Landscaping Business Permit Requirements in Davenport, IA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source for EIN (Employer Identification Number) (opens in a new tab)

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

   Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

   Official government source for Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit (opens in a new tab)

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit·Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit

   Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

2. Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification

   A landscaper who applies pesticides or herbicides as part of the service must be certified as a commercial applicator by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's Pesticide Bureau, passing a written exam in each category worked. The individual applicator is certified; the landscaping business that employs applicators is separately licensed as a pesticide application company. Use the non-www address - the www version drops the path and lands on the department homepage.

   Official government source for Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification (opens in a new tab)

   $75 for a three-year commercial applicator certification (Iowa Code section 206.5), plus an annual pesticide application company license of up to $25 (section 206.6)·Certification issues once the category exams are passed; allow a few weeks for testing and processing

   $75 for a three-year commercial applicator certification (Iowa Code section 206.5), plus an annual pesticide application company license of up to $25 (section 206.6)

   Certification issues once the category exams are passed; allow a few weeks for testing and processing

1. No General Business License Required in Davenport

   Davenport does not require a general, citywide business license. The Revenue Division licenses only specific categories, each with its own fee: alarm businesses ($50-$100), auctioneers ($150), billboards and signs, bicycles ($5), tobacco/nicotine ($25-$100 by term), closing-out sales, vehicle-related businesses, mobile food units ($55), live entertainment ($50), metal recyclers ($300), and pawnbrokers/secondhand/junk/antique dealers ($50-$500). Most professional and personal-service businesses — pest control, barbering, tutoring, insurance, cleaning, photography — are not licensed by the city at all. Check the category list, and call the Revenue Division at 563-326-7715 if unsure.

   Official government source for No General Business License Required in Davenport (opens in a new tab)

   $0 for most business types; listed categories carry their own published fees·Not applicable unless your activity is one of the listed categories

   $0 for most business types; listed categories carry their own published fees

   Not applicable unless your activity is one of the listed categories

2. Iowa Contractor Registration (state) — no Davenport landscaping registration

   Neither Scott County nor the City of Davenport registers landscaping or irrigation contractors. Davenport's own contractor licensing under Municipal Code 15.30 covers building trades only — commercial, residential, and sub-specialty general contractors plus electrical, HVAC, and plumbing, which are licensed by the State of Iowa. What does apply statewide: any contractor earning at least $2,000 a year from construction work, landscaping and irrigation included, must register with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, and must carry workers' compensation and a $25,000 bond if they have employees.

   Official government source for Iowa Contractor Registration (state) — no Davenport landscaping registration (opens in a new tab)

   $50 per year for state contractor registration; Davenport's building-trade licences, if you also do that work, are $300 commercial, $200 residential, $100 sub-specialty·Register with DIAL online before working; the registration renews annually

   $50 per year for state contractor registration; Davenport's building-trade licences, if you also do that work, are $300 commercial, $200 residential, $100 sub-specialty

   Register with DIAL online before working; the registration renews annually

Official Sources

• City of Davenport Finance Department
• Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

Related Guides