Business insurance • Alabama landscapers
Alabama Landscaping Contractor Insurance: Horticulture Professional Services License and Coverage
Alabama licenses landscaping businesses through the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI). Businesses that set landscape plants or offer landscape design need an annual Horticulture Professional Services License of $175, with a certified operator who passed the matching exam. Pesticide work needs separate commercial applicator licensing, and employers with five or more employees generally must carry workers’ compensation.
This guide covers Alabama landscaping licenses, required coverage, and typical costs. Blake Insurance Group is an independent agency licensed in Alabama, and a licensed agent can compare quotes for your landscaping business.
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Alabama horticulture permits
| Permit | Who needs it | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Setting of Landscape Plants (SLP) | Businesses that plant landscape material for customers | $175 a year license; $75 exam ($125 online) |
| Landscape Design (LD) | Businesses that offer landscape design | $175 a year license; $75 exam |
| Nursery dealer certificate | Businesses that buy plants to set or sell | $20, renewed each October |
Sources: Alabama Extension (landscape planter permit), Alabama Extension (landscape design permit). Each license needs a certified operator who passed the exam.
Alabama workers’ compensation
Alabama generally requires workers’ compensation for employers with five or more employees, subject to statutory exceptions (Contractor License Requirements (Alabama contractor guide)).
Coverage most Alabama 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 Alabama 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.
Alabama landscaping insurance FAQs
Do Alabama landscapers need a license?
Businesses that set landscape plants or offer landscape design need an ADAI Horticulture Professional Services License.
How much is the Alabama landscaping license?
$175 a year, plus a $75 exam for the certified operator.
When do Alabama landscapers need workers’ comp?
Generally when they employ five or more people.
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.
Independent agency. Blake Insurance Group LLC is an independent insurance agency. Licensed insurance producer NPN 16944666. Licensed states: AZ, AL, TX, CA, NY, OH, FL, NC, VA, GA, OK, NM, IA, KS, MI, NE, SC, SD, WV, IL, NJ, PA, TN, and WA. Which insurance companies we can quote depends on our current appointments, the product, and your state. Mentioning a company on this page does not mean we represent it.
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.
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