Home Improvement Contractor License Requirements by State (2026)

Home improvement contractor license and registration rules by state

Checked quarterly, and when a state board announces a change. Last checked 2026-10-26. Entries are neutral records of public data; each links to its source record.

Home improvement contractor license rules in all 51 jurisdictions

The table lists, for each state and DC, the statewide credential that applies to residential remodeling, the dollar trigger, the agency, and any bond, insurance or lookup we could confirm on an official page. 37 of 51 jurisdictions have a statewide credential.

Each row links to source ids in the reference list. Where a field says it was not stated in the source checked, the official page we opened did not give that detail; it does not mean the requirement is absent. Local building departments add their own permit and registration rules on top of the state rule.

License, registration or neither: how states split

25 jurisdictions license remodelers, 12 register them and 14 have no statewide credential. The label matters less than what sits behind it: exams, bonds and insurance vary within each group.

License versus registration: A license usually means the state vets a qualifying person, often through an exam, before work starts. A registration records the business with the state, often with proof of insurance, and usually has no trade exam. Idaho's board puts it plainly: its act requires registration, not licensure.

Registration states still set conditions. Washington requires a $30,000 bond and liability insurance (L&I). New Jersey requires $500,000 per occurrence of liability insurance (NJ Division of Consumer Affairs). Pennsylvania requires $50,000 of bodily injury and $50,000 of property damage cover (PA Attorney General).

The job value that triggers a license

20 jurisdictions set a per-job dollar trigger, 4 use an annual volume test and 13 state no dollar floor. Per-job triggers run from $600 to $40,000, with a median of $3,250.

Most low triggers come with a second test. California exempts only jobs under $1,000 that also need no permit and use no employees (CSLB). Arizona exempts work under $1,000 only when no local building permit is required (A.R.S. 32-1121). Hawaii exempts jobs of $1,500 or less only when no permit is needed (HRS 444-2). A kitchen or bathroom remodel that needs a permit is covered in these states at any price.

Four states count yearly volume instead of job size: Connecticut (more than $1,000 in 12 months), Iowa ($2,000 a year), Pennsylvania ($5,000 a year) and Minnesota (exempt below $15,000 of annual gross receipts). Tennessee is a split case: its home improvement license applies from $3,000 to $24,999 only in 9 counties, and the statewide contractor's license starts at $25,000 (TN Board for Licensing Contractors).

Bonds, insurance and recovery funds

11 jurisdictions require a bond or accept one as security, and we found a liability insurance rule in 12 of 37. Amounts differ by a factor of ten or more.

Fixed bonds cluster near $25,000: California (CSLB), DC (DLCP) and Oregon's residential general contractors (CCB) all ask for that amount. Arizona sets $5,000 to $15,000 for general residential contractors, plus a recovery fund assessment or a $200,000 bond (A.R.S. 32-1152). Nevada's board sets each bond between $1,000 and $500,000 (NSCB).

Some states pay homeowners from a pooled fund instead. Connecticut's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund pays up to $25,000 per contract, only for jobs by registered contractors (CT DCP). Massachusetts states that people who hire unregistered contractors do not have access to its Guaranty Fund (OCABR). This report does not offer legal or financial advice; check the agency for your project.

Plumbers, electricians and city licenses

Trade licensing runs on a separate track. In 10 of the 14 states without a remodeler credential, the official source names state licensing for electrical work.

• Kentucky lists general construction as needing no state license, but plumbing, electrical and HVAC work as needing one (KY DHBC).
• Tennessee's home improvement license does not cover electrical, plumbing or HVAC work (TN BLC).
• Maryland requires a licensed master electrician to connect solar panels even when the installer holds a home improvement license (MHIC).
• Massachusetts says some structural work, such as a kitchen renovation, may need both a Construction Supervisor License and a home improvement registration (OCABR).
• Mississippi requires subcontractors doing residential electrical, mechanical or plumbing work to hold an MSBOC license (MSBOC).
• Wyoming leaves contractor licensing to local jurisdictions except for electrical work (Wyoming Business Council).

City licenses fill gaps. Chicago issues a general contractor license (City of Chicago), Boulder licenses contractors who need a city permit (City of Boulder) and St. Louis requires a construction contracting business license (City of St. Louis). Our contractor directory and city pages, such as Houston and Charlotte, list the local rules we have checked.

