- Plan for a trade exam.
- Renew with 16 continuing education credits, at least 8 in water conservation and 2 in New Jersey business law and building codes.
Do you need a state license in New Jersey?
New Jersey licenses some landscaping work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
Steps to get licensed in New Jersey
- Pass the Irrigation Association's CIC exam.
- Apply to the Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors for certification.
- Get a business permit with a certified contractor on staff.
- Renew with 16 continuing education credits.
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 Irrigation Contractor certification, plus a business permit.
New Jersey landscaping exams
Trade exam. The Irrigation Association's Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC) exam.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in New Jersey
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: New Jersey Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors (Department of Community Affairs).
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. Renew with 16 continuing education credits, at least 8 in water conservation and 2 in New Jersey business law and building codes.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in New Jersey
- A home improvement contractor registration does not cover irrigation work.
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 New Jersey Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors (Department of Community Affairs) 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.