Last updated: May 3, 2026

How to Start a Landscaping Business in Louisiana (2026)

Louisiana is one of the few states that licenses landscape contractors, and the licensing structure is more elaborate than most operators expect. The Louisiana Horticulture Commission (administered by LDAF under La. R.S. 3:3801 et seq.) issues separate licenses for Landscape Horticulturist, Landscape Architect, Landscape Irrigation Contractor, Arborist, Retail Florist, Cut Flower Dealer, Nursery Stock Dealer, and Sod Producer. A landscape business that does design, installation, irrigation, and tree work needs to look at multiple license categories. Layered on top of that, Louisiana requires Commercial Pesticide Applicator certification through the LDAF Pesticide Section for anyone applying chemicals for compensation – and Louisiana, unlike many states, treats Category 3 (Ornamental and Turf Pest Control) as a single category rather than splitting it into 3A/3B subcategories.

Three other Louisiana landscape realities matter: landscape labor on real property is not subject to Louisiana sales tax (a meaningful pricing advantage versus Texas which taxes lawn care at 6.25%); LA One Call 811 requires 48 hours of advance notice (excluding weekends and holidays) before any dig under La. R.S. 40:1749; and the post-hurricane debris removal and landscape restoration market remains active years after Hurricane Ida (2021), Laura (2020), and Francine (2024). This guide walks through every Louisiana-specific requirement, fee, and timeline for starting a landscape business in 2026.

Louisiana Landscaping Requirements at a Glance

Requirement	Agency / Source	Cost	Notes
LLC formation (GeauxBiz)	Louisiana Secretary of State	$100	Initial Report included
Federal EIN	IRS	Free	Required before payroll
Landscape Horticulturist License	Louisiana Horticulture Commission (LDAF)	$114 exam + $100 license	Required for landscape design/installation
Landscape Architect License	Horticulture Commission	Per LDAF schedule	Required for design titled “landscape architecture”
Landscape Irrigation Contractor License	Horticulture Commission	Per LDAF schedule	In-person or Everblue remote testing (eff. November 2025)
Arborist License	Horticulture Commission	Per LDAF schedule	Required for commercial tree service
LDAF Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification	LDAF Pesticide Section	Per LDAF schedule (CORE + Category 3)	Required to apply pesticides for hire under La. R.S. 3:3201
Workers’ Compensation Insurance	LWCC or private insurer	NCCI 0042: 5-12% of payroll typical	Required at 1 employee or $3,000 payroll
$1M General Liability Insurance	Private insurer	$700-$2,000/year typical	Required by most commercial clients
State Sales Tax Account (if selling materials)	LaTAP / Louisiana Department of Revenue	Free registration	Labor on real property not taxed; materials taxable
LA One Call 811 (per-dig)	Louisiana 811 / La. R.S. 40:1749	Free	48 hours advance notice required
Parish/City Occupational License	Local revenue office	$50-$500 typical	Required in most jurisdictions

How to Start a Landscaping Business in Louisiana (Step by Step)

Step 1: Form Your Louisiana LLC and Get an EIN

File LLC Articles of Organization through GeauxBiz for $100 plus the no-fee Initial Report. Get your federal EIN free at IRS.gov. The LLC is the right structure for landscaping – personal asset protection matters when your crew operates equipment around customer property and your team is doing physical work that can produce injuries.

Step 2: Decide Which Louisiana Horticulture Commission Licenses You Need

Louisiana is one of a relatively small number of states that licenses landscape professionals at the state level. The Louisiana Horticulture Commission (under LDAF) issues these license categories under La. R.S. 3:3801 et seq.:

• Landscape Horticulturist: The general license for landscape design, installation, and maintenance work. This is the license most commercial landscape contractors need.
• Landscape Architect: Required to use the title “landscape architect” or to perform certain regulated landscape design work. This is a separate professional license with stricter education and exam requirements.
• Landscape Irrigation Contractor: Required to install or repair landscape irrigation systems. Effective November 2025, the exam is available in-person at the LDAF Baton Rouge office or remotely through Everblue testing systems.
• Arborist: Required to perform commercial tree pruning, removal, and care. Trees are explicitly regulated separately from general landscape work.
• Retail Florist, Cut Flower Dealer, Nursery Stock Dealer, Sod Producer: Specialty licenses for plant-product retail and wholesale.

