California Landscaping Licensing Law

California Code · 9 sections

The following is the full text of California’s landscaping licensing law statutes as published in the California Code. For the official version, see the California Legislature.

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6731

Civil engineering embraces the following studies or activities in connection with fixed works for irrigation, drainage, waterpower, water supply, flood control, inland waterways, harbors, municipal improvements, railroads, highways, tunnels, airports and airways, purification of water, sewerage, refuse disposal, foundations, grading, framed and homogeneous structures, buildings, or bridges: (a) The economics of, the use and design of, materials of construction and the determination of their physical qualities. (b) The supervision of the construction of engineering structures. (c) The investigation of the laws, phenomena and forces of nature. (d) Appraisals or valuations. (e) The preparation or submission of designs, plans and specifications and engineering reports. (f) Coordination of the work of professional, technical, or special consultants. (g) Creation, preparation, or modification of electronic or computerized data in the performance of the activities described in subdivisions (a) through (f). Civil engineering also includes city and regional planning insofar as any of the above features are concerned therein. Civil engineers registered prior to January 1, 1982, shall be authorized to practice all land surveying as defined in Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 8700) of Division 3. (Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1226, Sec. 1.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7019

(a) If funding is made available for that purpose, the board may contract with licensed professionals, as appropriate, for the site investigation of consumer complaints. (b) The board may contract with other professionals, including, but not limited to, interpreters and manufacturer’s representatives, whose skills or expertise are required to aid in the investigation or prosecution of a licensee, registrant, applicant for a license or registration, or those subject to licensure or registration by the board. (c) The registrar shall determine the rate of reimbursement for those individuals providing assistance to the board pursuant to this section. All reports shall be completed on a form prescribed by the registrar. (d) As used in this section, “licensed professionals” means, but is not limited to, engineers, architects, landscape architects, geologists, and accountants licensed, certificated, or registered pursuant to this division. (Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1013, Sec. 59. Effective January 1, 2003.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7026.1

(a) The term “contractor” includes all of the following: (1) Any person not exempt under Section 7053 who maintains or services air-conditioning, heating, or refrigeration equipment that is a fixed part of the structure to which it is attached. (2) (A) Any person, consultant to an owner-builder, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, or company, who or which undertakes, offers to undertake, purports to have the capacity to undertake, or submits a bid to construct any building or home improvement project, or part thereof. (B) For purposes of this paragraph, a consultant is a person, other than a public agency or an owner of privately owned real property to be improved, who meets either of the following criteria as it relates to work performed pursuant to a home improvement contract as defined in Section 7151.2: (i) Provides or oversees a bid for a construction project. (ii) Arranges for and sets up work schedules for contractors and subcontractors and maintains oversight of a construction project. (3) A temporary labor service agency that, as the employer, provides employees for the performance of work covered by this chapter. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply if there is a properly licensed contractor who exercises supervision in accordance with Section 7068.1 and who is directly responsible for the final results of the work. Nothing in this paragraph shall require a qualifying individual, as provided in Section 7068, to be present during the supervision of work covered by this chapter. A contractor requesting the services of a temporary labor service agency shall provide his or her license number to that temporary labor service agency. (4) Any person not otherwise exempt by this chapter, who performs tree removal, tree pruning, stump removal, or engages in tree or limb cabling or guying. The term contractor does not include a person performing the activities of a nurseryperson who in the normal course of routine work performs incidental pruning of trees, or guying of planted trees and their limbs. The term contractor does not include a gardener who in the normal course of routine work performs incidental pruning of trees measuring less than 15 feet in height after planting. (5) Any person engaged in the business of drilling, digging, boring, or otherwise constructing, deepening, repairing, reperforating, or abandoning any water well, cathodic protection well, or monitoring well. (b) The term “contractor” or “consultant” does not include a common interest development manager, as defined in Section 11501, and a common interest development manager is not required to have a contractor’s license when performing management services, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 11500. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 319, Sec. 6. (SB 822) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7027.5

