What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Landscape Contractor (Commercial) Occupational Licensing
License required in 47 states
66th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$245
What They Do
Landscape contractors contract with clients to landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Work may involve any of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, and installing sprinklers or mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the landscapers who work for them. In some states, licensing requirements differ based on the setting. Those with a residential license may work only on residential properties, while those with a commercial license may work on commercial properties. Other states require the same license regardless of the setting, and this report records that license in both settings. Many states have contract minimums before the contractor’s license applies. See Appendix B for details.
Landscape Contractor (Commercial) Licensing Overview
Forty-seven states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Landscape Contractor (Commercial). On average, these laws require $245 in fees, 174 days of education and about 1 exam. Landscape Contractor (Commercial) Licenses have the 66th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada, Oregon.
Where is a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) the most regulated?
Out of the 47 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1215 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) the least regulated?
Out of the 47 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) has the lowest burden in Delaware. Delaware requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1215 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) costs the least in Delaware. Delaware requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) takes the longest to obtain in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada.It takes 1460 days (4 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming (0 days).
What states require exams for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Commercial) there is at least one exam required in: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. Alabama, California, Louisiana, Mississippi require 3 exams.
Forty-seven states license landscape contractors working on commercial properties. Eight states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor, while Alabama and Mississippi require completion of three contracted jobs. Mississippi also requires two years of college. Thirty-seven require no education or experience. On average, states require 228 days of education and experience, $235 in fees, and about one exam—the 62nd most burdensome of the 102 occupations studied.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022| Burden Rank | State | Occupations Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Alabama | 63 | $721 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 72 | $330 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Arizona | 68 | $596 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Colorado | 34 | $170 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | 61 | $655 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | Delaware | 42 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Florida | 55 | $35 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Georgia | 41 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Iowa | 71 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Idaho | 66 | $150 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Illinois | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Indiana | 37 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Kansas | 35 | $85 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Kentucky | 38 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Louisiana | 77 | $614 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Maryland | 58 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Maine | 46 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Michigan | 48 | $35 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Minnesota | 35 | $225 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Missouri | 33 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Mississippi | 65 | $640 | 432 | None | 3 jobs, contractors & 1 years | 3 | 12 | 0 |
| 21 | Montana | 32 | $175 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 66 | $325 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | North Dakota | 65 | $150 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 61 | $98 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 37 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | New Jersey | 54 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | New Mexico | 66 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Nevada | 75 | $1,215 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | New York | 41 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Ohio | 40 | $125 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | 42 | $38 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Oregon | 69 | $1,065 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | South Dakota | 32 | $70 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Texas | 38 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Utah | 64 | $445 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Vermont | 31 | $30 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Washington | 76 | $181 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | 42 | $30 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | West Virginia | 67 | $202 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Wyoming | 26 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
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