Permitted Practices In California

Permitted Practice for Professionals, Practitioners, and Unlicensed Person

This document has been prepared by the Landscape Architects Technical Committee (LATC), the licensing and regulatory agency for the practice of landscape architecture in California. The purpose of this document is to provide a quick reference regarding the various professionals, practitioners, and unlicensed person who may offer landscape design services and the permitted scope and/or limitations that pertain to each. Please note that a licensed professional is required when the scope of a particular project demands the applicable professional services. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this document, it does not have legal effect. Should any difference or error occur, the law will take precedence. For more information contact the LATC at (916) 575-7230 or latc@dca.ca.gov, or visit www.latc.ca.gov.

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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

• Hold a professional license to practice landscape architecture
• May perform professional services for the purpose of landscape preservation, development, and enhancement, such as consultation, investigation, reconnaissance, research, planning, design, preparation of drawings, construction documents and specifications, and responsible construction observation

APPLICABLE STATUTE: Section 5615 of the Business and Professions Code (BPC)

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ARCHITECTS

• Hold a professional license to practice architecture
• May offer, perform, or be in responsible control of, professional services which require the skills of an architect in the planning of sites

APPLICABLE STATUTES: Sections 5500.1 and 5641.3 of the BPC

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PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

• Hold professional registration to practice professional engineering
• May perform professional services, as defined under BPC 5615, as long as the work is incidental to an engineering project

APPLICABLE STATUTES: Sections 5615, 5641.3, and 6701 et seq. of the BPC

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LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS

• Hold a C-27 (landscaping contractor) license
• May design systems and facilities for work to be performed and supervised by that contractor

APPLICABLE REGULATION/STATUTES: Section 832.27 of the California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 8 and Section 5641.4 and 7027.5 of the BPC

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NURSERYPERSONS

• Hold a license to sell nursery stock
• May prepare planting plans or drawings as an adjunct to merchandising nursery stock and related products

APPLICABLE STATUTES: Section 5641.2 of the BPC and Section 6721 et seq. of the Food and Agriculture Code

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UNLICENSED PERSONS

Landscape/Garden Designers, etc.

• May prepare plans, drawings, and specifications for the selection, placement, or use of plants for single family dwellings
• May prepare drawings for the conceptual design and placement of tangible objects and landscape features
• May NOT prepare construction documents, details, or specifications for tangible landscape objects or landscape features
• May NOT prepare grading and drainage plans for the alteration of sites

Personal Property Owners

• May prepare any plans, drawings, or specifications for any property owned by that person

Golf Course Architects

• May engage in the practice of, or offer to practice as, a golf course architect
• May perform professional services, such as consultation, investigation, reconnaissance, research, design, preparation of drawings and specifications and responsible supervision, where the dominant purpose of such services is the design of a golf course, in accordance with accepted professional standards of public health and safety

Irrigation Consultants

• May engage in the practice of, or offer to practice as, an irrigation consultant
• May perform professional services, such as consultation, investigation, reconnaissance, research, design, preparation of drawings and specifications and responsible supervision, where the dominant purpose of such service is the design of landscape irrigation, in accordance with accepted professional standards of public health and safety

APPLICABLE STATUES: Sections 5641, 5641.1, 5641.5, 5641.6 of the BPC

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