Georgia Landscaping Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Georgia does not issue a state-level landscape contractor trade license. Three state credentials commonly apply: any commercial application of pesticides or herbicides requires a Commercial Pesticide Applicator license from the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Pesticide Division under O.C.G.A. Title 2 Chapter 7; any installation, maintenance, alteration, or repair of a landscape irrigation system requires a Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor (CLIC) certification from GDA under O.C.G.A. §2-32; and any project disturbing 1.0 acre or more requires a Level 1A erosion and sedimentation certification from the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC). Counties and cities issue Business Tax Receipts (BTRs) and may impose local landscape contractor registration.

Regulatory Oversight

Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board (within the Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) (GA CILB) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) Title 43 Chapter 14 (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low-voltage, utility); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121. The Georgia CILB licenses electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low-voltage contractors, and utility contractors statewide. The Board adopts the National Electrical Code, International Plumbing Code, and International Mechanical Code by reference. General contractors are licensed by a separate body — the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (SLBRGC).

Official portal: https://sos.ga.gov/georgia-construction-industry-licensing-board
Address: 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217
Phone: (478) 207-2440

Who May Apply

At a minimum the applicant has to be 18 years old and supply a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). No residency requirement.

Good moral character

GDA reviews prior pesticide enforcement history.

Background investigation

Required disclosure on GDA applications.

Required Experience and Education

There is no published year count for this credential in the cited sources. What actually controls eligibility is No state landscape experience requirement. CLIC requires passing the irrigation contractor exam. Commercial Pesticide Applicator requires passing Core + Category 24 (Ornamental and Turf) or Category 27 (Lawn and Ornamental)..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

GDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator application with exam pass slips
GDA Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor application with exam pass slip

Education substitution

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service training counts toward GDA continuing education.

Examination Requirements

Examinations are administered by Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division (paper exam at GDA Atlanta or regional offices). The applicant must pass the following examination parts before the license can issue:

GDA Core (General Standards) exam — 50 questions, 90 minutes, passing score 70%
GDA Category 24 — Ornamental and Turf — 50 questions, 90 minutes, passing score 70%
GDA Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor (CLIC) exam — 100 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $90 Commercial Applicator + $150 CLIC initial fee + $25 per category exam.

Retake policy: Failed exams may be retaken after 14 days; new $25 fee.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

GDA requires Commercial Applicators to maintain $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage. Most clients require $1,000,000 / $2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory under O.C.G.A. §34-9 for any employer with three or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

Not required.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$90
Examination	$75
Initial license	$90
Renewal (every year)	$90

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Georgia Landscaping — No Trade License (GDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator + GDA Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor) comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $90. GDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator licenses renew annually on December 31. CLIC follows the same cycle.

Continuing education: 5 CEU hours per year (1 Core + 4 category) approved by GDA.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Georgia Landscaping License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Georgia for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

GDA grants pesticide applicator reciprocity on a case-by-case basis to applicants holding equivalent active certification in Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, or Tennessee.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Landscaping license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Application Process, Step by Step

Register Georgia business entity and EIN. File with the Georgia Secretary of State.
Apply for county Business Tax Receipts and city occupational licenses. Required by every Georgia county and most municipalities.
Pass the GDA Core exam at 70%. Required baseline.
Pass GDA Category 24 — Ornamental and Turf. Landscape pesticide category.
Pass the GDA CLIC exam (if installing irrigation). Required for any landscape irrigation work in Georgia.
Apply for GDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator + CLIC licenses. Submit applications, pass slips, and fees.
Obtain GSWCC Level 1A erosion certification (if disturbing 1.0+ acre). Required by O.C.G.A. §12-7 for any land-disturbing activity over one acre.
Enroll workers compensation. Required for employers with three or more employees.

Recommended References

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

Georgia Pesticide Applicator Training Manual — University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Required reference for the GDA Core exam.
Ornamental and Turf Pest Management — UGA Extension. Category 24 study guide.
Georgia Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor Study Guide — GDA / Irrigation Association. Required for CLIC exam.

Frequent Application Errors

Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a Georgia Landscaping filing.

Spraying without GDA certification

Civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation under O.C.G.A. §2-7-110.

Installing irrigation without CLIC

O.C.G.A. §2-32 makes unlicensed irrigation contracting a misdemeanor; GDA conducts active enforcement at job sites.

Land-disturbing activity without GSWCC certification

EPD enforces O.C.G.A. §12-7 with stop-work orders and fines up to $2,500 per day for unpermitted disturbance.

Backflow violations on irrigation

Georgia plumbing code requires a tested reduced-pressure assembly on every potable irrigation tie-in; testing must be performed annually by a state-certified backflow tester.

Skipping county BTRs

Each Georgia county enforces its own BTR ordinance with back fees and penalties.

Document Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with GA CILB:

☐ Georgia business entity registration
☐ County BTR + city occupational license
☐ GDA Core exam pass certificate
☐ GDA Category 24 (Ornamental and Turf) exam pass
☐ GDA Commercial Pesticide Applicator license
☐ GDA Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor license (if installing irrigation)
☐ GSWCC Level 1A erosion certification (if disturbing 1.0+ acre)
☐ Workers compensation coverage (3+ employees)

Other Georgia Trade Licenses

Should the Landscaping path not apply, these other Georgia trade guides from CLR may help:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does Georgia license landscape contractors at the state level?

No. There is no state landscape trade license. The GDA pesticide and irrigation credentials are mandatory for those scopes; everything else is local.

Is the irrigation contractor license really required?

Yes. O.C.G.A. §2-32 requires a Certified Landscape Irrigation Contractor for any landscape irrigation installation, maintenance, alteration, or repair. Civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation.

What is the GSWCC Level 1A?

Erosion and sediment control certification required by Georgia's Erosion and Sedimentation Act for any land-disturbing activity of 1.0 acre or more. The course is 8 hours and the exam is administered by GSWCC-approved trainers.

Do I need both Core and a category for pesticides?

Yes. Every Commercial Applicator must pass the Core (General Standards) exam plus at least one category. For landscape work the relevant category is 24 (Ornamental and Turf).

How often does the GDA pesticide license renew?

Annually on December 31. Recertification requires 5 CEU hours per year (1 Core + 4 category).

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-06-07 · Next scheduled review 2026-09-05