A landscape business doing design, installation, irrigation, and tree work would need multiple licenses – typically Landscape Horticulturist plus Landscape Irrigation Contractor plus Arborist (if doing tree work in-house). Many smaller operators stop at Landscape Horticulturist and subcontract irrigation and tree work to specialists who carry the additional licenses.

Step 3: Pass the Horticulture Commission Exams

Each license requires its own examination. The Landscape Horticulturist exam fee is $114 and the license fee on issuance is $100. Application materials and exam fees are mailed to:

Horticulture Commission
5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1003
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

The exam covers Louisiana plant identification, soils, planting and maintenance practices, pesticide and fertilizer application principles, irrigation basics, and Louisiana law (La. R.S. 3:3801 et seq.). LSU AgCenter publishes study materials and offers exam prep workshops. Passing scores are typically 70%.

Step 4: Get LDAF Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification

Anyone applying pesticides (restricted-use or general-use) for compensation in Louisiana must hold Commercial Pesticide Applicator certification from the LDAF Pesticide and Environmental Programs Division under La. R.S. 3:3201 et seq.

Louisiana certification structure:

• CORE exam: Required of all commercial applicators – covers federal and Louisiana pesticide law, label reading, application equipment calibration, IPM, drift, environmental fate, and personal protective equipment.
• Category 3 (Ornamental and Turf Pest Control): The relevant category for landscape work – covers ornamental trees and shrubs, lawn turf, flower beds, and ground cover. Unlike many states (which split into 3A Ornamental and 3B Turf), Louisiana treats this as a single Category 3.
• Recertification: Periodic recertification required through approved CEU providers, including 2026 LDAF recertification meetings posted for the year.

Study materials and exam prep through LSU AgCenter. Testing through LDAF. Contact LDAF Pesticide Section at 225.925.3787 or pestcert@ldaf.state.la.us.

If your business model includes only mowing, trimming, and basic maintenance with no chemical application, the Pesticide Applicator certification may not be strictly required – but the moment you spray weed control, fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide for a customer, you need the certification.

Step 5: Get Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Louisiana requires workers’ comp at one employee or $3,000 in annual payroll under La. R.S. 23:1168 – landscaping has no exception. The standard NCCI classification is Code 0042 (Landscape Gardening – All Operations), which typically rates between 5% and 12% of payroll depending on the carrier and your claims history.

Coverage sources: any private workers’ comp carrier licensed in Louisiana, or LWCC (Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation), the state’s largest carrier. NCCI 0042 is one of the higher-rated classifications because of the physical nature of landscape work, equipment hazards, and outdoor exposure.

Step 6: Understand Louisiana Sales Tax on Landscape Services

Louisiana’s sales tax treatment of landscape services is one of the more favorable in the South for service-only operators:

• Lawn care, mowing, edging, leaf removal, hedge trimming, pruning performed on real property are NOT subject to Louisiana state sales tax. Labor charges to construct or repair immovable (real) property are exempt.
• Materials and supplies (sod, plants, trees, mulch, fertilizer, irrigation pipe, sprinkler heads, decorative stone) ARE taxable. Contractors are generally treated as the end consumer of materials they install in real property – meaning you pay sales tax to your supplier when you buy the materials, and you do not collect sales tax from your customer on those materials separately.
• Tangible products sold separately (a customer who buys plants from your nursery to install themselves, or buys irrigation parts retail) are taxable to the customer at the state 5% plus parish/municipal locals (combined 9-11.45%).
• Lump-sum vs separately stated: If you bill a flat lump-sum landscape installation invoice, the entire amount is generally treated as a real-property service contract (no tax). If you bill labor and materials separately, the labor portion remains exempt and you pay tax on the materials at your supplier (the customer is not separately charged tax on materials).

Compare this to Texas, where landscaping services are taxable at the full state and local sales tax rate (6.25% state + locals up to 8.25% combined). Louisiana’s exempt treatment of landscape labor is a real competitive advantage if you operate near the LA-TX border.

Step 7: Call LA One Call 811 Before Every Dig

Louisiana law under La. R.S. 40:1749 requires every excavator to give notice to the regional notification center (Louisiana 811) at least 48 hours, but not more than 120 hours, in advance of any excavation or demolition activity. The 48 hours excludes weekends and holidays, so if you call on Friday, your dig clearance starts Monday.

