Yes, you generally need a license to do landscaping in California. Any landscaping job that costs $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials requires a C-27 Landscaping Contractor license issued by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Smaller jobs can be done without a license only if no permit is involved and you work alone, and even routine gardening becomes contractor work the moment it crosses into installation or construction.
When a License Is Required
On January 1, 2025, Assembly Bill 2622 raised the minor work exemption from $500 to $1,000. Under the new rule, an unlicensed person can legally take on a landscaping job only if all three of these conditions are met:
- The total price of labor and materials for the entire project stays under $1,000.
- The work does not require a building permit of any kind.
- You complete the job alone, without hiring anyone to help.
If any one of those conditions fails, a license is required regardless of the price tag.1Contractors State License Board. License Requirement for Minor Work Increases from $500 to $1,000 You also cannot break a bigger job into smaller contracts to duck below the line. The CSLB treats the full value of all work on a single project as one amount.2Contractors State License Board. Before Applying for a License When No Exam is Required
Gardening Versus Contracting
Routine yard maintenance is not regulated by the CSLB. Mowing lawns, weeding, trimming hedges, and blowing leaves are gardening, not contracting. You can run a lawn or gardening business without a C-27 license as long as your work stays inside basic upkeep and your projects meet the three-part exemption test above.3Contractors State License Board. Handyperson Exemption to Increase to $1,000 in 2025
The moment a job crosses into installing an irrigation system, building a retaining wall, pouring a concrete patio, or doing any structural work, you are in contractor territory. Even a small job of that kind requires a license once the cost hits $1,000 or a permit is involved. Gardeners who gradually add hardscape or irrigation work to their services often drift over the line without realizing it.
One other limit worth knowing: unlicensed workers operating under the exemption cannot advertise themselves as licensed contractors. Misleading advertising is treated by the CSLB as a misdemeanor.4Contractors State License Board. Advertising Guidelines for Contractors
What the C-27 License Covers
The C-27 Landscaping Contractor classification is the specific license for professional landscaping in California. It authorizes a contractor to build, maintain, and repair landscape systems on residential and commercial property, including preparing and grading land for decorative and functional features.5Contractors State License Board. C-27 – Landscaping Contractor
Based on the CSLB’s own exam content, C-27 licensees handle hardscape installation like patios, walkways, and masonry, along with drainage systems, irrigation valves and controllers, outdoor lighting, retaining walls, fences, water features, and plant and tree installation. The license also covers maintenance and repair work such as pruning, tree removal, irrigation troubleshooting, and hardscape repair.6Contractors State License Board. Landscaping (C-27) Examination Study Guide
A general Class B building contractor license does not cover this specialized work. If a general contractor’s project includes landscaping beyond incidental scope, they need to subcontract that portion to a licensed C-27.
How to Get a C-27 License
Getting licensed requires documented experience, two exams, and a surety bond.
Experience
You need at least four years of journey-level landscaping experience within the last ten years. Journey-level means you can perform the work without supervision. Time as a foreman, supervising employee, contractor, or owner-builder also counts.7Contractors State License Board. Summary of Acceptable Documentation to Verify Work Experience
Education can substitute for some of that experience, though at least one year must be hands-on. A four-year degree in horticulture, landscape horticulture, or landscape architecture can substitute for up to three years. A four-year degree in a related field like business, engineering, or mathematics can substitute for up to two years. A completed apprenticeship can also credit up to three years.8Contractors State License Board. Step 3 – Qualifying Experience for the Examination
Exams
Every applicant passes two exams: the Law and Business exam, which covers contracting law, project management, and business practices, and the C-27 trade exam, which tests landscaping-specific knowledge like irrigation design, hardscape installation, grading, and safety. Both are available in Spanish.9Contractors State License Board. CSLB Examinations Frequently Asked Questions
Bond and Insurance
You must secure a $25,000 contractor’s bond before the license is issued.10Contractors State License Board. Bond Requirements You do not pay the full $25,000. You pay an annual premium to a surety company, typically 1% to 10% of the bond amount depending on your credit, so someone with decent credit can expect roughly $250 to $750 per year. A $25,000 cashier’s check deposited with the CSLB is accepted in place of a bond.
If you plan to hire employees, you must carry workers’ compensation insurance and file proof with the CSLB. If you work alone, you can file a Certificate of Exemption instead, certifying under penalty of perjury that you have no employees subject to California’s workers’ compensation laws. The C-27 classification is eligible for this exemption. If you later hire someone, you have 90 days to obtain coverage and submit proof.11Contractors State License Board. Exemption from Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Application and Fees
The process begins with the Application for Original Contractor License and a nonrefundable $450 application fee.12Contractors State License Board. Application for Original Contractor License The CSLB reviews your experience documentation and, once accepted, sends instructions for scheduling your exams. You will also submit fingerprints through a Live Scan service for a criminal background check.13Contractors State License Board. Application for Original Contractor License
After you pass both exams, the CSLB requests your bond, workers’ compensation proof or exemption, and the initial license fee: $200 for a sole owner or $350 for other business structures.12Contractors State License Board. Application for Original Contractor License The minimum CSLB out-of-pocket cost for a sole owner is $650, before bond premiums, fingerprinting, and exam prep.
Penalties for Working Without a License
Performing landscaping work at or above the licensing threshold without a C-27 is a misdemeanor, and the penalties escalate with each conviction:
- First offense: a fine of up to $5,000, up to six months in county jail, or both.
- Second offense: a fine of 20% of the contract price or $5,000, whichever is greater, and a minimum of 90 days in county jail. A judge can impose a lighter sentence only by stating the reasons on the record.
- Third or subsequent offense: a fine between $5,000 and $10,000 (or 20% of the contract price if that is higher), and between 90 days and one year in county jail.
These penalties are cumulative with any other applicable laws.14California Legislative Information. California Code Business and Professions Code BPC 7028
The money side is often worse than the fine. Under California’s Business and Professions Code, an unlicensed contractor cannot file a lawsuit to collect payment for work that required a license, even if the work was completed perfectly and the client simply refuses to pay.15California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 7031 – Actions to Recover Compensation The homeowner can also sue to recover every dollar already paid, with no offset for the value of materials or labor the contractor actually provided. Courts have enforced the rule strictly, requiring full disgorgement of all compensation received. An unlicensed landscaper who completes a $15,000 backyard renovation can be forced to return the entire amount.