Download the lawn care contract template
The pack holds three lawn and landscaping contracts, one per way you sell the work: residential per-visit, seasonal flat-rate with monthly installments, and commercial or HOA maintenance. Each comes in Word, PDF and Google Doc, plus a Canada version with CAD amounts and a provincial governing-law line.
What a lawn care contract should include
A lawn care service contract should name both parties and the service address, list the services included and excluded, and set the season and visit frequency. The contract should also state the price and billing model and cover payment terms, weather delays, property access, damage and insurance, renewal and termination. Both sides sign before the first cut.
The 12 elements to include, all covered by the 11 clauses of our template:
- Parties: your legal business name and the client's
- Service address: where you mow, not always where the bill goes
- Services included: mowing, trimming, edging, blowing
- Exclusions: leaves, beds, hauling, anything priced separately
- Frequency and season: weekly or biweekly, start and end dates
- Price and billing model: per visit, monthly or seasonal flat rate
- Payment terms: due date, methods, late fees
- Delays and rain: what happens when weather pushes a visit
- Access and safety: gates, pets, hidden objects
- Insurance and liability: who pays if something breaks
- Term and termination: how long the contract runs, how either side ends it
- Signatures: names, dates, electronic signing
The full contract, clause by clause
Not legal advice. The clauses below are a starting point. Have a local attorney review them before you use them with clients.
Words in brackets are blanks to fill in with your details. Each clause has its own anchor (#clause-1 to #clause-11) so you can link a client straight to it.
1. Parties and service address
1. Parties and service address. This Lawn Care Service Agreement is made on [Date] between [Business legal name], [Address], [Phone], [Email] ("Provider") and [Client name], [Billing address], [Phone], [Email] ("Client"). Services will be performed at [Service address] ("Property"). If Client does not own the Property, Client confirms they have authority to order services there.
Why this clause matters. Landlords and adult kids paying for a parent's yard are common in this work, so the billing and service addresses often differ. List both, or you end up chasing the wrong person. The authority line covers you if a tenant hires you and the owner objects later.
2. Scope of services and exclusions
2. Scope of services. At each visit Provider will: mow all turf areas at [X] inches; string trim around obstacles; edge sidewalks and driveways [every visit / every other visit]; blow clippings off hard surfaces. Not included unless added in writing: leaf removal, bed weeding, mulching, shrub trimming, hauling, aeration, seeding, fertilizer or weed control, and snow removal. Extra services are billed at the rates in Schedule A.
Why this clause matters. "Can you grab the leaves while you're here?" turns into an hour of free work every fall visit if leaves are not listed as extra. Naming exclusions gives your crew a polite way to say "happy to, here's the price." It also keeps landscaping extras like mulching and shrub trimming on Schedule A, where they're paid for. Snow is excluded on purpose: it needs its own snow removal contract template.
3. Service schedule, season and frequency
3. Schedule and season. The season runs from [Start date] to [End date]. Provider will visit [weekly / every two weeks] on or around [Day]. Visits may shift by up to [two] business days for weather, holidays or equipment issues. Client does not need to be present.
Why this clause matters. Clients hear "weekly" and picture the same morning forever. A shift window in the contract keeps you from getting a complaint every time a storm pushes every lawn on your route by a day. Fixed start and end dates stop the "you never said you were stopping" call.
4. Pricing, billing model and payment terms
4. Price and payment. Client will pay [$[Amount] per visit / $[Amount] per month / $[Amount] per season in [number] monthly installments]. Invoices are sent [after each visit / on the 1st of each month] and are due within [number] days by [card, ACH, check]. Balances over [number] days past due incur a late fee of [$[Amount] / [X]% per month ([Y]% per year)], and Provider may pause service.
Why this clause matters. Your billing model shapes cash flow more than your price does. Installments smooth income; per-visit billing is easier to sell. Either way, the contract needs clear payment terms: the due date, the late fee and the right to pause service. Without them, you'll keep cutting grass for someone who stopped paying in June. Limits on late fees and interest depend on your state or province, so have the amount reviewed. Still setting rates? Start with how to price lawn care and the lawn mowing price calculator.