Process: Call 811 (toll-free 1-800-272-3020) or submit a locate request through the online Next Gen ticketing system at louisiana811.com. Specify the work address, the type of work, the dig boundaries, and the anticipated start date. Within 48 working hours, all member utility companies will mark their underground facilities at the worksite using the standard color code (yellow for gas, red for electric, orange for telecom, blue for water, green for sewer, purple for reclaimed water). Your locate ticket remains valid for 120 hours – if you do not start work within 120 hours, you must request a re-mark.

Penalty for digging without notice: Failure to call 811 carries civil penalties under La. R.S. 40:1749 et seq., plus full liability for any damage to underground utilities (which can run into tens of thousands of dollars for a single severed line). The Louisiana Public Service Commission enforces.

Step 8: Get Parish/City Occupational License

Most Louisiana parishes and incorporated cities require a local occupational license tax certificate before you start work. The fee structure varies – sometimes a flat amount, sometimes a percentage of gross receipts (often 0.10% to 0.30%). Major examples:

• Orleans Parish (City of New Orleans): Bureau of Revenue at nola.gov
• Jefferson Parish: Sheriff’s office collection
• East Baton Rouge / Baton Rouge: Consolidated Revenue Department
• Lafayette Consolidated Government: Lafayette Department of Finance
• Caddo Parish / Shreveport: City of Shreveport Revenue Division

The Hurricane Recovery and Storm Cleanup Market

Louisiana’s hurricane history continues to drive sustained demand for landscape and tree work years after each storm:

• Hurricane Ida (August 2021): Category 4 landfall in Port Fourchon. Wind damage stripped tree canopy across Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne, Plaquemines, and Orleans parishes. Tree removal and landscape restoration work continued into 2024-2026.
• Hurricanes Laura and Delta (August/October 2020): Category 4 + Category 2 in Cameron and Calcasieu parishes. The Lake Charles tree canopy was severely damaged; replacement planting and pruning continues.
• Hurricane Francine (September 2024): Category 2 in Terrebonne. Less catastrophic than Ida but added to the cumulative tree-care backlog.

Practical implication: Louisiana landscape businesses with arborist capacity (or arborist subcontractor relationships) have year-round demand for hazard tree assessment, post-storm cleanup, and replanting. Insurance-funded tree work after named storms generates significant short-term volume. The insurance market dynamics (homeowner premiums elevated, some carriers requiring proactive tree management to maintain coverage) push commercial property managers and HOAs to fund preventive tree work.

Where the Demand Is by Region

New Orleans / Orleans Parish: Dense urban market with old growth trees (oaks, magnolias) requiring expert pruning. Commercial property maintenance contracts (hotels, French Quarter properties, Garden District residences) are the steadiest demand. Tree work demand spikes after every hurricane.

Jefferson Parish (Metairie, Kenner): Suburban single-family demand profile, commercial campus maintenance for petrochemical and port-area businesses.

East Baton Rouge / Baton Rouge: LSU campus and surrounding residential market, plus state government building grounds, plus petrochemical industrial campus maintenance.

Lafayette / Acadiana: Oil/gas service company campus maintenance, residential market, plus festival venue grounds keeping. Landscape tradition is strong in Lafayette – Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association (LNLA) is headquartered in the area.

Lake Charles / Calcasieu: LNG plant grounds maintenance, casino/hospitality landscape, plus ongoing post-Hurricane-Laura tree replanting.

Shreveport-Bossier: Casino property landscape, Barksdale AFB family housing maintenance, plus regional commercial property work.

Cost to Start a Landscaping Business in Louisiana

Item	Solo Operator (Mow/Maintain)	Owner-Operator + Crew (Design/Install)
LLC + Initial Report	$100	$100
Landscape Horticulturist license + exam	$214 ($114 exam + $100 license)	$214
Landscape Irrigation Contractor (if needed)	N/A	$200-$300 estimated
LDAF Commercial Pesticide Applicator (CORE + Cat 3)	$100-$300	$100-$300
$1M General Liability insurance	$500-$1,000	$1,000-$2,500
Workers’ Comp (NCCI 0042)	$0 (sole operator)	$3,000-$10,000 (2-3 crew)
Commercial auto + landscape trailer	$1,800-$3,500	$3,500-$7,000
Commercial mowers, trimmers, blowers	$3,500-$10,000	$10,000-$30,000
Landscape installation tools (skid steer rental, hand tools)	$1,000-$3,500	$5,000-$25,000
Pesticide application equipment + initial chemical inventory	$500-$2,000	$2,000-$6,000
Parish/city occupational license	$50-$300	$200-$1,000
Marketing (web, GBP, fleet wraps)	$500-$2,000	$2,000-$8,000
Estimated Year 1 Total	$8,164-$22,914	$27,114-$90,414

