STATE LICENSE
ConditionalMDARD (pesticides) · LARA Bureau of Const…
Mowing, planting, and general landscape maintenance carry no Michigan state trade license. Two adjacent activities do: applying any pesticide or herbicide for hire requires an MDARD Pesticide Application Business License plus certified applicators — turf work is Category 3A (Turfgrass) and landscape plantings 3B (Ornamental); a combined 6J exam covers 3A, 3B, and right-of-way.
Hardscape is the other trap. 'Laying of concrete on residential property' is M&A work by definition (MCL 339.2401(b)(i)), and Concrete, Masonry, and Excavation are licensed crafts — a $600+ residential patio, wall, or grading job contracted directly with a homeowner needs the matching craft.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
No local landscaping license exists at the state level, and pesticide rules are state-preempted (MCL 324.8328). Local units handle structural permits for walls and drainage, and counties register DBA names.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Michigan county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Mowing, planting, and maintenance need no state license fee. Costs start when you spray for hire or build residential hardscape over $600.
'Laying of concrete on residential property' is M&A work — patios and walks are not landscaping in Article 24's eyes.
MCL 324.8328 preempts local pesticide ordinances, apart from identical ordinances and posting/notification rules.
A practical sequence for a new landscaping contractor in Michigan. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Violating Part 83 is a misdemeanor; MDARD may also impose administrative fines.
Hardscape that required an M&A license, done unlicensed, cannot be collected on in court or liened, and is a misdemeanor.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether lawn-irrigation installation downstream of the backflow preventer requires a Michigan plumbing license · Whether low-voltage landscape lighting requires an electrical license · Whether pure grading or sod installation counts as 'improvement' under Article 24 at $600+
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.