- Plan for a trade exam.
Do you need a state license in Louisiana?
Louisiana licenses landscaping work at the state level through the Louisiana Horticulture Commission, Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Louisiana license types for landscaping work
Louisiana splits the work into 3 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Horticulturist | Landscape installation and care |
| Landscape Irrigation Contractor | Irrigation systems |
| Arborist | Tree work |
Steps to get licensed in Louisiana
- Pass the Horticulture Commission exam for your profession.
- Get licensed by the Horticulture Commission.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Landscape Horticulturist license (Landscape Irrigation Contractor for irrigation).
Louisiana landscaping exams
Trade exam. Yes. Licenses are issued through examination.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Louisiana
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Louisiana Horticulture Commission, Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a landscaper near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Louisiana Horticulture Commission, Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how landscaping companies run on Koira.