5. Weather delays, skipped visits and first-cut fees
5. Weather, skipped visits and first cut. Visits missed for rain or unsafe conditions will be rescheduled within [number] business days. During drought or dormancy, Provider may skip visits when the grass does not need cutting; [per-visit clients are not billed for skipped visits / the seasonal price already accounts for skipped visits and is not reduced]. If grass is over [X] inches at the first visit or after a client-requested skip, a one-time overgrowth fee of $[Amount] applies.
Why this clause matters. Rain backlogs, summer drought and the first spring cut all cost time and money. On a flat-rate plan, state in the contract that the price already assumes some skipped weeks, or a client will ask for a refund in August. The first-cut fee pays for the extra time a double pass on a tall lawn takes.
6. Property access, pets, gates and hidden objects
6. Access and property conditions. Client will provide access to all service areas at each scheduled visit, including gates left open or [gate code: [Code]]. Pets must be secured during visits. Client will mark or remove hidden objects such as sprinkler heads, invisible fence wires, landscape lighting, toys and hoses. If Provider cannot access the Property, the visit is billed [in full / as a $[Amount] trip charge].
Why this clause matters. A locked gate costs you a trip, and unmarked sprinkler heads are a common source of "your guys broke my..." calls. Putting the client's responsibilities, like marking hidden objects, in the contract lets you push back fairly when a buried head gets clipped. It's also less awkward than arguing on the lawn.
7. Damage, insurance and liability
7. Damage and insurance. Provider carries general liability insurance and will provide a certificate on request. Client must report damage within [number] days of the visit, with photos. Provider will repair or pay for damage caused by its negligence, but is not responsible for unmarked objects listed in Section 6 or pre-existing conditions.
Why this clause matters. A thrown rock or a scuffed car is part of the job. A short reporting window stops claims from showing up three weeks later, when nobody can say what happened, and leaves less room for argument. The clause only works if you have the coverage it promises: read our guide to lawn care business insurance first.
8. Chemical applications and licensing
8. Applications. Fertilizer, weed control or pest control applications are performed only if listed in Schedule A, by a person holding any license or certification required in [State/Province]. Provider will give notice of applications as required by law. Client will inform Provider of children, pets, gardens or wells that may be affected.
Why this clause matters. A contractor who applies pesticides for hire can need a state or provincial license, and sometimes posting or notification. Federally, anyone applying restricted use pesticides must be certified. The EPA also notes that many states require certification for all commercial pesticide use, restricted or not (EPA). In Ohio, for example, a commercial applicator license is required to apply pesticides for a pesticide business without direct supervision (Ohio Revised Code 921.06), and the Ohio Department of Agriculture runs licensing. In Canada, provinces and territories handle applicator training and certification (Health Canada), and they may give municipalities the power to pass by-laws that restrict pesticide use (Health Canada). The clause points to local law instead of guessing. Check yours before you sell applications.
9. Price changes and fuel surcharge
9. Price changes. Provider may change prices for the next season with at least [30] days' written notice. During the season, Provider may add a fuel surcharge of up to [X]% if fuel prices rise more than [X]% above their level on the date of this Agreement, with [14] days' written notice.
Why this clause matters. If the contract never says how prices go up, every raise feels personal. Notice a month ahead, in writing, turns it into a routine update. The fuel surcharge is optional, but it is the only way to protect your margin mid-season without breaking the contract.
10. Term, renewal and cancellation
10. Term, renewal and termination. This Agreement covers the season in Section 3. [It renews automatically for the next season at the then-current price unless either party gives written notice [30] days before the season ends. / It does not renew automatically.] Provider or Client may end this Agreement at any time by giving the other [14] days' notice in writing. Client pays for services performed up to the termination date [and, for seasonal contracts, any shortfall between installments paid and visits performed at a per-visit rate of $[Amount]].
