26 Tax Write-Offs for Landscapers and Lawn Care Businesses
NAICS business codeYour NAICS business code is a six-digit string of numbers that shows the type of work your business does. NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. When you do your taxes, you'll enter it in Box B of your Schedule C.561730
Reviewed bySabrina Wiechart, CPASabrina is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 15 years of experience in tax preparation, planning, and S-Corp compliance. She holds a Master’s in Accounting and specializes in helping self-employed individuals make smart tax decisions. Sabrina is passionate about simplifying the S-Corp process and making sure every client keeps more of what they earn.Keeping a tidy lawn is important — but what about keeping your wallet tidy?
Lowering your tax bill may seem like a thorny task, but it becomes a breeze when you claim all the write-offs you’re entitled to for your lawn care business.
To help you out, we've piled up all the clippings you can take in one place. Soon you’ll be stopping to smell the sweet blossoms of your success!
Tools like shovels, tree trimmers, and more used for landscaping and lawn care can be deducted.
Large machinery like lawn mowers can be written off from your taxes.
You can deduct lawn treatments and sprays like weed killer.
Anything you wear to stay safe on the job is a write-off.
Write off the fees you pay to contract labor to help you complete projects.
Pay any one contractor $600 or more in a year and you'll need to file a Form 1099-NEC for them.
Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, and other website service fees are fully tax-deductible.
Print and online advertising costs for your business are considered write-offs.
If you buy a phone or laptop and use it for work, it's partially deductible — in proportion to how much you use it for business. The device itself is depreciated on Box 13 (or expensed under Section 179); your monthly service plan belongs on Box 27b, and accessories on Box 22.
Write off seeds and plants you purchase to grow and harvest.
Mulch, stone, pavers and sod bought for client installs are cost of goods sold.
Protecting yourself and your business with liability insurance? It's a write-off.
Fees to renew your license to perform your work are fully deductible.
Fuel for mowers, trimmers, blowers and other equipment is a supply — separate from the fuel for your vehicle, which goes on Box 9.
The cut Stripe, PayPal, Square or your invoicing platform takes on each payment is a write-off.
If you drive for work ...
As a landscaper, you might use your car to drive to clients' properties or to pick up supplies and tools. In this case, you can write off the portion of the car expenses that directly relate to earning income.
Parking for a meeting downtown, or any other work trip, is tax-deductible!
A toll while driving to or from a work destination is tax-deductible!
If you buy a new car, you can write off part of the cost every year for five years.
Flashlights, tire iron, duct tape, and other tools you may need in your vehicle are deductible.
Car insurance monthly fees, registration, even roadside assistance are partially deductible — if you use the actual expense method. The standard mileage rate already covers them.
Oil changes, repairs, and regular checkups are deductible if you use the actual expense method. Take the standard mileage rate instead and they're already baked into your per-mile deduction.
If you discuss work at a restaurant ...
Visiting a restaurant is a tax-deductible expense when the purpose is work-related. That might mean grabbing food or drinks with vendors, clients, mentors, or fellow landscapers.
If you discuss work with a coworker, mentor, client, or prospective client, it's a write-off — 50% of the tab.
If you leave town for work ...
As a self-employed lawn care and landscaping professional, you can write off reasonable travel expenses when you go on a business trip, like to attend an out-of-town industry conference or trade show.
Planes, trains, and car rentals are all work-related travel costs that can be written off.
When you travel for work, lodging expenses such as hotel rooms or Airbnb are write-offs.
When you're traveling for work, your meals are 50% deductible — takeout included. (Long-haul truck drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules can deduct 80%.)
If you work from home ...
If you regularly attend to parts of your landscaping business from home, like advertising and marketing, client development, or ordering tools and supplies, don't forget to write off a portion of your home office expenses.
A desk, chairs, lamps, and other home office necessities are all tax write-offs. Anything over about $2,500 gets depreciated on Form 4562 instead of written off all at once.
Repairs just for your home office are 100% deductible. Repairs to the rest of your home count too, prorated by your business-use percentage on Form 8829.
Gotta keep the lights on in your home office! A portion of your electricity bill counts.
Whether it's rental or homeowners insurance, you can write off a portion through your home office deduction.
It'd be hard to work in an office without running water, huh? Your water bill counts.
You need internet to do your job! If you claim a home office, deduct it prorated on Form 8829 along with your other utilities. Internet you pay for on the road, purely for work, is 100% deductible.
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