Tree and Palm Contractor Insurance in California (C-49)

What the C-49 license covers

The CSLB’s definition

“A Tree and Palm contractor plants, maintains, and removes trees and palms.”

Climbing falls, chainsaw injuries and limbs that drop on houses, cars or power lines drive both the comp rate and the liability risk. Many general liability policies limit tree removal or exclude work near utility lines, which is why tree contractors are hard to place with standard carriers.

The C-49 coverage stack

General Liability — written for tree removal, not just landscaping, with no utility-line surprise
Workers’ Compensation — mandatory now for D-49 licensees; rated 0106
Commercial Auto — chip trucks, bucket trucks and trailers
Inland Marine — chippers, stump grinders, saws and climbing gear
CSLB license bond — the $25,000 bond every license needs
Excess & Umbrella — municipal and HOA contracts often require higher limits

C-49 requirements

What California requires of a C-49 licensee

Requirement	What applies to C-49 tree contractors
Contractor’s license bond	A $25,000 bond is required to activate and keep the license. LLC licensees also need a $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond. How the bond works
Workers’ compensation	Depends on your license. If you still hold the older C-61/D-49 Tree Service classification, you must carry workers’ comp even with no employees. The statute that sets that rule names D-49, not the newer C-49 Tree and Palm class, so a C-49 licensee with no employees can currently file the exemption. That ends for everyone on January 1, 2028, and any employee means you need a policy now. Check your requirement
General liability	Required by the CSLB only for LLC licensees (at least $1 million). General contractors and owners require it anyway, usually with additional insured status.

Workers’ comp class code and 2026 rate

Class code	Description	Advisory rate per $100 payroll
0106	Tree pruning, repairing or trimming, including ground crews and yard operations	$12.39

Source: WCIRB California, approved September 1, 2026 advisory pure premium rates and classification descriptions. These are benchmark loss costs, not quotes: each carrier files its own rates, and your experience mod and credits adjust the final premium.

Most tree and palm work is rated under 0106. Work near power lines and some specialized operations can be assigned other codes, so we confirm the classification against what your crews actually do.

C-49 since 2024

new tree and palm license; D-49 holders can keep theirs

Code 0106

$12.39 per $100 of payroll in 2026

WC now for D-49

C-49 can file the exemption until 2028

Common questions

C-49 coverage, answered

Do tree service contractors need workers’ comp in California with no employees?

If you hold the older C-61/D-49 Tree Service classification, yes, regardless of employees. The statute names D-49, not the newer C-49 Tree and Palm class, so a C-49 with no employees can currently file the exemption until January 1, 2028. Confirm your situation with us or the CSLB.

What is the C-49 Tree and Palm license?

A CSLB specialty classification for contractors who plant, maintain and remove trees and palms. The CSLB began issuing it on January 1, 2024 and stopped taking new C-61/D-49 Tree Service applications; existing D-49 holders can keep their classification.

What is the workers’ comp class code for tree trimming?

Most tree pruning, repairing and trimming work is code 0106. The WCIRB’s 2026 advisory rate is $12.39 per $100 of payroll.

Why is tree service insurance hard to get?

Falls, chainsaws and damage to homes, vehicles and power lines make tree work high-severity. Many standard policies exclude tree removal or work near utility lines, so it pays to use a broker who places the class with carriers that want it.

Tree and Palm Contractor Insurance in California

The CSLB’s definition

The C-49 coverage stack

What California requires of a C-49 licensee

Workers’ comp class code and 2026 rate

C-49 coverage, answered

Get a C-49 quote that fits the work