10a. Right to cancel (in-person sales only). [Keep this paragraph if you sold this Agreement in person at Client's home or anywhere other than your place of business; delete it otherwise.] You, the buyer, may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of this transaction. See the attached notice of cancellation form for an explanation of this right.
Why this clause matters. Auto-renewal saves re-signing every client each spring, but some states regulate automatic renewals. In New York, for example, an auto-renewal clause in a contract for service or maintenance of real or personal property cannot be enforced against the client unless you send a written notice, in person or by certified mail, 15 to 30 days before the client's deadline to cancel (N.Y. General Obligations Law 5-903); renewal periods of one month or less are excluded. Other states set their own rules, so look up the specific law where you work, and send a reminder anyway. The true-up protects you when a client cancels in July after paying lower spring installments.
If you sell door to door (US). The FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) covers consumer sales of $25 or more made in person at the buyer's home, and $130 or more at other places away from your place of business. The buyer can cancel until midnight of the third business day after the sale; Saturdays count, Sundays and federal holidays do not. You must tell the buyer about this right at the time of sale, hand over two copies of a cancellation form and a dated contract or receipt showing your name and address, in the language you used to sell, and refund within 10 days of a cancellation. The rule leaves out sales made entirely online, by mail or by phone, and sales that follow earlier negotiations at your permanent place of business. Many states add their own door-to-door rules, and Canadian provinces set their own, so check with your state attorney general or provincial consumer protection office. The pack includes the cancellation notice as a separate page.
11. Signatures
11. General terms and signatures. This Agreement is governed by the laws of [State/Province]. It is the entire agreement between the parties and may only be changed in writing signed by both. Electronic signatures are valid.
Provider: ________________ Name: [Name], Title: [Title], Date: [Date]
Client: ________________ Name: [Name], Date: [Date]
Schedule A: additional services and rates [list]
Why this clause matters. It's the clause that makes the rest count: get the contract signed before the first job. In the US, the federal ESIGN Act says a signature or contract cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic (15 U.S.C. 7001); your state or province can add its own rules. The governing-law line is the one Canadian users must change.
Residential vs seasonal vs commercial lawn care contracts
The right service contract depends on the client. Homeowners usually sign a short per-visit or flat-rate agreement, while property managers and HOA boards expect a detailed maintenance contract with insurance terms.
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| Residential per-visit | Seasonal flat-rate | Commercial and HOA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing | Per visit | Fixed monthly installments | Monthly, often net 30 |
| Term | Open-ended | One season, often auto-renews | 1 to 3 years |
| Scope detail | Short list | Short list plus skip policy | Detailed by area, with map |
| Insurance asked | Rarely | Rarely | Certificate, often additional insured |
| Bidding | No | No | Usually a bid or RFP |
Residential per-visit contract
You bill after each cut and skipped visits are not billed. In the pack, clause 4 is set to per-visit billing and clause 5 drops the drought-skip line.
Seasonal flat-rate contract
Same payment every month, however many times you mow. In the pack, clause 5 says drought skips are priced in and clause 10 includes the true-up.
Commercial and HOA maintenance contract
Property managers and HOA boards expect a scope by zone, frequency per task, a certificate of insurance and a multi-year term. Commercial landscaping contracts are usually won through a bid or RFP, so the scope has to be specific enough for every bidder to price the same work. The commercial version adds a site map exhibit, a scope table and an on-site contact clause.
Lawn care contract example: a filled-in weekly mowing agreement
All names and amounts below are fictional example data used across TighterCrew's tools.
Lawn Care Service Agreement (example)
- Provider
- Bennett Lawn Co., Columbus, OH
- Client
- Pat Sample, 123 Sample Street, Columbus, OH
- Season
- April 1 to October 31, weekly, on or around Tuesday
- Services
- mowing at 3.5 inches, trimming, edging, blowing
- Not included
- leaves, beds, mulch, applications, snow
- Price (example pricing)
- $40 per visit, invoiced monthly, due in 15 days
- First-cut fee (example pricing)
- $15 if grass is over 6 inches
- Renewal
- automatic, 30 days' notice to opt out
- Signed
- both parties, electronically, before the first visit
The price matches the calculator's quarter-acre weekly example ($40 per visit with its default inputs), and the $15 first-cut fee is the gap between that and the calculator's one-time price for the same lawn ($55), so the quote, contract and invoice line up. Build the matching monthly invoice with our free contractor invoice generator.