Related Louisiana Business Guides

← Back to all Louisiana business guides

• Starting a Cleaning Service in Louisiana
• Starting an HVAC Business in Louisiana
• Starting a Private Investigator Business in Louisiana

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license to start a landscaping business in Louisiana?

Yes. Louisiana is one of a small number of states that licenses landscape professionals at the state level. The Louisiana Horticulture Commission (administered by LDAF) issues separate licenses under La. R.S. 3:3801 et seq. for Landscape Horticulturist, Landscape Architect, Landscape Irrigation Contractor, Arborist, Retail Florist, Cut Flower Dealer, Nursery Stock Dealer, and Sod Producer. The Landscape Horticulturist license is the general one most commercial landscape contractors need. Anyone applying pesticides for compensation also needs LDAF Commercial Pesticide Applicator certification.

How much does the Louisiana Landscape Horticulturist license cost?

The exam fee is $114 and the license fee on issuance is $100, for an initial total of $214 not counting study materials. Application materials are submitted to the Horticulture Commission at 5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1003, Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

Do I need a separate license to install landscape irrigation in Louisiana?

Yes. Louisiana issues a separate Landscape Irrigation Contractor license through the Horticulture Commission. Effective November 2025, the exam is available in-person at the LDAF Baton Rouge office or remotely through Everblue testing systems for an additional online testing fee.

Do I need a pesticide license to spray weed control on lawns in Louisiana?

Yes. Anyone applying pesticides (restricted-use or general-use) for compensation in Louisiana must hold LDAF Commercial Pesticide Applicator certification under La. R.S. 3:3201 et seq. For landscape work, you need to pass the CORE exam plus Category 3 (Ornamental and Turf Pest Control). Louisiana treats Category 3 as a single category – unlike states that split it into 3A Ornamental and 3B Turf. Contact LDAF Pesticide Section at 225.925.3787 or pestcert@ldaf.state.la.us. Study materials are available through LSU AgCenter.

Do I charge sales tax on landscaping services in Louisiana?

Generally no on the labor portion. Lawn care, mowing, edging, leaf removal, pruning, and landscape installation labor performed on real property are not subject to Louisiana state sales tax. Materials you purchase (sod, plants, mulch, fertilizer, irrigation parts) are taxable – and contractors are generally treated as the end consumer of materials installed in real property, meaning you pay tax to your supplier and do not separately collect tax from the customer on those materials. If you sell tangible products to customers separately (retail plants, irrigation parts), those sales are taxable at the state 5% plus parish/municipal locals.

How much advance notice does Louisiana 811 require before I dig?

48 hours minimum, but no more than 120 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, under La. R.S. 40:1749. Submit your locate request by calling 811 (toll-free 1-800-272-3020) or through the Next Gen online ticketing system at louisiana811.com. The service is free. Your locate ticket remains valid for 120 hours – if you do not start work within that window, you must request a re-mark. Failure to call carries civil penalties plus full liability for any damage to underground utilities.

Does Louisiana require workers’ comp for a landscaping business with one employee?

Yes. Louisiana requires workers’ compensation insurance at one employee or $3,000 annual payroll under La. R.S. 23:1168 – landscape has no exception. NCCI classification 0042 (Landscape Gardening – All Operations) typically applies, with rates running 5-12% of payroll depending on the carrier and your claims history. LWCC is the largest Louisiana carrier.

Is there really sustained landscape work from hurricanes in Louisiana?

Yes. Hurricane Ida (2021), Laura and Delta (2020), and Francine (2024) caused widespread tree canopy damage across coastal Louisiana that continues to generate tree removal, hazard assessment, and landscape restoration demand years after each storm. Insurance-funded tree work post-named-storm produces significant short-term volume. Louisiana landscape businesses with arborist capacity have year-round storm-readiness and storm-recovery work.