Landscaping contractor installing a drought-tolerant landscape and irrigation

Become a Licensed C-27 Landscaping Contractor

The C-27 Landscaping classification is one of California's most in-demand specialty licenses, covering full landscape construction, irrigation, grading, and the drought-tolerant work the state now requires.

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Requirements

Minimum age: 18+ is CSLB's normal applicant path. A minor may qualify only after a court appoints a guardian (BPC §7065.5)
Experience required: 4 full-time-equivalent years of journey-level experience within the past 10 years; CSLB prorates part-time work
Contractor bond: $25,000

About the Exam

Exam format: 2 parts (Law & Business + Trade)
Law & Business exam: 115 questions
School-observed scores: 65% Law / 66% Trade; not published as fixed by CSLB
Application fee: $450

License renews every 2 years. Governing code: CCR §832.27

About this classification

What does a C-27 Landscaping contractor do?

A C-27 Landscaping Contractor constructs, maintains, repairs, and installs landscape systems and facilities for aesthetic, architectural, horticultural, or functional improvement, and prepares and grades the plots and areas of land where that landscaping goes.

Under the California Code of Regulations (Title 16, §832.27), a C-27 contractor develops "landscape systems and facilities for public and private gardens and other areas which are designed to aesthetically, architecturally, horticulturally, or functionally improve the grounds." That covers planting, irrigation, grading, drainage, and the hardscape elements that complete a landscape, such as walkways, patios, and low retaining walls.

Official source: CSLB C-27 classification · CSLB fee schedule Last reviewed: March 2026

Scope of work

Full residential and commercial landscape installation
Irrigation systems, controllers, and drip conversion
Site grading, soil amendment, and drainage within the landscape
Hardscape, walkways, patios, and low retaining walls
Sod, plants, shrubs, and tree planting
Low-voltage landscape lighting
Decorative water features within a landscape
Landscape construction additions and renovations

High-demand niches

Drought-tolerant & native landscapes, California's water rules drive demand for turf replacement and low-water design
Smart irrigation, Weather-based controllers and water-efficient retrofits under state MWELO standards
Outdoor living, Patios, pergolas, and hardscape that extend usable square footage
Commercial maintenance contracts, Recurring HOA, retail, and municipal accounts

Important notes

Routine gardening and maintenance (mowing, trimming, simple cleanup) does not require a C-27, but landscape construction additions and installations do.
The C-27 plants trees as part of a landscape project; pruning, removing, or arboricultural care of established trees and palms is the C-49 (Tree and Palm) scope.
A C-27 may grade within a landscape, but large-scale earthwork beyond the landscape area belongs to the C-12 (Earthwork and Paving) license.
A Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC) from the California DPR is required to apply pesticides as part of landscape work.
California requires a license for any landscaping project over $1,000 (labor and materials combined), and workers' compensation coverage is required once you have employees; sole owners with no employees may file an exemption (BPC §7125(b)).

The CSLB exam

What's on the C-27 Landscaping exam?

California requires you to pass a two-part CSLB exam: the Law & Business exam (the same for every classification) and the C-27 Landscaping trade exam. CSLS has observed scores of 65% for Law & Business and 66% for the C-27 trade exam. CSLB does not publish fixed passing scores and may vary them by exam version.

Law & Business

Same for all classifications

115 questions, multiple choice, computer-based
3.5 hours allotted
Topics: California contractor law, business management, safety, estimating, project management

C-27 Trade Exam

Landscaping-specific

about 100 questions, multiple choice, computer-based
3.5 hours allotted
Topics: irrigation design, planting and horticulture, grading and drainage, hardscape construction, landscape lighting, plan reading, water-efficiency standards

How to Get Your C-27 Landscaping License

Step 1

Qualify

18+ is CSLB's normal applicant path. A minor may qualify only after a court appoints a guardian (BPC §7065.5). You also need a valid SSN/ITIN and 4 full-time-equivalent years of journey-level landscaping and landscape construction experience within the past 10 years; CSLB prorates part-time work. Up to 3 years may be substituted with approved education or apprenticeship.

