $300-$1,200+ per commercial event depending on lot size.
• Buckthorn and invasive removal specialty: A specialty niche with steady demand in Twin Cities and inner-ring suburbs. Common buckthorn covers thousands of acres of urban and suburban yards; specialized removal contractors charge $100-$300+ per hour with equipment.

Minnesota Landscape Resources

Resource	What It Covers
MDA Pesticide Applicator Licensing	Commercial Applicator license, Category E exam, recertification, $76 annual fee
MDA Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law	Minn. Stat. § 18C.60 – phosphorus restriction on turf statewide since 2005
Gopher State One Call	811 utility location notice, 48-hour rule under Minn. Stat. ch. 216D
MN DOR Landscape Maintenance Guide	Sales tax treatment of lawn care vs. installation services
UMN Pesticide Safety and Education Program	Pesticide applicator training, exam prep, Category E (Turf & Ornamentals) manual
MN DNR Invasive Species	Invasive plant identification, regulated species lists, management resources
Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA)	Trade association, certified professional credentials, training, advocacy

Related Minnesota Business Guides

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Minnesota require a state landscape contractor license?

No. Minnesota does not require a state landscape contractor license. There is no Minnesota Board of Landscape Contractors and no individual landscape professional licensure beyond pesticide applicator credentials for chemical applications. Some cities (Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Wayzata) require local registration for commercial landscape contractors, particularly those installing irrigation or doing significant excavation, but there is no statewide license. The MDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator license is required if you apply pesticides commercially – which most lawn care and landscape businesses do.

Are landscape services taxable in Minnesota?

It depends on the service. Lawn care services – mowing, raking, trimming, watering, fertilizing, weed/pest control, spraying, sprigging, and diagnosing lawn conditions – are fully taxable at 6.875% state plus local sales tax under Minn. Stat. § 297A.61. Initial landscape installation – planting shrubs, trees, sod, hardscape construction – is NOT taxable as a service because it’s treated as improvement to real property. The contractor pays sales tax to the supplier when purchasing materials. Mixed-service landscape businesses must clearly separate taxable maintenance from non-taxable installation on invoices.

What is the MDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator license fee?

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commercial Pesticide Applicator license is $76 annually: $50 base license fee + $21 Agricultural Chemical Response Reimbursement Account (ACRRA) surcharge + $5 MDA processing fee. License renewal is annual. To get the license, applicants must pass the Core exam (general pesticide handling, safety, regulations) plus a Category exam (Category E for Turf and Ornamentals is the relevant category for landscape contractors). Retest fee is $75 per category. The Pesticide Dealer License – required if you sell restricted-use pesticides – is $221.50 annually.

What is Minnesota’s Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law?

Minnesota’s Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law under Minn. Stat. § 18C.60 (statewide since 2005) prohibits applying fertilizer containing phosphorus to turf, with two narrow exceptions: (1) when a current soil test shows insufficient phosphorus for healthy turf growth, or (2) when establishing new turf via seed or sod during the first growing season. Minnesota was the first state in the nation to regulate phosphorus on lawns. Routine lawn care fertilization must use phosphorus-free fertilizer (NPK ratios with 0 in the middle, e.g., 30-0-10). Violations can result in MDA civil penalties.

What is the Gopher State One Call rule for landscapers?

Under Minn. Stat. ch. 216D, every excavator must contact Gopher State One Call (call 811 or visit gopherstateonecall.org) at least 48 hours before any non-emergency excavation. The 48-hour clock excludes the day of the call, weekends, and legal holidays. Effective August 1, 2024, the window starts at 12:01 a.m. the day after submission. For landscape work, the rule applies to tree planting, fence installation, patio/wall excavation, irrigation line installation, drainage construction, and sod replacement. Failure to call before digging exposes the contractor to civil liability for utility damage plus potential statutory penalties.

What workers’ compensation class code applies to Minnesota landscaping?

Most Minnesota landscape work classifies as NCCI 0042 (Landscape Gardening) or NCCI 0008 (Nursery Employees). Tree care work involving climbing or pruning above 25 feet carries the more expensive NCCI 0106 (Tree Pruning) rate. Minnesota requires workers’ compensation insurance for all employers under Minn. Stat. § 176.041 with no minimum employee threshold, so any landscape business hiring even one employee must carry coverage. Premiums vary substantially by NCCI code and experience modification – 0042 base rates run $4-$8 per $100 of payroll typically; 0106 tree work runs $15-$25+ per $100.

What invasive species rules affect Minnesota landscaping work?

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Department of Agriculture (MDA) jointly regulate invasive plants and noxious weeds under Minn. Stat. § 18.78 et seq. The Minnesota Noxious Weed list categorizes plants as Prohibited (must be eradicated, sale and propagation banned – garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed, common buckthorn in some categories), Restricted (cannot propagate or sell – glossy buckthorn, certain Norway maple uses), or Specially Regulated (specific use restrictions – certain reeds, Asian honeysuckles). Landscape contractors should not sell or install Prohibited or Restricted species. Buckthorn removal is one of the most common landscape contracts in Twin Cities suburbs.

How does Minnesota’s seasonal landscape calendar affect business planning?

Minnesota’s landscape operating season runs roughly April through October (~6-7 months), substantially shorter than southern peer states. Successful Minnesota landscape businesses commonly diversify into snow plowing and removal during winter (November through April) to maintain year-round revenue and crew employment. Snow plow rates run $80-$200 per residential push and $300-$1,200+ per commercial event depending on lot size. Holiday lighting, landscape design consulting, and equipment maintenance also fill winter revenue gaps for many operators. Plan staffing, equipment, and revenue forecasting around the seasonal cycle, including how Minnesota Paid Leave premium and ESST accruals apply to seasonal employees.