A holiday lighting business installs roofline lights, tree wraps and wreaths in November and takes them down in January. Most installers own the lights and lease them each season. Many are lawn care, gutter or window cleaning companies filling the winter; some run lights on their own.
- Check whether your state or city needs an electrical license for permanent lighting or new outlets.
- Roof and ladder work is the main risk. OSHA requires fall protection at six feet in construction.
- Price install and takedown together, and spread the cost of the lights over the seasons they last.
- Book last year's customers first.
1. Decide what you will offer
| Work | Who asks | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roofline lights | Homeowners | The core of the season |
| Trees, bushes and wreaths | Homeowners | Add-ons |
| Commercial displays | Shops, HOAs | Bigger jobs, earlier booking |
| Takedown and storage | Every customer | Second visit in January |
| Permanent lighting | Homeowners | Electrical rules may apply |
If you mow, clean gutters or wash windows, your customers already trust you on their property.
2. Check the license and permits
Plugging lights into existing outlets usually needs only a business license, but adding outlets, timers wired into circuits or permanent lighting can need an electrical license. Ask your state and city.
3. Work safely on roofs and ladders
OSHA requires fall protection at six feet in the construction industry. Most roofline work is above that. Plan roof anchors, harnesses or work from ladders set correctly, and never send a crew onto a wet or icy roof.
4. Register the business and set up taxes
The SBA lists the launch steps in this order: pick a location, choose a structure, choose a name, register, get federal and state tax ID numbers, apply for licenses and permits, open a business bank account, and get insurance. For a holiday lighting business working out of a truck, the location is usually your home address and the area you will serve.
- Structure. A sole proprietorship is the simplest. An LLC keeps the business separate on paper. Ask an accountant which fits your state and your plans.
- Tax ID. The IRS gives out an employer identification number (EIN) online, and says you never have to pay a fee for one. Websites that charge for an EIN are not the IRS.
- Self-employment tax. The IRS lists the self-employment tax rate as 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. Income tax comes on top, so set money aside from every job.
- Bank account. Open it before the first payment lands, so every dollar in and out is easy to find at tax time.
5. Pick a name customers can say and find
Your name goes on the truck, the invoices, the Google profile and the yard signs, so pick it once. The free holiday lighting name generator gives 36 ideas for your town and style, each with a domain idea, and lists the checks to run before you commit: your state's business name search, a federal trademark search and the domain itself.
6. Get insured before the first job
The SBA describes general liability insurance as cover for financial loss from bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses and defending lawsuits. It says businesses with employees are required to carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance, and some states ask for more.
Claims include falls, damaged gutters and shingles, and lights blamed for an electrical problem. Ask your agent about general liability, commercial auto, and workers' compensation once you hire.
7. Gear up and add up your startup costs
No total here on purpose. What you spend depends on what you already own, new or used, and how much work you plan to take on. Price your own list with a local supplier, then put the numbers in the startup cost table of the free business plan generator, which adds them up for you.
- Ladders and roof safety gear
- Commercial-grade LED lights, clips and cords
- Timers and outdoor-rated connections
- Bins and shelving to store each customer's lights
- A truck or trailer for ladders
Lights are the main startup cost, and they last several seasons. Storage space for each customer's lights is easy to forget.
8. Set your prices
Price by the foot of roofline plus trees and add-ons, with takedown and storage in the price. Our guide to pricing holiday lighting has a worked example, and the free Christmas light installation cost calculator checks the number.
9. Find your first customers
- Last year's customers. Campaigns reach them in the fall.
- Your summer customers. Lawn, gutter and window customers already know you.
- A price without a visit. Instant quotes answer from your price list.
- Shops and HOAs. Book them early.
10. Get paid and keep the customer
Take a deposit at signing and collect the rest on install with pay at the door. Book the takedown when they sign.
11. Grow past one truck
Two-person crews are safer and faster. Read how holiday lighting installers run on Koira.
Sources
- SBA: Launch your business (the launch steps), checked October 8, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 8, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number, checked October 8, 2026
- IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes), checked October 8, 2026
- OSHA: Fall protection, checked October 8, 2026
Last checked October 8, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.