Step 2

Apply to CSLB

Submit your application, get fingerprinted, and pay the $450 application fee. Processing times vary; check the CSLB's current processing times.

Step 3

Study & Prepare

Prepare for both exam parts, on your own or with a CSLS exam prep program. 99% of CSLS students pass on their first try, backed by our 100% Money-Back Guarantee.

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Step 4

Pass the Exam

Two parts: Law & Business (115q, 3.5 hrs) + C-27 Trade. Multiple choice, computer-based. CSLS has observed scores of 65% Law & Business / 66% C-27 Trade; CSLB does not publish fixed passing scores and may vary them by exam version.

Step 5

Get Licensed

Post your $25,000 contractor bond, pay the $200 license fee, and receive your C-27 license. You're officially in business.

Step 1

Qualify

Step 2

Apply to CSLB

Submit your application, get fingerprinted, and pay the $450 application fee. Processing times vary; check the CSLB's current processing times.

Step 3

Study & Prepare

Prepare for both exam parts, on your own or with a CSLS exam prep program. 99% of CSLS students pass on their first try, backed by our 100% Money-Back Guarantee.

Compare programs

Step 4

Pass the Exam

Step 5

Get Licensed

Post your $25,000 contractor bond, pay the $200 license fee, and receive your C-27 license. You're officially in business.

Career outlook

Why get your C-27 Landscaping license?

$44,340

CA employee mean (BLS)

$100K–$150K+

Owner range, premium markets

Top demand

Drought-tolerant retrofits

$1,000

License required above

The employee-to-owner gap

Landscape workers in California earn a mean wage of about $44,340 (BLS), but that figure reflects employees, not business owners. Licensed C-27 contractors who run their own crews and bid full installations commonly reach $100,000–$150,000 or more in premium coastal and metro markets. The license is the dividing line between hourly wages and contract income.

Maintenance contracts vs. construction

Routine maintenance does not require a license, but it also commands low margins. The C-27 unlocks the higher-value construction side, full installs, irrigation systems, and hardscape, while still letting you carry recurring commercial maintenance accounts for predictable monthly revenue.

Drought-tolerant is the growth lane

California's water-efficiency rules and ongoing turf-replacement rebates have made drought-tolerant and native landscaping one of the fastest-growing niches in the trade. Contractors who specialize in turf removal, low-water design, and smart irrigation retrofits are positioned for steady demand the state actively incentivizes.

A foundation for adding licenses

Many landscape contractors expand by adding adjacent licenses as their work grows, the C-12 for larger earthwork, the C-8 for concrete flatwork, or the C-53 for pools, building a one-stop outdoor-construction business around the C-27 core.

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OES) and California EDD.

Exam Prep Programs

Compare C-27 Landscaping Exam Prep Programs

Every program prepares you for the required CSLB exam for C-27 Landscaping. Our 99% first-time pass rate is backed by the 100% Money-Back Guarantee on eligible programs.

