Landscaper Certification Amendments, the official text

Landscaper Certification Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: John Arthur
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins

LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions relating to landscape work.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill: requires that the Division of Professional Licensing identify a specialty contractor that may engage in landscape work;
provides continuing education requirements for a licensee that engages in landscape work;
coordinates the provisions this bill enacts with the provisions of H.B. 40, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Amendments; and
makes technical changes.

Money Appropriated in this Bill: None Other Special Clauses: This bill provides a coordination clause. Utah Code Sections Affected: AMENDS:
58-55-302.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 201

Utah Code Sections Affected by Coordination Clause: 58-55-204, as as enacted by H.B. 40 (2026)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 58-55-302.5 is amended to read:
58-55-302.5. Continuing education requirements for contractor licensees -- Continuing education courses.
(1) (a) [Each] A contractor licensee under a license issued under this chapter shall complete six hours of approved continuing education during each two-year renewal cycle established by rule under Subsection 58-55-303(1).
(b) [Each] A contractor licensee who has a renewal cycle that ends on or after January 1, 2020, may complete one hour of approved continuing education on energy conservation as part of the six required hours.

(2) (a) The commission shall, with the concurrence of the division, establish by rule made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, a program of approved continuing education for contractor licensees.
(b) Except as provided in Subsections (2)(c) and (e), only courses offered by any of the following may be included in the program of approved continuing education for contractor licensees: (i) the Associated General Contractors of Utah;
(ii) Associated Builders and Contractors, Utah Chapter;
(iii) the Utah Home Builders Association;
(iv) the National Electrical Contractors Association Intermountain Chapter;
(v) the Utah Plumbing Heating Contractors Association;
(vi) the Independent Electrical Contractors of Utah;
(vii) the Rocky Mountain Gas Association;
(viii) the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association;
(ix) the Sheet Metal Contractors Association;
(x) the Intermountain Electrical Association;
(xi) the American Subcontractors Association, Utah Chapter; or
(xii) Utah Roofing Contractors Association.

(c) An approved continuing education program for a contractor licensee may include a course approved by an entity described in Subsections (2)(b)(i) through (2)(b)(iii).
(d) (i) Except as provided in Subsections (2)(d)(ii) and (iii), an entity listed in Subsections (2)(b)(iv) through (2)(b)(xii) may only offer and market continuing education courses to a licensee who is a member of the entity.
(ii) An entity described in Subsection (2)(b)(iv), (vi), or (x) may offer and market a continuing education course that the entity offers to satisfy the continuing education requirement described in Subsection 58-55-302.7(2)(a) to a contractor in the electrical trade.
(iii) An entity described in Subsection (2)(b)(v) or (viii) may offer and market a continuing education course that the entity offers to satisfy: (A) the continuing education requirement described in Subsection 58-55-302.7(2)(b) to a contractor in the plumbing trade; or
(B) the continuing education requirement described in Subsection (1) for a contractor licensee that is licensed in the specialty contractor classification of HVAC contractor.

(e) An approved continuing education program for a contractor licensee may include a course offered and taught by: (i) a state executive branch agency;
(ii) the workers' compensation insurance carrier that provides workers' compensation insurance under Section 31A-22-1001; or
(iii) a nationally or regionally accredited college or university that has a physical campus in the state.

(f) For a contractor licensee that is licensed in the specialty contractor classification of HVAC contractor, at least three of the six hours described in Subsection (1) shall include continuing education directly related to the installation, repair, or replacement of a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system.

(3) (a) The division shall identify a specialty contractor under this section that primarily engages in landscape work.
(b) During each two-year renewal cycle, at least one of the six hours of continuing education described in Subsection (1) that a specialty contractor described in Subsection (3)(a) completes shall cover the following topics: (i) water conservation landscaping principles, including: (A) understanding water scarcity in this state;
(B) selecting drought tolerant plants that are native to this state;
(C) efficient irrigation design; and
(D) soil amendment techniques for soil retention; or

(ii) fire risk management landscaping principles, including: (A) designing a landscape to prevent the spread of fire; and
(B) incorporating rocks, concrete, and other materials to prevent the spread of fire.

[(3)] (4) The division may contract with a person to establish and maintain a continuing education registry to include: (a) a list of courses that the division has approved for inclusion in the program of approved continuing education; and
(b) a list of courses that: (i) a contractor licensee has completed under the program of approved continuing education; and
(ii) the licensee may access to monitor the licensee's compliance with the continuing education requirement established under Subsection (1).

[(4)] (5) The division may charge a fee, as established by the division under Section 63J-1-504, to administer the requirements of this section.

Section 2. Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Section 3. Coordinating H.B. 313 with H.B. 40.
If H.B. 313, Landscaper Certification Amendments, and H.B. 40, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Amendments, both pass and become law, the Legislature intends that, on January 1, 2027: (1) Subsection 58-55-302.5(3) enacted in H.B. 313 be inserted as Subsection 58-55-204(3) in H.B. 40; and (2) Subsections 58-55-204(3) and (4) enacted in H.B. 40 be renumbered as Subsections 58-55-204(4) and (5) respectively.

3-11-26 8:56 AM