Hiring a tree service

The checklist from the arborists

The International Society of Arboriculture publishes what to check when choosing a tree service. In its words:

Ask for proof of insurance and call the insurance company. Check for local permits and licenses. Get more than one estimate and ask for references. Don’t always accept the lowest bid. … Be wary of people who go door to door and offer bargains. … Get it in writing.

International Society of Arboriculture, Why Hire an Arborist?

Calling the insurer matters because a certificate shows what was in force when it was printed. Ask about liability coverage and, if the company has employees, workers’ compensation.

Licenses: it depends on the state

A trade magazine for the industry counted in November 2025 that 24 of the 50 states require some form of licensing for tree care companies, and the rules are very different from each other. In the states this site serves, these are the ones we confirmed with the state agency:

• California. Tree work is licensed by the Contractors State License Board. New licenses are issued in the C-49 Tree and Palm classification, introduced January 1, 2024, with a trade examination; earlier C-61/D-49 tree service licenses remain valid.
• Louisiana. The Department of Agriculture and Forestry requires an arborist license for anyone who does tree-surgery type work, including removal, pruning and trimming, for a fee.
• Maryland. The Department of Natural Resources: “All tree care professionals practicing in Maryland must obtain a license.” It runs a public search of Licensed Tree Experts.

Elsewhere, ask the city or county whether contractors need a local license, and rely on insurance, references and a written contract. Each state page says what we found. By state

Credentials

The ISA Certified Arborist credential is voluntary and nongovernmental. Holders have passed an exam and keep up continuing education, and the ISA’s Verify a Credential tool at TreesAreGood.org confirms them. It is a sign of knowledge, not a license. A tree health check

What the contract should say

• Which trees, and what is done to each: removed, pruned, cabled.
• Whether the stump is ground, and how deep.
• Whether wood, chips and brush are hauled away or left.
• Who repairs lawn ruts or a fence section taken down for access.
• The price, when it is due, and the start date.

Pay for work when it is done, and be careful with large payments up front, especially to crews who arrive after a storm.

Updated 2026-10-11.