Do I need a license to run a tree service?
It depends on the state and city. Louisiana requires an arborist license from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to work on trees for a fee, and Baton Rouge adds a local arborist license. ISA Certified Arborist is a voluntary credential, not a government license. Check the city pages on this site for the paper we could source.
On this page
Tree service leads still depend on a license, and a license is a local paper. It is not the same thing as an ISA card, and it is not the same thing as a job.
Where we found a statewide license
Louisiana's arborist page says an arborist license is required to make recommendations or to remove, prune, trim, cable, fertilize, or do cavity work on trees for a fee. The page lists a $125 yearly fee and a January 31 expiration.
Baton Rouge Title 9, Chapter 11 adds a city-parish arborist license on top of the state paper. Vehicles used in tree service must show the name and license number.
What ISA certification is
ISA says Certified Arborist does not represent licensure, registration, or other authorization to practice for a fee. It is a voluntary credential. How tree companies get more jobs keeps that next to the dispatch question.
What to do in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is the city page for that state license and the local chapter. We did not find a matching statewide tree-service license on the Oklahoma, North Carolina, or New York pages we cite for the other markets.
Sources
Where our facts come from
How this page was checked
- Licensed professional
- None. No licensed arborist or tree-care safety officer has checked this page.
Ask about the quiet week
A partner can call about incoming tree jobs. Asking is free, and the call does not hire them or book a day for your crew.