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Puget Sound Tree Service

Hiring questions

Questions to ask a tree service before anyone climbs

Ask these when the estimator walks the yard with you. Good answers come with numbers you can look up that evening.

Before the estimate

  1. Is this a removal or pruning? Removal needs L&I contractor registration; pruning alone does not. (L&I F625-084-000)
  2. For a removal, what is your L&I registration number? Look it up on L&I Verify. It shows active registration, bond, insurance and any violations. (L&I)
  3. Inside Seattle: what is your City Tree Service Provider registration number? Registered providers must show it on their work vehicles. (City of Seattle)

About the tree

  1. Who on your crew is an ISA Certified Arborist, and will that person be here on the day? Write the name down and look it up in ISA's Find an Arborist directory. (ISA)
  2. In Seattle, does this count as reportable work? The City includes cutting live branches 4 inches or more across, roots 2 inches or more, a quarter or more of the foliage, or removing any tree 6 inches or more in diameter. (City of Seattle)
  3. Which City tier is this tree in, and who files the notice or permit? Check the City's tree regulations for current rules.
  4. If the tree is a hazard, who does the risk assessment? Seattle requires an arborist with the TRAQ qualification for hazard assessments and emergency actions. (City of Seattle)

About the bid

  1. Does the price include grinding the stump, or is that a separate line?
  2. Do you haul the logs and chips, or leave them stacked?
  3. Is access priced in? If the tree is hard to reach, ask how that shows up on the bid.
  4. Will the bid carry your registration number? On a home job of $1,000 or more, will you give me the signed Notice to Customer before work starts? (RCW 18.27.114)

About insurance

  1. Can you email the liability certificate before the job? L&I describes the minimum for registered contractors as $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or $250,000 combined. (L&I) Seattle's registry asks for $1,000,000 per occurrence. (City of Seattle)
  2. Does the crew have L&I workers' comp? Washington employers buy it from L&I or self-insure. (L&I)
  3. How will you protect the roof, fence, lawn and drainfield from the equipment?

Next

Read the tree service red flags and the credential guide, or line up bids with how to compare tree removal bids.

Sources

We read each source on October 17, 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the linked page before you rely on a number.

  1. L&I publication F625-084-000, What You Should Know About Hiring a Contractor (10-2024)
  2. Washington L&I: Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business
  3. L&I: Hiring a Contractor
  4. City of Seattle: Tree Service Provider Registry Requirements
  5. City of Seattle: Tree regulations
  6. TreesAreGood.org (ISA): Find an Arborist
  7. RCW 18.27.114, Notice to Customer
  8. L&I: Register as a Contractor
  9. L&I: Do I Need a Workers' Comp Account?

Written by the Puget Sound Tree Service team. We list businesses; we do not employ, bond or insure them. Spot a mistake? Use the claim page to tell us.