California CSLB C-27 — Landscaping Exam Prep

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Your access starts when you do: the days begin the first time you open the course, not at checkout (or 14 days after purchase, whichever comes first).

Business & Law is 75% off with this classification. Add it only if you want it, for the same term: $24.75 for 30 days, $32.25 for 60 days, $42.25 for 90 days.

Official sitting

California CSLB C-27 Landscaping exam at a glance

The California CSLB C-27 Landscaping exam has a time limit of 3 hours 30 minutes, and it is closed book. CSLB also requires a separate Law and Business exam. Figures are from CSLB’s published exam information.

Time3 hours 30 minutes

Confirm question count, time, open-book rules, and passing score on the live board bulletin before you sit. We do not guarantee a passing result. Source: CSLB C27StudyGuide.pdf (on/after 7/1/2026). How we source exam facts

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What’s included

21,000+ word study guide

Worked calculations, code-section breakdowns, exam traps, a key-terms glossary and a 30/60/90-day plan.

5 full-length practice exams

Original questions weighted to match the topic mix of the real exam.

500 practice questions

Every one with a written explanation and the code section behind the answer.

Same study guide and four exams on every term. You are choosing how long you can log in.

Instant accessSecure checkoutBuilt on current codes
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What’s on the California CSLB C-27 Landscaping exam

CSLB’s study guide divides the C-27 exam into six weighted sections. Hardscape Installation and Drainage, Irrigation, Lighting, and Plant Installation carry the most weight, at 21% each. Maintenance and Repair is the smallest share at 11%.

California CSLB C-27 Landscaping exam sections and their share of the exam
SectionShare of exam
Planning and Estimating18%
Construction Preparation12%
Hardscape Installation21%
Drainage, Irrigation, Lighting, and Plant Installation21%
Maintenance and Repair11%
Safety17%

The C-27 exam is closed book: no reference materials may be used during the test. Questions are multiple choice with four options, and there is no penalty for guessing, so leave nothing blank.

Source: CSLB Landscaping (C-27) examination study guide. These weightings are the Board’s own, not our estimate. Contractor Pathway is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by CSLB.

What this prep covers

  1. How this guide works
  2. Planning and Estimating — 18% of the exam
  3. Construction Preparation — 12% of the exam
  4. Hardscape Installation — 21% of the exam
  5. Low-Voltage Lighting, Water-Feature Electrical, Irrigation, Drainage and Flatwork
  6. Drainage, Irrigation, Lighting, and Plant Installation — 21% of the exam
  7. Quick Reference -- Key Numbers to Memorize
  8. Exam Day Tips
  9. Key Code Sections the Exam Tests
  10. Maintenance and Repair — 11% of the exam
  11. Safety — 17% of the exam
  12. C-27 sitting recap — C27StudyGuide.pdf on/after July 1, 2026
  13. Business & Law — tested on a separate exam
  14. How C-27 — Landscaping is actually scored
  15. California — who writes C-27 — Landscaping
  16. Contractor method on C-27 — Landscaping
  17. Clock discipline for C-27 — Landscaping
  18. C-27 Landscaping: Topic Checklist
  19. MWELO, hydrozones, and irrigation
  20. Soils, planting, and trees
  21. Safety and the sitting
  22. C-27 landscaping — additional on-syllabus sections
  23. Backflow prevention on irrigation
  24. Irrigation hydraulics
  25. Controllers, sensors, and as-builts
  26. Tree planting and protection
  27. Sod, seed, and hydroseed
  28. Mulch, fabric, and weeds
  29. Drainage devices that are still landscaping
  30. Hardscape at the edge of C-27
  31. Heat illness, trenches, and chippers
  32. Low-voltage landscape lighting
  33. Plant warranty and extras
  34. Slope planting and erosion
  35. Soil tests and amendments
  36. Valve boxes, wire, and locating
  37. Recycled water irrigation
  38. Establishment watering versus long-term hydrozones
  39. C-27 extra identities
  40. C-27 field reference — irrigation, planting, soils, and closeout
  41. C-27 last-mile on-syllabus topics
  42. Code reference and general knowledge

Related California CSLB exams

Common questions about this exam

Do I also need the Law and Business exam in California?

Yes. CSLB requires every applicant to pass the separate Law and Business exam in addition to the C-27 trade exam. That exam has 3 hours 30 minutes. California CSLB Law & Business prep is 75% off when you add it to this classification for the same term.

How much practice does this prep include?

It includes 5 full-length practice exams and 500 practice questions in total. Every question has a written explanation naming the code section the answer comes from.

How long is the study guide?

The California CSLB C-27 Landscaping guide runs to roughly 21,214 words in 42 sections, starting with “How this guide works” and ending with “Code reference and general knowledge”.

How long do I get access?

Choose 30, 60 or 90 days at checkout. Your days do not start at checkout: they begin the first time you open the course (or 14 days after purchase, whichever comes first). Access works on any device, and you can retake every practice exam as often as you like. Days remaining are shown in your dashboard and you can extend at any time.

Is this an official California CSLB C-27 Landscaping exam?

No. This is independent preparation material. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any state licensing board or exam vendor, and it does not contain real exam questions. Always confirm current requirements with your licensing board.

About this prep

This prep is built specifically for the C-27 — Landscaping examination and includes a 21,000+-word study guide written for this exam, 5 full-length practice exams and 500 practice questions, each with a written explanation.

How access works

You are paying for access length (30, 60, or 90 days). The study guide and four timed exams are the same on every term. Your days start the first time you open the course, not at checkout (or 14 days after purchase, whichever comes first), and access works on any device for that term.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by any state licensing board or exam vendor. For exam-preparation purposes only.