LTO or Contractor License — What’s the Difference?

Not every forest or wildfire prevention project requires the same license.

A Licensed Timber Operator (LTO), certified by CAL FIRE, is authorized to conduct Timber Operations on Timberland — such as harvesting trees for sale or other commercial purposes under an approved harvest plan.

However, many grant-funded or non-commercial fuel reduction projects don’t involve timber sales. For these, an LTO license doesn’t apply — the work should be done by a contractor licensed through the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB).

Knowing which license fits your project ensures compliance and helps keep California’s forests healthy and fire-resilient.

For more information, see the memo below from CALFIRE.