Business insurance • Illinois landscapers
Illinois Landscaping Contractor Insurance: Pesticide Licenses, Coverage, and Costs
Illinois has no statewide landscaping contractor license, so cities set local rules. Lawn care and landscape businesses that apply pesticides for hire, including general-use products, need at least one IDOA-licensed commercial applicator, whose license requires insurance of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage. Illinois employers with even one part-time employee must carry workers’ compensation.
This guide covers Illinois landscaping licenses, required coverage, and typical costs. Blake Insurance Group is an independent agency licensed in Illinois, and a licensed agent can compare quotes for your landscaping business.
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Illinois pesticide licenses
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Commercial applicator | At least one per company; General Standards plus category exams, such as Turfgrass and Ornamentals, 70% to pass |
| Commercial operator | Applies under a licensed applicator; General Standards exam only; $240 for three years |
| Bodily injury | $50,000 per person, $100,000 per occurrence, $500,000 annual aggregate |
| Property damage | $50,000 per occurrence, $50,000 annual aggregate |
| Or combined single limit | $100,000 with a $500,000 aggregate |
| Fertilizer only | No license required |
Sources: Illinois Department of Agriculture, University of Illinois Extension. The commercial applicator license is $300 for three years.
Illinois workers’ compensation
Illinois employers with even one part-time employee must carry workers’ compensation. Sole proprietors, partners, corporate officers, and LLC members may opt out for themselves. Knowingly going uninsured can bring fines of up to $500 a day, with a $10,000 minimum, and a stop-work order (Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission).
Coverage most Illinois landscapers carry
- General liability: third-party injuries and property damage, such as a mower throwing a rock through a window or a client tripping over equipment.
- Business owner’s policy: general liability bundled with property coverage for your shop, yard, and supplies.
- Workers’ compensation: medical bills and lost wages if an employee is hurt, including mower and trimmer injuries, heat illness, and lifting strains.
- Commercial auto: trucks and trailers that haul crews, mowers, and materials.
- Tools and equipment (inland marine): mowers, trimmers, blowers, and skid steers on job sites or in transit.
- Commercial umbrella: extra limits on top of general liability and auto, often required by HOAs and commercial clients.
What Illinois landscapers pay
| Policy | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | $63 | $761 |
| Business owner’s policy | $92 | $1,101 |
| Workers’ compensation | $150 | $1,802 |
| Commercial auto | $299 | $3,590 |
| Tools and equipment | $53 | $637 |
| Commercial umbrella | $92 | $1,101 |
| License and permit bonds | $9 | $112 |
Costs for landscaping businesses that bought policies through Insureon, mostly businesses with fewer than five employees. General liability assumes $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Your price depends on payroll, the work you do, claims history, and location.
Illinois landscaping insurance FAQs
Does Illinois require a landscaping license?
Not for general landscaping, but applying any pesticide for hire needs IDOA licenses.
How much insurance does an Illinois pesticide applicator need?
$50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage, or a $100,000 combined single limit.
Do Illinois landscapers need workers’ comp?
Yes, if they have even one employee, including part-time workers.
Related guides
Important information
Compensation. The link in the partner quote box near the top of this page is sponsored, and Blake Insurance Group may be paid if you make a purchase. Sponsored placement does not affect the other information on this page.
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Cost figures. Published averages and ranges are cited from the sources named, as of the dates shown. They are not quotes and may not reflect your price, which depends on the insurer, your state, your payroll, the work you do, and your claims history.
Availability. Coverage, prices, discounts, and eligibility vary by insurer, state, and applicant, and are subject to underwriting. The issued policy controls.
Your next step
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