How to write a lawn care contract in 5 steps
- Define the scope. Walk the property, list every service per visit, then list exclusions such as leaves or landscaping work. Note the gate, the dog and the sprinkler heads.
- Choose your pricing model. Per visit is easier to sell; seasonal is easier on cash flow.
- Set the season. First and last service weeks, visit day and how far a visit can shift for weather.
- Add the protection clauses. Weather and skips, first-cut fee, access and hidden objects, damage reporting window, price change notice, cancellation.
- Get it signed before the first visit. Send it with the quote, collect a signature (electronic is fine) and store it where your crew can find it.
Contract mistakes that cost lawn care companies money
- Vague scope on leaves. "Lawn maintenance" doesn't say whether fall leaf pickup is included, so spell it out in the services list.
- No first-cut clause. Overgrown spring grass takes far longer than a regular cut. Without a fee in the contract, you eat that time.
- No notice for price increases. Surprise raises lose good clients. A clear 30-day notice makes them routine.
- No service address. With only a billing address, there's no paper trail for the lawn you actually mow.
- Signing after the work starts. After three mows, the client has little reason to sign terms they dislike. Contract first, mower second.
Using this contract in Canada
Write all amounts in CAD. If you're registered for GST/HST, show the tax on invoices and include it in clause 4's payment terms. If your late fee is a percentage per month, state the yearly rate next to it: under section 4 of the federal Interest Act, a written contract that gives only a daily, weekly or monthly rate cannot recover more than 5% per year (Interest Act, s. 4). Change the governing-law line in clause 11 to your province, and look up provincial rules on service contracts and renewals with your provincial consumer affairs office (Government of Canada directory). Pesticide rules also vary by province and municipality, as noted in clause 8. The Canada version in the pack has these lines ready to edit. Have a local lawyer review it.
Send, sign and store contracts in your software
Past a handful of clients, emailing PDFs gets messy. Field service software sends the contract with the quote, collects the client's approval and keeps it on the client record, so whoever runs the route sees the gate code and the exclusions. Jobber and Housecall Pro both handle quotes, approvals and recurring jobs. In Jobber, clients approve a quote or request changes in the client hub, per Jobber's Quote Basics article. A signature on approval is an optional setting, per its Client Hub Settings article. In Housecall Pro, the customer approves or declines an estimate from the email or text they receive, and the pro can capture a signature in person in the mobile app, per its estimate approvals and signatures article. We found no separate contract document in either help center, so attach your agreement to the quote or estimate and keep the signed copy on the client record.
Read more about e-signatures in Jobber or see our Jobber vs Housecall Pro comparison.
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| Plan (as of November 2026) | No commitment | Other billing |
|---|---|---|
| Jobber Core | $49/mo | $39/mo with 1-year commitment, $29/mo billed annually |
| Jobber Connect (1 user) | $139/mo | extra users $29/mo |
| Jobber Grow (1 user) | $199/mo | extra users $29/mo |
| Housecall Pro Basic | $79/mo | $59/mo billed annually |
| Housecall Pro Essentials | $189/mo | $149/mo billed annually |
| Housecall Pro Max | $329/mo | $299/mo billed annually |
Both bill Canadians in USD, with no official CAD prices (as of November 2026). Jobber and Housecall Pro each have a 14-day free trial, no credit card needed.
Comparing options? See the best lawn care software, or grab the editable pack from the form at the top of this page.
Other contract templates
- The snow removal contract template: residential and commercial, with trigger depth and salt clauses
- The house cleaning contract template: recurring, one-time and move-out versions
