Landscaping Business Permit Requirements in Evansville, IN

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property at retail in Indiana. Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no additional local sales tax. Register online via INBiz.

   Official government source

   $25 one-time registration fee·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 one-time registration fee

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

2. Office of Indiana State Chemist — Commercial Pesticide Applicator and Business Licenses

   If you apply pesticides or herbicides as part of landscaping services in Indiana, you must be licensed by the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) at Purdue University — not by a state department of agriculture, which does not administer this program. The individual applying pesticides for hire holds a For Hire Pesticide Applicator License in the relevant category, and the business holds a Pesticide Business License, which requires a certificate of insurance with the application. Licenses expire and are renewable annually on December 31.

   Official government source

   $45 per year for the Pesticide Business License and $45 per year for each individual For Hire Pesticide Applicator License. Exam fees are charged separately by the testing provider.·OISC publishes no processing time. Certification exams must be passed before a credential is issued, and every license expires December 31 regardless of issue date, so allow for exam scheduling.

   $45 per year for the Pesticide Business License and $45 per year for each individual For Hire Pesticide Applicator License. Exam fees are charged separately by the testing provider.

   OISC publishes no processing time. Certification exams must be passed before a credential is issued, and every license expires December 31 regardless of issue date, so allow for exam scheduling.

1. No General Business License in Evansville

   Evansville does not require a general/universal business license for most business types. The City Controller's office issues licenses only for specific activities (e.g., street vending, hotels, pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers) — none apply to a typical service business. Verify zoning compliance and, if applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy with the Area Plan Commission / Building Commission before opening.

   Official government source

   Not applicable (no general license fee)·Not applicable

   Not applicable (no general license fee)

   Not applicable

2. No Evansville-Vanderburgh County Contractor License Category for Landscaping

   The City of Evansville-Vanderburgh County Building Commission's contractor-licensing categories (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, concrete, etc.) do not include a landscaping or irrigation-contractor category, so landscaping businesses generally are not required to register there. If irrigation work involves plumbing/backflow-prevention installation, a licensed plumbing contractor may be required for that portion of the work.

   Official government source

   Not applicable·Not applicable

   Not applicable

   Not applicable

Official Sources

• City of Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development
• Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

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