Landscape Contractor Math and Bidding Clas

Landscape Contractor Math and Bidding Class

New guidelines require that Licensed Landscape Contractors obtain a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 4 hours of business credits each year as a part of their 7 hour requirement.  In order to assist clients with meeting this requirement we have developed a 3 hour class to provide basic training in Landscape Math and Bidding.  We may develop other business classes upon request but are planning to offer this class at least twice this fall.  The brochure attached below describes the class and provides a way to register to attend. 

 Registration Brochure

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

NC Landcape Contractor's Licensing Law

NC Landscape Contractor's Licensing Law- Some Questions Answered!

Many of you have gotten letters from the NC Landscape Contractor's Licensing Board regarding the new law.  If so perhaps the letter has raised questions.  The following link is to site that will answer some of those questions:  http://nclclb.com/licensing-2/licensing/.

Questions that you as a pesticide applicator may have that may not be answered in the above web site include:

• Q-  If I am a licensed pesticide applicator do I need to become a Licensed Landscape Contractor?
• A- No, not necessarily!  Many pesticide applicators are employed by another entity- landscape company, public agency, golf course, or other establishment.  If so there's no legal reason for you to become a Licensed Landscape Contractor.  As indicated in the legal language of the new law,  only those individuals/landscape companies that perform landscape work where the price of all contracts on a given site exceed $30,000 for any consecutive 12 month period of time.

• Q- Do I need to take an exam?  
• A-  Right now if you qualify to be grandfathered in,  the answer is no.  If you fail to follow through with the grandfathering process before August 1 of this year, or did not meet the criteria required at the end of December 2014 then yes if you wish to become a Licensed Landscape Contractor you will need to take a series of exams.  No new exams will be held until after August of 2015.  The new training manual and exams are due to come out sometime this summer.  Visit the following site to see if you qualify to be "Grandfathered" in: http://nclclb.com/licensing-2/license-application/

• Q-  There's been discussion of continuing education being required. Will there be classes offered nearby or will I need to travel to Raleigh or Charlotte to get these credits?
• A-  Yes, there is a requirement of Licensed Landscape Contractor's to obtain 7 hours of  CEUs- (Continuing Education Units).  Currently, team of NC State faculty, (including extension agent), industry professionals, and community college instructors are working to develop a list of approved classes and content for obtaining CEUs or credits.   These should be readily available regionally through your local Cooperative Extension Center, an area Community College, or on-line.   If you have been maintaining credits on your pesticide licenses, chances are that you have had classes that would have met the criteria of the new license. 

• Q- My business only manages small landscape accounts and never installs landscaping at the $30,000 level; should I get the license?  
• A-  While you are not legally required to get the license and would likely be exempt- see this site to determine exemption:   http://nclclb.com/faq-hold/exemptions/  getting the license under the currently "Grandfathering" period will allow you to bid on projects that require the license and help you avoid taking the exam at a later date.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the  Commercial Horticulture Agent.  You may also send your questions to licensing@nclclb.com

Town Hall Meeting

This is a notification to all landscapers of an up-coming town hall meeting where the proposed Landscape Contractor Practice Act will be discussed. This event will be in the Bo Thomas Auditorium on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College. The meeting will take place from 6:30 until 8:30 on Thursday evening,
March 18th. RSVP requested. If possible please car pool with a colleague as parking may be limited. The Bo Thomas Auditorium is in the Sink Building on the Flat Rock Campus. If you need additional directions please call me or visit the College's website: BRCC
Note: Blue Ridge Community College is a tobacco free campus.

This is an informational meeting sponsored by the Green Industry Council of North Carolina and only facilitated by the Cooperative Extension offices. For an overview of the legislation please visit their website at: NC Landscape Contractor's License.
NC Cooperative Extension remains an educational organization only and not a regulatory one. Regardless of the outcome of this legislation we will continue to strive to provide the educational programs that will give all green industry professionals an equal opportunity to achieve their professional goals, learn new practices and/or skill and obtain or retain any required certifications or licenses.


For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.