Licensing
California licensing for tree work
In California, tree work priced at $500 or more in combined labor and materials generally has to be performed by a contractor licensed through the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). The classification that specifically covers tree service is C-61 / D-49 — Tree Service, a Limited Specialty classification for pruning, trimming, and removing trees.
You may also see a C-27 Landscapinglicense, which can cover some tree work as part of landscape installation. What matters is that the company holds a current, active CSLB license appropriate to the work — you can confirm any license number, its status, and its bond and workers' comp record for free at the CSLB License Lookup.
One credential that often gets confused with a license: an ISA Certified Arborist. That's a professional certification from the International Society of Arboriculture showing tree-care knowledge — valuable, but it is not a contractor's license and doesn't replace one.
Insurance
The two coverages to ask about
A license says a company is registered. Insurance is what protects you if something goes wrong on the day. Ask for both of these — and the paper that proves them.
General liability
Covers damage the crew causes to your property — a limb through a roof, a dropped section that cracks a driveway, a fence taken out on the way down. Without it, that repair bill can land on you.
Workers' compensation
Covers the crew if someone is hurt on your property. Tree work is genuinely dangerous; if a faller or climber is injured and there's no workers' comp, an uninsured operator's injury can become the homeowner's liability.
Certificate of insurance (COI)
The document that proves the coverage above is active. A legitimate company can produce a current COI — often naming you as certificate holder for the job — without hesitation.
Red flags
Warning signs worth walking away from
- Door-knockers going yard to yard right after a windstorm, pushing you to sign today.
- No written, itemized estimate — just a number said out loud.
- Cash-only, or a large upfront deposit before any work or materials.
- No proof of license or insurance when you ask, or a brush-off when you do.
- A pitch to "top" your trees — flat-cutting the crown is outdated, harmful, and a sign of an unskilled operator.
- A quote far below every other bid, which usually means uninsured labor or a scope that won't include cleanup and stump.
Want the full checklist? Read How to Vet a Tree Service.