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Landscape Contractor (Residential) Occupational Licensing

License required in 48 states

67th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$214

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 (Residential) Licensing Overview

Forty-eight states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Landscape Contractor (Residential). On average, these laws require $214 in fees, 175 days of education and no exams. Landscape Contractor (Residential) Licenses have the 67th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada, Oregon.

Where is a Landscape Contractor (Residential) the most regulated?

Out of the 48 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1215 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.

Where is a Landscape Contractor (Residential) the least regulated?

Out of the 48 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) have the lowest burden in Connecticut, Delaware

Where is a Landscape Contractor (Residential) license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1215 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.

Where is a Landscape Contractor (Residential) license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) costs the least in Mississippi, Connecticut, Delaware where the license costs $0.

Where does it take the longest to obtain a Landscape Contractor (Residential) license?

An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) takes the longest to obtain in Nevada, California, Hawaii, Arizona.It takes 1460 days (4 years).

Where is it fastest to obtain a Landscape Contractor (Residential) license?

An occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) takes the least time to obtain in North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, North Dakota, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia, District of Columbia, Alaska, Minnesota, Arkansas, New Jersey, Washington, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Ohio, New York, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, New Mexico, Texas, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Florida, Michigan, Vermont, Wisconsin, Maine, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Connecticut, Delaware (0 days).

What states require exams for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Landscape Contractor (Residential) there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.

Forty-eight states license landscape contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 198 days in education and experience and $203 in fees. Thirteen states also require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 66th most burdensome.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 Nevada 75 $1,215 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
2 California 75 $579 1460 None 4 years 3 0 18
3 Hawaii 64 $694 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
4 Arizona 68 $596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
5 Maryland 58 $533 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
6 Oregon 69 $1,065 730 None 2 years 1 0 0
7 Virginia 72 $320 731 8 clock hours 2 years 1 0 18
8 Mississippi 65 $0 365 None 1 years 1 12 0
9 North Carolina 66 $285 0 None None 1 0 18
10 Louisiana 77 $214 0 None None 1 0 18
11 Alabama 63 $325 0 None None 2 0 0
12 North Dakota 65 $150 0 None None 0 0 18
13 Georgia 41 $75 0 None None 0 0 18
14 Tennessee 69 $307 0 None None 1 0 0
15 West Virginia 67 $202 0 None None 1 0 0
16 Utah 64 $445 4 25 clock hours None 0 0 0
17 District of Columbia 61 $442 0 None None 0 0 0
18 Alaska 64 $350 0 None None 0 0 0
19 Minnesota 35 $225 0 None None 0 0 0
20 Arkansas 72 $200 0 None None 0 0 0
21 New Jersey 54 $185 0 None None 0 0 0
22 Washington 76 $181 0 None None 0 0 0
23 Montana 32 $175 0 None None 0 0 0
24 Colorado 34 $170 0 None None 0 0 0
25 Idaho 66 $150 0 None None 0 0 0
26 Ohio 40 $125 0 None None 0 0 0
27 New York 41 $100 0 None None 0 0 0
28 Nebraska 61 $98 0 None None 0 0 0
29 Kansas 35 $85 0 None None 0 0 0
30 Iowa 71 $75 0 None None 0 0 0
31 New Mexico 66 $75 0 None None 0 0 0
31 Texas 38 $75 0 None None 0 0 0
33 South Dakota 32 $70 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
34 Missouri 33 $50 0 None None 0 0 0
37 Kentucky 38 $40 0 None None 0 0 0
37 Pennsylvania 50 $40 0 None None 0 0 0
39 Oklahoma 42 $38 0 None None 0 0 0
40 Florida 55 $35 0 None None 0 0 0
40 Michigan 48 $35 0 None None 0 0 0
42 Vermont 31 $30 0 None None 0 0 0
42 Wisconsin 42 $30 0 None None 0 0 0
44 Maine 46 $25 0 None None 0 0 0
44 New Hampshire 37 $25 0 None None 0 0 0
44 Wyoming 26 $25 0 None None 0 0 0
47 Connecticut 65 $0 0 None None 0 0 0
47 Delaware 42 $0 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.

View Report