Landscaper registration, bond and insurance in Washington

Which job needs what

• Mowing, pruning and lawn care: no L&I contractor registration. (L&I F625-084-000)
• Landscape construction such as patios and walls: L&I contractor registration. L&I treats landscapers as specialty contractors. (L&I F625-084-000) (L&I small business requirements)
• Any pesticide for hire, moss control included: a WSDA Commercial Applicator license for the company and a Commercial Operator license for each employee who applies. (WSDA)

What L&I registration puts on file

• A bond: $15,000 for a specialty contractor, $30,000 for a general contractor, since July 1, 2024. (RCW 18.27.040, read Oct 17, 2026) A company that registered before then at the old $6,000 specialty amount must carry the higher bond when it renews or reinstates. (L&I F625-084-000, read Oct 17, 2026)
• Liability insurance: L&I describes the minimum as $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or $250,000 combined. (L&I, read Oct 17, 2026) (RCW 18.27.050)
• A paper trail: on a home job of $1,000 or more, the contractor must give you a signed Notice to Customer with the registration number, bond amount and bond expiration before work starts. (RCW 18.27.114, read Oct 17, 2026)

What registration does not tell you

• Skill. Washington does not make contractors pass a skills test to register. (L&I)
• Workers' comp. That comes from a separate L&I account; Washington allows no private workers' comp. (L&I)
• Liens. Unpaid suppliers, subcontractors or workers can put a lien on your property. Ask for lien releases on a big build. (RCW 18.27.114)

If you win a court judgment against a registered contractor and it goes unpaid, the state Homeowner Recovery Fund can pay up to $25,000 per contractor per parcel, for owner-occupied homes and judgments ordered after July 1, 2026, while funds last. You have 90 days to apply. (L&I, read Oct 17, 2026)

If you hire someone unregistered for construction work, L&I says you could be treated as that person's employer. (L&I)

When a landscape job goes wrong: using the bond

Say the retaining wall bows a month after the crew leaves, or the patio is half poured and nobody comes back. The landscaper's bond can pay you if a court finds they broke the contract, and poor workmanship counts. It also backs their unpaid crew wages, taxes, and the nursery or rock yard they owe. (RCW 18.27.040, read Oct 17, 2026)

1. Put it in writing first. L&I's advice is to send the landscaper a list of what is wrong and a date to fix it, and to think about mediation. (L&I)
2. Watch the clock. As the homeowner you get two years to sue. It starts at substantial completion of the project or when it was abandoned, whichever happened first. (RCW 18.27.040)
3. File where the yard is. The case goes to superior court in your county, and the bonding company is a named defendant. A lawyer is optional. (L&I)
4. Serve the bond through L&I. Mail the department three copies of your summons and complaint with the $66.20 processing fee, certified or registered. Hire a process server for the landscaper. (L&I) (RCW 18.27.040)

$15,000 is the most the bond will ever pay on that landscaper, across every claim. Unpaid suppliers and other non-homeowners share no more than half of it. If you win your contract case, your court costs, interest and reasonable attorney fees come out of the same $15,000. (RCW 18.27.040, read Oct 17, 2026)

The pesticide license and its coverage

A WSDA Commercial Applicator files proof of $50,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage coverage, through insurance or a surety bond, and holds a Washington business license. (WSDA, read Oct 17, 2026) Full rules in who can treat your lawn for weeds and moss.

How to check a company

1. Search the registration on L&I Verify. It shows active status, bond, insurance and violations. (L&I)
2. Search the business name on the DOR Business Lookup. The state requires a business license at $12,000 a year in gross income. (DOR, read Oct 17, 2026)
3. For spraying, call WSDA licensing at 877-301-4555 or email license@agr.wa.gov. (WSDA)
4. On a build of $1,000 or more, wait for the signed Notice to Customer before work starts. (RCW 18.27.114, read Oct 17, 2026)