The short version
- Washington registration depends on the work. Tree removal is named in the contractor definition (RCW 18.27.010), and landscaping installation, including garden walls, fences up to six feet, and lawn sprinklers, is an L&I specialty. L&I says a lawn maintenance company can mow and prune without registering.
- Pesticides need a license and insurance. Washington requires a commercial pesticide applicator license with at least $50,000 each of property damage and public liability coverage (RCW 17.21.170). Idaho requires a professional applicator license with at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage.
- Call 811 before you dig. Both states require notice at least two business days before excavation. In Washington, damage after failing to call is treated as willful and subject to treble damages, and the exemption for shallow digging does not cover hired landscapers.
- Vehicles and equipment are the biggest exposures. Trucks, trailers, mowers, and chippers move between job sites every day, so commercial auto and equipment coverage matter as much as liability.
- Tree work is a high-severity risk. Falling trees and limbs can damage homes and injure people, and some general liability policies exclude or limit tree removal unless it is listed.
Licensing and registration
| Work | Washington | Idaho |
|---|
| Mowing, pruning, routine maintenance | No contractor registration needed, per L&I guidance | No contractor registration found |
|---|
| Landscaping installation (garden walls, fences up to six feet, sprinklers, water features) | Landscaping specialty registration with L&I (WAC 296-200A-016) | Contractor definition does not mention landscaping (Idaho Code 54-5203); landscape planting installation and design require an Idaho Department of Agriculture license (Idaho Code 22-2305) |
|---|
| Tree removal | Contractor registration; tree removal is named in RCW 18.27.010 and is an L&I specialty | No arborist or tree service license found |
|---|
| Applying pesticides for hire | Commercial pesticide applicator license (RCW 17.21.070) | Professional applicator license (Idaho Code 22-3404) |
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| Arborist license | None found | None found |
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Washington contractor registration brings its own bond ($15,000 for specialty contractors) and liability insurance minimum ($250,000 combined single limit). See general contractors for the full registration rules.
Pesticide applicator insurance minimums
| Washington | Idaho |
|---|
| License | Commercial pesticide applicator license to apply pesticides to the land of another (RCW 17.21.070) | Professional applicator license to apply pesticides on the land or property of another for compensation (Idaho Code 22-3401, 22-3404) |
|---|
| Minimum coverage | $50,000 for property damage and $50,000 public liability, each separately, including loss from the use of any pesticide (RCW 17.21.170) | Bodily injury $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence; property damage $50,000 per occurrence (IDAPA 02.03.03) |
|---|
| Maximum deductible | $5,000 | $5,000 |
|---|
| Form | Liability insurance or a surety bond (RCW 17.21.160) | Insurance, bond, or other approved security |
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Make sure your general liability policy does not exclude pesticide or herbicide application. Many standard forms have pollution exclusions that need an endorsement to cover chemical drift or overspray.
Call before you dig
| Washington | Idaho |
|---|
| Notice | At least two full business days, and no more than 10, before digging, after white-lining the dig area (RCW 19.122.030) | At least two business days, and no more than 10, before digging, with white pre-marking (Idaho Code 55-2205) |
|---|
| Penalties | Up to $1,000 for a first violation and $5,000 for later ones; damage after failing to call is deemed willful and subject to treble damages (RCW 19.122.070) | Training for a first violation, then civil penalties up to $1,000 and $5,000 per violation (Idaho Code 55-2211) |
|---|
| Shallow digging exemption | Only for the property owner or occupant and their employees, not hired landscapers (RCW 19.122.031) | See the statute |
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Striking a gas line or fiber cable can produce a large property damage claim. General liability covers accidental underground damage only if the policy does not exclude it; confirm before you dig.
The coverage program for landscapers and tree services
| Coverage | Why |
|---|
| General liability | Property damage at clients' homes, injuries to the public, and completed work; confirm tree work and chemicals are not excluded |
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| Commercial auto | Trucks and trailers, including equipment being hauled; personal auto policies limit business use |
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| Tools and equipment | Mowers, trimmers, chippers, stump grinders, and trailers, which are frequent theft targets |
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| Workers comp | L&I and stop-gap in Washington; Idaho workers comp. Tree care has its own L&I classification |
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| Commercial umbrella | Vehicle accidents and falling-tree claims can exceed primary limits |
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| Pollution liability | Pesticide drift, fuel spills, and runoff, if not covered by endorsement |
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Where landscapers and tree services get caught
| Gap | What happens |
|---|
| Tree removal not listed on the policy | Some policies exclude or limit tree felling and removal |
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| Pollution exclusion | Herbicide drift damaging a neighbor's plants is uncovered |
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| Equipment on trailers | Theft from a parked trailer, or damage in transit, needs equipment coverage |
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| Personal trucks used for business | Personal auto policies may deny business-use claims |
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| Seasonal and day labor | Workers paid as contractors may be employees for workers comp |
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| No 811 call | Utility strikes become uninsured or treble damages |
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For two companies' experiences, see the landscaping company story and the tree service story.
Sources
This page is general information. Rules were checked against the statutes and rules in October 2026; confirm current requirements with L&I, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, or the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.