(a) A landscape contractor working within the classification for which the license is issued may design systems or facilities for work to be performed and supervised by that contractor. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a landscape contractor working within the classification for which the license is issued may enter into a prime contract for the construction of any of the following: (1) A swimming pool, spa, or hot tub, provided that the improvements are included within the landscape project that the landscape contractor is supervising and the construction of any swimming pool, spa, or hot tub is subcontracted to a single licensed contractor holding a Swimming Pool (C-53) classification, as set forth in Section 832.53 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, or performed by the landscape contractor if the landscape contractor also holds a Swimming Pool (C-53) classification. The contractor constructing the swimming pool, spa, or hot tub may subcontract with other appropriately licensed contractors for the completion of individual components of the construction. (2) An outdoor cooking center, provided that the improvements are included within a residential landscape project that the contractor is supervising. For purposes of this subdivision, “outdoor cooking center” means an unenclosed area within a landscape that is used for the cooking or preparation of food or beverages. (3) An outdoor fireplace, provided that it is included within a residential landscape project that the contractor is supervising and is not attached to a dwelling. (4) A rainwater capture system, as defined in Section 10573 of the Water Code, used exclusively for landscape irrigation or as a water supply for a fountain, pond, or similar decorative water feature in a landscaping project. (c) (1) Work performed in connection with a landscape project specified in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (b) that is outside of the field and scope of activities authorized to be performed under the Landscape Contractor (C-27) classification, as set forth in Section 832.27 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, may only be performed by a landscape contractor if the landscape contractor also either holds an appropriate specialty license classification to perform the work or is licensed as a General Building contractor. If the landscape contractor neither holds an appropriate specialty license classification to perform the work nor is licensed as a General Building contractor, the work shall be performed by a Specialty contractor holding the appropriate license classification or by a General Building contractor performing work in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7040

(a) This chapter does not apply to an authorized representative of the United States government, the State of California, any federally recognized tribe or participating tribe acting within tribal jurisdiction, or any incorporated town, city, county, irrigation district, reclamation district, or other municipal or political corporation or subdivision of this state when the entity or its representative is acting within the scope of the entity’s or representative’s official capacity. (b) Nothing in this section authorizes the entity or its authorized representative thereof either to enter into or authorize a contract with an unlicensed contractor for work that is required by this chapter to be performed by a licensed contractor. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 485, Sec. 5. (SB 1455) Effective January 1, 2025.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7049

This chapter does not apply to any construction or operation incidental to the construction and repair of irrigation and drainage ditches of regularly constituted irrigation districts, reclamation districts, or to farming, dairying, agriculture, viticulture, horticulture, or stock or poultry raising, or clearing or other work upon the land in rural districts for fire prevention purposes, except when performed by a licensee under this chapter. The provisions of this chapter do apply to the business of drilling digging, boring, or otherwise constructing, deepening, repairing, reperforating, or abandoning water wells. (Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 1691.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7056

A general engineering contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill, including the following divisions or subjects: irrigation, drainage, water power, water supply, flood control, inland waterways, harbors, docks and wharves, shipyards and ports, dams and hydroelectric projects, levees, river control and reclamation works, railroads, highways, streets and roads, tunnels, airports and airways, sewers and sewage disposal plants and systems, waste reduction plants, bridges, overpasses, underpasses and other similar works, pipelines and other systems for the transmission of petroleum and other liquid or gaseous substances, parks, playgrounds and other recreational works, refineries, chemical plants and similar industrial plants requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill, powerhouses, powerplants and other utility plants and installations, mines and metallurgical plants, land leveling and earthmoving projects, excavating, grading, trenching, paving and surfacing work and cement and concrete works in connection with the above-mentioned fixed works. (Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 296, Sec. 12. (AB 1023) Effective January 1, 2012.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7057

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a landscape contractor performing work under the Landscape Contractor (C-27) classification, as set forth in Section 832.27 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, may design and install all exterior components of a rainwater capture system, as defined in Section 10573 of the Water Code, that are not a part of, or attached to, a structure. (d) A violation of this section shall be cause for disciplinary action. (e) Nothing in this section authorizes a landscape contractor to engage in or perform activities that require a license pursuant to the Professional Engineers Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700)). (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 537, Sec. 1. (AB 1750) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7065.06

(a) Before the board revises the examination for a landscaping contractor (C-27), the board shall confer with the Department of Water Resources and the California Landscape Contractors Association to determine whether any updates or revisions to the examination are needed to reflect new and emerging landscape irrigation efficiency practices. (b) The board shall ensure that the examination includes questions that are specific to water use efficiency and sustainable practices to help ensure that the state’s water efficiency needs identified in the California Water Plan, described in Section 10004 of the Water Code, are sufficiently supported. (c) The board shall ensure that the reference study material for the examination continues to include the most current version of the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (23 Cal. Code Regs. 490, et seq.) and shall add other collateral material specific to water use efficiency and sustainability. (Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 867, Sec. 2. (AB 2371) Effective January 1, 2019.)

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)