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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Lawn Doctor Franchise

Lawn Doctor is one of the largest lawn care franchises in the United States, founded in 1967 and franchising for more than five decades. The brand provides scheduled lawn treatment for residential customers, with some commercial work, including fertilization, weed control, aeration, and turf pest and disease management.

The business runs on a recurring-revenue model built around annual treatment programs and proprietary precision-application equipment, giving franchisees repeat seasonal income rather than one-off jobs. It is home-based and territory-based, offering single and multi-territory opportunities, and owners typically manage a small team of service technicians rather than run every route themselves. Lawn Doctor is part of Authority Brands, a national home-services franchisor whose portfolio includes several other home and outdoor service brands.

With a network of more than 600 locations across roughly 40 states and a reported customer retention rate above 80%, Lawn Doctor is among the most established names in professional lawn care.

Latest Resales

Why buy a Lawn Doctor Franchise?

Lawn care is a recurring, essential-leaning service in a category that has proved resilient across economic cycles, and Lawn Doctor brings more than five decades of brand recognition to it. For buyers weighing whether to buy a Lawn Doctor franchise, the appeal is an established system with a recurring customer base, proprietary application equipment, corporate-directed marketing, and an in-house call center that support lead generation and customer retention.

The home-based structure keeps overhead low compared with retail or premises-based concepts, and the annual-program model produces predictable seasonal revenue across multiple service streams. Backing from Authority Brands adds national marketing scale and shared resources an independent lawn-care operator would have to build alone.

Lawn Doctor Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1967

    • Franchising Since

      1967

    • New Startup Cost

      $135,820 – $163,902

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $114,950 – $118,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      75%

      of then-current initial license fee

    • Royalty Fee

      10%

      of Net Revenues

    • Marketing Fee

      5%

      of Net Revenues

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      675

    • New Units Opened *

      27

    • Units Transferred *

      18

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $1,170,356

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Lawn Doctor – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Initial training combines a pre-training RAMP program and on-boarding coaching with a week of classroom and hands-on instruction at the New Jersey headquarters, covering agronomy, service, technology, sales, and marketing. Each franchisee is assigned a Franchise Business Coach and receives two years of field training, with on-site consultations every eight weeks. Ongoing support includes quarterly regional meetings, an annual conference, weekly webinars, a 24/7 e-learning platform, turf field days, and an in-house call center. Buyers should confirm what transfer training and system access carry over at handover.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Lawn Doctor suits business-minded operators who can manage and motivate a small team of technicians rather than work every route themselves. Prior lawn care or horticulture experience is not required; franchisees come from corporate, technical, teaching, and small-business backgrounds, with training covering the agronomy and service side. Stronger fits tend to be process-driven, comfortable with sales and local marketing, and focused on customer service and retention. The model also appeals to owners wanting a flexible, family-run business they can grow across multiple territories.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Lawn Doctor has been named to Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 for more than 45 consecutive years, most recently ranking #54 in 2025, and is one of a small group of brands inducted into Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 Hall of Fame for sustained top rankings. It has also been recognized among Entrepreneur's Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners and listed in Franchise Gator's Top 100. As part of Authority Brands and an IFA member, the brand carries national-network credibility. For resale buyers, recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's local reviews and reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US lawn care services market was valued at roughly $60 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at around 5% annually, supported by an estimated 34.5 million households that pay for professional lawn services. Demand is driven by time-pressed dual-income households, an aging population that increasingly outsources yard work, and a steady shift away from do-it-yourself care. The category is seasonal but recurring, and its essential-leaning nature has made it relatively resilient. For resale buyers, local demand depends on regional climate, housing density, and competition within the specific territory.

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