Oregon licenses landscape work through two linked licenses, one for the individual and one for the business. See the experience rules, exam, bond, insurance, exemptions and how a company stays covered.
Oregon does not treat landscaping as a side branch of general contracting. A separate agency, the Landscape Contractors Board (LCB), licenses the people who supervise the work and the businesses that sell it, and the two licenses depend on each other. If you plan to install patios, fences, irrigation or plantings for pay, you need to know which license you hold and which one your company needs.
For the broader picture of contractor licensing in the state, start with the Oregon contractor license page. This guide covers only the landscape license, which sits outside the Construction Contractors Board.
At a glance Regulator: the State Landscape Contractors Board, under ORS 671.510 to 671.760. Two licenses: the individual Landscape Construction Professional (LCP) and the Landscape Contracting Business (LCB). Bond: $20,000 for a business license since January 1, 2026, or $15,000 on a probationary license. Insurance: at least $500,000 in liability coverage, plus workers' compensation when the business has employees. Experience: 24 months of work for a landscape contracting business, or 12 months plus a full year of related schooling.
What Oregon means by landscape work
ORS 671.520 defines the work broadly. A landscape construction professional is someone who, for pay or with the intent to be paid, plans or installs lawns, shrubs, vines, trees or nursery stock, or prepares ground for them. The definition also reaches ornamental water features, landscape drainage, landscape irrigation systems, and the planning, installation or repair of fences, decks, arbors, patios, edging, driveways, walkways and retaining walls.
That last group surprises many hardscape crews. A company that builds retaining walls and patios for homeowners is doing landscape work under the statute, even if no one on the crew plants anything. The business definition is just as wide: a landscape contracting business is any business that arranges, bids on or contracts for that work.
The two licenses and how they connect
Oregon uses a qualifier structure, and ORS 671.530 spells it out. A person may not work as a landscape construction professional without a license, and a business may not operate as a landscape contracting business without its own license. A professional who is a sole proprietor must hold both.
The link between them is the important part. The Board says a business must be owned by, or employ, a licensed LCP who supervises all of its landscaping work. Under ORS 671.530(6), an LCP may do landscaping work only while employed by a licensed and bonded landscape contracting business.
| License | Who holds it | What it allows |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape Construction Professional (LCP) | An individual | Supervising and performing landscape work for a licensed business |
| Landscape Contracting Business (LCB) | The company | Contracting, bidding and selling landscape work to customers |
Who qualifies for the LCP
Under ORS 671.570, an applicant must pass the Board's exam, taken within 10 years before applying, and meet one of two experience tests. The first is at least 24 months of employment with a landscape contracting business. The second is at least 12 months of employment with a landscape contracting business plus one full year of training in a related area at an accredited school or college.
The Board's licensing presentation lists additional routes, including two years of landscape maintenance experience or a related degree with six months of cooperative work experience. The statute also lets the Board adopt rules that accept other education and experience showing fitness for licensing. Because the routes can change by rule, confirm the current list with the Board before you apply.
Applicants who work in the field must also be employed by, or own, a landscape contracting business. That is why most people hold the individual license first and add the business license afterward.
The exam
Exams are scheduled through PSI, offered in English and Spanish, and can be taken online. The Board groups the exam sections by the phase of work you want to be licensed for. The table below comes from the Board's licensing presentation; confirm the section count on the Board's application page before you register.
| License phase | Exam sections |
|---|---|
| Modified | 1 |
| Planting | 3 |
| Irrigation and backflow | 3 |
| Standard | 4 |
| Arborist | 1 |
| All phases | 6 |
Only the Law, Rules and Business Practices exam has Spanish study books available, according to the Board. This guide does not cover study material; the Board's exam page links to its own resources.
Fees
The Board's LCP payment form dated July 2025 lists a $200 initial license fee and a $200 renewal fee for the individual license. Business fees changed with the 2025 to 2027 budget cycle, and the Board proposed increases for the business license, so check its fee page for the current amount before you pay.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| LCP initial license | $200 | Board LCP payment form, July 2025 |
| LCP renewal | $200 | Board LCP payment form, July 2025 |
| Business license fees | See the Board fee page | Changed in 2025 |
Fees are set by the board or testing vendor and can change. Verify the current amount with the provider before you pay.
Bond and insurance for the business license
Senate Bill 864, signed on June 6, 2025, changed the bond rule effective January 1, 2026. Every landscape contracting business now files a $20,000 surety bond regardless of project size, and a probationary business files $15,000. Before the change, bond amounts ranged from $3,000 to $20,000 depending on the size of the contracts.
