# getting licensed in California



## jaime l (Nov 23, 2018)

what are the requirements to get licensed as a tree service contractor in CA,,if there are any,,,, looking to start on my own,,my background is city employed as a gardener / groundskeeper for a park & recreation dept.in northern cali been with the dept for 16 years and as far tree work goes any tree 15 ft or smaller we can fell , can trim any tree as long as it is 15 ft. or under ,if a tree ( any tree and tree size ) if falls ( mother nature or vehicle accident) we can limb it and buck it..also with these qualifications do I qualify to test for ISA certification ,,any and all advise is greatly appreciated ,oh yea taking climbing class with ACRT ,, hope fully this December


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## Ted Jenkins (Nov 24, 2018)

It is my understanding that there are two types of requirements. One being a B contractors licence or LTO licensed timber operator. The B license will enable you to work in residential areas for trimming and removal. The LTO will allow the contractor to work anywhere including state property or contract with the USDA. The LTO classes are designed around knowledge of wild lands including stream bed preservation and the like. I got certified about 20 years ago as a LTO because I have work in and around some state parks. As far as today I am not sure what is still available. It sounds like you would apply for a state license then get a test date study like crazy pass the test and move on. With a state license you could do about anything you needed to do. Once you have a completed test you will need to get signed off as far as experience then insurance. Generally you will not have license until you have insurance in place. Get some good insurance quotes and find some people you did some jobs for and ask them to recomend you and you should be on your way. Thanks


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## CacaoBoy (Nov 24, 2018)

From the California Department of Consumer Affairs:
An arborist is licensed with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Contractors State License Board under the category of "Landscaping Contractor" (C-27 License). As an arborist, the individual may graft trees, shape, or plant trees. An arborist is not a tree trimmer. See http://consumerwiki.dca.ca.gov/wiki/index.php/Arborist
Tree Service (Contractor) License is required for tree trimmer, which includes; tree removal, tree pruning, stump removal, or engages in tree or limb cabling or guying. The term "contractor" includes maintenance and service; does not include a nurseryman whose routine work includes the same incidental service or a gardener whose normal course of routine work may include incidental pruning of trees measuring less than 15 feet in height after planting. See http://consumerwiki.dca.ca.gov/wiki/index.php/Tree_Surgeon/Trimmer

For application information, check out the Contractors State License Board website http://www.cslb.ca.gov/


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## jaime l (Nov 25, 2018)

CacaoBoy said:


> From the California Department of Consumer Affairs:
> An arborist is licensed with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Contractors State License Board under the category of "Landscaping Contractor" (C-27 License). As an arborist, the individual may graft trees, shape, or plant trees. An arborist is not a tree trimmer. See http://consumerwiki.dca.ca.gov/wiki/index.php/Arborist
> Tree Service (Contractor) License is required for tree trimmer, which includes; tree removal, tree pruning, stump removal, or engages in tree or limb cabling or guying. The term "contractor" includes maintenance and service; does not include a nurseryman whose routine work includes the same incidental service or a gardener whose normal course of routine work may include incidental pruning of trees measuring less than 15 feet in height after planting. See http://consumerwiki.dca.ca.gov/wiki/index.php/Tree_Surgeon/Trimmer
> 
> For application information, check out the Contractors State License Board website http://www.cslb.ca.gov/


 sounds like I'm screwed, I don't fullfill the requirements to get licensed,,major set back


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## JRoland (Dec 17, 2018)

You need a C61-D49 tree license with CSLB which you qualify for. There's a school across the street from the state license board (where you take the test at) that will help you with the eligibility requirements. (You'll need to have worked in tree care 4 of last 10 years- your groundskeeper work should qualify, especially if your foreman or supervisor has a license and can sign for you) There are no tree questions on the test, it's all about laws and regs, which if you attend the school it will be fresh in your mind.
Then you'll need a bond, which you can obtain from the same place.

As far as the ISA test as I recall you need 3 years experience which you have. 
The test is far more difficult than the CSLB test in my opinion.

For the Licensed timber operator, a major part of the "A" license is the loggers liability insurance, which is a big expense. 
If you go with the "B" license it's an open book test and $60.


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## defensiblespace (Jan 16, 2019)

JRoland said:


> You need a C61-D49 tree license with CSLB which you qualify for. There's a school across the street from the state license board (where you take the test at) that will help you with the eligibility requirements. (You'll need to have worked in tree care 4 of last 10 years- your groundskeeper work should qualify, especially if your foreman or supervisor has a license and can sign for you) There are no tree questions on the test, it's all about laws and regs, which if you attend the school it will be fresh in your mind.
> Then you'll need a bond, which you can obtain from the same place.
> 
> As far as the ISA test as I recall you need 3 years experience which you have.
> ...


I'm a licensed tree service contractor in CA and this reply is spot on.


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## jaime l (Jan 16, 2019)

this is great news thanks fellas


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## PistonRay (Feb 3, 2019)

JRoland said:


> You need a C61-D49 tree license with CSLB which you qualify for. There's a school across the street from the state license board (where you take the test at) that will help you with the eligibility requirements. (You'll need to have worked in tree care 4 of last 10 years- your groundskeeper work should qualify, especially if your foreman or supervisor has a license and can sign for you) There are no tree questions on the test, it's all about laws and regs, which if you attend the school it will be fresh in your mind.
> Then you'll need a bond, which you can obtain from the same place.
> 
> As far as the ISA test as I recall you need 3 years experience which you have.
> ...



Do you think that working as a forestry technician (wildland firefighter) with the Forest Service will qualify for the work experience part?


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## ScottRSteeleArborist (Jan 6, 2020)

Did you end up taking the D-49 contractors license exam?

I’m interested to know if it was just a test on the business law information related to contractors and what the study materials are for that. Did it include anything beyond business law, and what are the materials for that?




defensiblespace said:


> I'm a licensed tree service contractor in CA and this reply is spot on.


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## mikewhite85 (Jan 6, 2020)

I was was licensed California contractor with a C-27, which I used for tree service. I've since moved east.

The D class license only requires the business law side. You'll want to check out one of those contractor schools- they prepare you quite well. The one I used cost about 500 bucks. Expect the whole process to take 8-10 months. Also a college degree counts for 2 years experience, which is nice.


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