Feature-by-feature comparison of all four CSLS exam prep programs
Features	Most Popular All-Inclusive C-27 Landscaping $1,195.00 Value: $2,500	Live Online C-27 Landscaping $695.00 Value: $995	Crash Course C-27 Landscaping $495.00 Value: $695	Home Study C-27 Landscaping $295.00 Value: $395
Best For	Comprehensive prep with maximum support	Remote learners wanting live instruction	Experienced pros with an exam date soon	Self-directed independent learners
Law & Business Classes	4 Classes + Full-Day Review	4 Live Online + Review	Full-Day Review Only	Not included
Trade Math Training	30-Day Interactive + Review	Online Video Review	14-Day Crash Course	Not included
Test-Taking Skills Seminar	1-Day In-Person	1-Day Online	Not included	Not included
Law & Business Materials	Online; binder add-on available	Online; binder add-on available	Online; binder add-on available	Online; binder add-on available
Trade-Specific Materials	Online; binder add-on available	Online; binder add-on available	Online; binder add-on available	Online; binder add-on available
Study Materials	Full Online Suite	Online Materials + Audio/Video	Online + Audio/Video	Online + Audio
Online Videos	Full Suite: L&B, Trade, H&S, Math	Audio + H&S + Math Videos	Audio + H&S + Math Videos	L&B Audio + H&S Video
Law & Business Practice Exams	6 Months	2 Months	30 Days	30 Days
Trade Practice Exams	6 Months	2 Months	30 Days	30 Days
School Location Access	25+ Locations	25+ Locations	25+ Locations	Self-Study Only
Application Assistance	Preparation & Review	Review Only	Review Only	Not included
Money-Back Guarantee	Included	Included	Included	Not included
Bond Fee Discount	50% off first-year bond, up to $120	Not included	Not included	Not included
Retail Value	$2,500	$995	$695	$395
Choose a program	Get All-Inclusive	Get Live Online	Get Crash Course	Get Home Study

Not sure which fits? Call 800-809-6463. Prices and inclusions are subject to change.

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Common Questions

C-27 Landscaping license FAQ

Routine gardening and maintenance, mowing, trimming, leaf removal, and simple cleanup, does not require a contractor license. But once you install or construct landscape elements (irrigation, planting as part of a project, hardscape, grading) on a job over $1,000, you need the C-27. The license separates maintenance from construction.

The C-27 (Landscaping) plants trees as part of installing a landscape. The C-49 (Tree and Palm) covers arboricultural care of established trees and palms, pruning, removal, stump grinding, and cabling. If your work is building landscapes, you need the C-27; if it is climbing, pruning, and removing mature trees, you need the C-49.

Yes. Low-voltage landscape lighting is within the C-27 scope when it is installed as part of a landscape project. Line-voltage electrical work and standalone electrical systems still require a C-10, but the decorative low-voltage lighting that completes a landscape is C-27 work.

Landscape employees earn a mean of about $44,340 in California (BLS), but licensed C-27 contractors running their own businesses commonly reach $100,000–$150,000 or more in premium markets. The gap between employee wages and owner income is one of the largest in the trades, and the license is what bridges it.

Most students are exam-ready in 4–6 weeks of CSLS prep. Adding CSLB application processing (typically 2–4 weeks), exam scheduling, and posting your $25,000 bond, the full path usually runs 2–4 months from start to license-in-hand.

The C-27 trade exam covers irrigation design, planting and horticulture, grading and drainage, hardscape, and water-efficiency standards. You need the current version-specific CSLB passing score to pass. With CSLS exam prep, 99% of students pass on their first attempt, backed by our 100% Money-Back Guarantee.

Yes. Applying pesticides as part of landscape work requires a Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC) from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, in addition to your C-27 license. The QAC is separate from the contractor license and is regulated by DPR, not CSLB.

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Become a Licensed C-27 Landscaping Contractor

What does a C-27 Landscaping contractor do?

Scope of work

High-demand niches

Important notes

What's on the C-27 Landscaping exam?

Law & Business

C-27 Trade Exam

How to Get Your C-27 Landscaping License

Qualify

Apply to CSLB

Study & Prepare

Pass the Exam

Get Licensed

Qualify

Apply to CSLB

Study & Prepare

Pass the Exam

Get Licensed

Why get your C-27 Landscaping license?

The employee-to-owner gap

Maintenance contracts vs. construction

Drought-tolerant is the growth lane

A foundation for adding licenses

Compare C-27 Landscaping Exam Prep Programs

Labor Day Promo 2026

What our Landscaping students say

Try a free C-27 Landscaping practice exam

C-27 Landscaping license FAQ

Ready to get your C-27 Landscaping license?

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