The Board warns that proof of an increased bond must be on file before the current bond expires, or it may cancel the license. A business also needs liability insurance of at least $500,000 and workers' compensation when it has employees. Bond and insurance premiums depend on your credit, claims history and payroll, so get quotes from a surety agent and an insurance broker.
Step by step: licensing a landscape company
- Decide the business type, such as a sole proprietorship, LLC or corporation, and register it with the Oregon Secretary of State.
- Get an employer identification number from the IRS and set up an account with the Oregon Department of Revenue.
- Make sure an LCP will own the business or work for it, and pass the LCP exam if no one has yet.
- Buy the liability insurance and, if you have employees, workers' compensation coverage.
- File the business application with the notarized employment verification form that ties the company to its LCP, plus proof of insurance, the surety bond and formation documents.
- Pay the fee when the Board calls. The Board says a complete business application is processed in about 10 business days, and an individual application in about 5.
Written advertising must show the business license number, and contracts must carry the elements Oregon requires.
Continuing education
An LCP must complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years during the first six years of licensing. After that the requirement drops to 8 hours every two years under OAR 808-040-0020. Licenses with even numbers report in even years and odd numbered licenses report in odd years.
Volunteer work can count toward the requirement, and the Board can waive hours in some situations, including inactive military status.
What does not need a landscape license
Oregon exempts several groups, and knowing them keeps you from buying a license you do not need. Under ORS 671.540, the exemptions include:
- Contractors licensed by the Construction Contractors Board who install fences, decks, arbors, driveways, walkways or retaining walls.
- Plumbing contractors and journeyman plumbers who install or repair irrigation piping within their own trade.
- Property owners doing landscaping on property they own or hold a legal interest in, unless the work is part of a business of selling the property.
- Landscape designers whose plans choose plants and features without construction details.
- Employees of a licensed landscape contracting business who work under the direct supervision of a licensed LCP.
The Board also states that landscape maintenance does not require a license. The statute limits the maintenance exemption to casual, minor work where labor and materials stay at or under $500 per job site per year, so confirm your service mix before you assume you are covered.
If you work in the plumbing trade and touch irrigation, read the Oregon plumbing license guide to see how that trade is licensed.
Penalties for unlicensed work
Violating ORS 671.530, the section that requires the licenses, is a misdemeanor under ORS 671.990. The statute page does not specify the class of the misdemeanor. Beyond the criminal exposure, an unlicensed business cannot advertise with a license number and loses the bond protection customers look for.
How the qualifier model works for a landscape company
Oregon's rule puts a licensed individual inside the business. A company that wants the LCB license has to own an LCP or employ one, and the LCP has to be employed by the licensed business to do the work. A company whose owner cannot pass the exam, or who is expanding into hardscape and irrigation, needs a qualified person on the payroll.
That is the role of a qualifying agent. A qualifying agent qualifies the company by being a full-time W-2 employee who holds the required license and takes responsibility for the work the license covers. Read what a qualifying agent is and how that differs from an owner in owner versus employee qualifiers.
TLC places qualifying agents with companies that need them, and our founders, Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, built the process around W-2 employment. If your landscape company needs an LCP on staff, see how to hire a qualifying agent or learn how to become a qualifying agent.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to build a patio or retaining wall in Oregon?
Usually yes, if you do it for pay. ORS 671.520 lists patios, walkways and retaining walls as landscape work. The exception is a contractor licensed by the Construction Contractors Board who builds those items, and a property owner working on their own property.
Can an LCP work for more than one company?
The statute requires an LCP to be employed by a licensed and bonded landscape contracting business to do landscaping work. Confirm with the Board how it treats an LCP who supports more than one business before you plan a shared arrangement.
How much does it cost to get a landscape contractor license in Oregon?
The government fees are public and listed above. The total cost of a company's license also depends on bond premiums, insurance, formation costs and whether you need a qualified person on staff. If you need an LCP for your business, the cost of that varies by situation, so contact us through our consultation page.
How long does the process take?
The Board says a complete individual application takes about 5 business days and a complete business application about 10 business days. The total timeline depends on how fast you pass the exam, assemble the bond and insurance, and file the employment verification form.
Is the landscape license the same as a general contractor license?
No. The Board licenses landscape work under ORS Chapter 671, while the Construction Contractors Board licenses building contractors. See the Oregon contractor license page for that side, and the state-by-state contractor license index for other states.
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Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.