Landscape Contractor ($20,000) Bond - Statewide in Oregon

Brief Summary

Since January 1, 2026, Oregon sets one bond amount for licensed businesses instead of scaling it to job size, so there is no longer a lower tier for small jobs. A $20,000 bond in your exact licensed business name, sent to the Landscape Contractors Board with your insurance certificate, keeps the license in good standing.

Oregon landscape contracting businesses are licensed by the Landscape Contractors Board under ORS Chapter 671, not by the Construction Contractors Board. Effective January 1, 2026, SB 864 and the board's amended rules require a $20,000 bond for licensed businesses and $15,000 for probationary license holders. A letter of credit or a cash or securities deposit acceptable to the board can substitute for the surety bond.

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How to Apply for a Landscape Contractor ($20,000) Bond:

• Confirm whether the business holds a probationary license ($15,000) or a standard business license ($20,000).
• Give the surety the licensed business name exactly as the LCB has it, not an assumed business name.
• Complete the bond application and pay the premium.
• Receive the executed bond and send it to the LCB with the liability insurance certificate.
• Report the bond amount on each renewal application.

Detailed Information About the Oregon Landscape Contractor ($20,000) Bond:

A different board, a different statute

Planning or installing lawns, shrubs, vines, trees and other nursery stock, and installing or repairing irrigation systems, require a license from the Oregon Landscape Contractors Board (LCB). The bond requirement sits in ORS 671.690, and the CCB contractor bond does not satisfy it.

The 2026 change

Before 2026, the amount a business posted scaled with the size of the jobs it took on. SB 864, passed in 2025, replaced that with a flat figure, and the board's permanent rule filing amended OAR 808-003-0613 to match, effective January 1, 2026. Businesses now post $20,000. Probationary license holders post $15,000. Renewal applications ask for the bond amount required under the new rule, so an older, smaller bond needs to be brought up.

What the bond pays

Under the amended ORS 671.690, the bond answers for amounts the business owes for state taxes and contributions, for labor, materials and equipment suppliers, for negligent work or breach of contract on its services, and for payments the board orders under ORS 671.703. The coverage extends to backflow assembly work, irrigation systems, low voltage wiring and lighting, and tree removal and pruning.

Filing with the LCB

The name on the bond and on the insurance certificate must match the licensed business name, not an assumed business name. Liability insurance of at least $500,000 is required with the LCB listed as certificate holder, plus workers' compensation if the business has employees. Documents can go to the LCB by email at lcb.info@lcb.oregon.gov, by fax or by mail to 2111 Front St NE, Suite 2-101, Salem, OR 97301.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Oregon Landscape Contractor ($20,000) Bond:

• Bond amount of $20,000 for licensed businesses, or $15,000 for probationary license holders, effective January 1, 2026.
• Oregon Landscape Contractors Board as the agency receiving the bond.
• Liability insurance of at least $500,000 with the LCB listed as certificate holder.
• Workers' compensation insurance if the business has employees.
• A letter of credit, or a cash or negotiable securities deposit acceptable to the board, may be filed instead of a surety bond.

Oregon Landscape Contractor ($20,000) Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Oregon Landscape Contractor ($20,000) Bond: