Landscaper license requirements in California.
California is one of the states where landscaping genuinely is a licensed trade. The Contractors State License Board issues the C-27 Landscaping classification, and you need it for landscaping work of $500 or more in combined labor and materials — which most installs and many maintenance contracts exceed.
What California requires.
C-27 — Landscaping Contractor
Covers installing, maintaining, and repairing architectural landscape features: grading, drainage, irrigation, planting trees and shrubs, sodding, hardscape such as walkways, decks, fences and patios, and low-voltage landscape lighting.
Getting the C-27 — Landscaping Contractor
- Be at least 18 with a Social Security Number or ITIN
- Four years of journey-level landscaping experience — performing skilled work, not laboring or assisting
- Pass two exams: Law & Business and the C-27 trade exam
- File a contractor license surety bond with CSLB ($25,000)
- Live Scan fingerprinting, and workers’ compensation insurance if you have employees
Renewal: CSLB licenses renew every two years.
- · The $500 threshold counts labor and materials together, so it is crossed by most installs and a good share of maintenance contracts.
- · Applying pesticides for hire is regulated separately from the contractor license — check the California Department of Pesticide Regulation if you spray.
Verified 2026-08 against the sources below. Licensing rules change — confirm with the board before relying on this page.
California landscaping and lawn care licensing FAQ.
Do you need a license to do landscaping in California?
Yes, for most real work. California requires a C-27 Landscaping contractor license from the Contractors State License Board for landscaping jobs where labor and materials total $500 or more. Smaller jobs fall below the threshold, but most installs and many maintenance contracts do not.
What does a C-27 landscaping license cover in California?
Installing, maintaining, and repairing architectural landscape features — grading, drainage, irrigation, planting trees and shrubs, sodding, hardscape like walkways, decks, fences and patios, and low-voltage landscape lighting.
How much experience do you need for a C-27 license?
Four years of journey-level landscaping experience, meaning work as a skilled tradesperson rather than as a laborer or helper. You also need to be at least 18 and pass both the Law & Business and C-27 trade exams.
Do California landscapers need a separate license to spray pesticides?
Pesticide application for hire is regulated separately from the CSLB contractor license, through California’s pesticide regulators. Holding a C-27 does not by itself authorize commercial pesticide application — confirm the current requirements before you spray for customers.
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