How to check a contractor's license or registration

We found an official online lookup for 29 of 37 credential jurisdictions. For the other 8, no lookup was opened or linked from the pages we checked.

• California: CSLB Check a License.
• North Carolina: NCLBGC license search.
• Oregon: CCB contractor search.
• Virginia: DPOR license lookup.
• New Jersey: Division of Consumer Affairs verification.
• Every other lookup URL found is in the Online lookup column of the state table.

In states with no statewide credential, the check moves to the city or county and to the trade boards for the electrician and plumber. Our guide on how to choose a remodeling contractor covers the questions to ask.

Changes since 2022

Two states added or tightened statewide rules since 2023 (Vermont and New Jersey), Montana moved from registration to licensing, and Utah's current exemption sits at $7,000.

New Jersey's licensing act was signed in 2024; the pages we opened still describe registration, so New Jersey is counted as a registration state here. Montana's rule notice describes the change to licensure; we did not confirm the date the license took effect.

Counts and distributions

Download the calculations (CSV)

Key findings

1. 25 of 51 jurisdictions (49.0%) license residential remodelers at the state level as of October 2026.^[10][32][34]
2. 12 jurisdictions (23.5%) register rather than license remodelers, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington.^{[13][33][44][57][71]}
3. 14 states (27.5%) have no statewide remodeler credential; Maine's Attorney General says general contractors there are not licensed or regulated.^[31][53][29]
4. Michigan has the lowest per-job trigger found: a LARA license is needed for work totaling $600 or more.^[34]
5. North Carolina has the highest per-job trigger found: a general contractor license applies at $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1).^[49]
6. The median per-job trigger across 20 states is $3,250, and 10 of those 20 states (50.0%) trigger at $2,500 or less.^[10][17][20]
7. California requires a CSLB license for jobs of $1,000 or more, or any job needing a permit, and a $25,000 bond (CSLB, 2026).^[10]
8. Tennessee licenses home improvement work from $3,000 to $24,999 only in 9 counties; a contractor's license applies statewide at $25,000.^[62][63]
9. Vermont has required residential contractor registration for jobs of $10,000 or more since April 1, 2023.^[68]
10. 11 jurisdictions (21.6% of 51) require a bond or accept one as security; Washington's $30,000 general contractor bond is the highest fixed amount found.^[71][10][55]
11. New Jersey requires $500,000 per occurrence of liability insurance plus additional security of $10,000 to $50,000 depending on contract size.^[45][44]
12. Connecticut's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund can pay up to $25,000 per contract, but only on jobs by registered contractors.^[14]
13. An official online license or registration lookup was found for 29 of 37 credential jurisdictions (78.4%).^[11][56][70]
14. 10 of 14 states without a remodeler credential (71.4%) still license or certify electrical work at the state level.^[29][31][75]

Executive summary

• 25 of 51 jurisdictions (49.0%) issue a state license that covers residential remodeling, 12 (23.5%) run a registration, and 14 (27.5%) have no statewide credential for remodelers.
• Of the 37 jurisdictions with a credential, 20 set a per-job dollar trigger, 4 use an annual-volume trigger and 13 state no dollar floor at all.
• Per-job triggers span $600 (Michigan) to $40,000 (North Carolina), a ratio of 66.7 to 1; the median is $3,250 and 10 of 20 sit at or below $2,500.
• 11 jurisdictions require a surety bond or accept one as security; where an amount is stated, the median minimum is $22,500 and Washington's $30,000 is the highest.
• We found a stated liability insurance rule in 12 of 37 credential jurisdictions (32.4%), from Pennsylvania's $50,000 per category to $500,000 per occurrence in New Jersey and Oregon.
• In 10 of the 14 states without a remodeler credential, the official source names state licensing for electrical work, so a kitchen rewire is regulated even where the remodel is not.
• An official online lookup was opened or linked for 29 of 37 credential jurisdictions (78.4%).

Frequently asked questions

Related guides, services and research

• How to choose a remodeling contractor
• Find kitchen and bath remodelers by city
• Cast Iron Pipes: How Long Drain Lines Last and the Florida Insurance Fight
• Chinese Drywall: The 2006 Imports, the Complaints and the Settlements
• Contractor Hourly Rate by State: What Remodeling Trades Earn (2026 Index)
• Federal Pacific Panel: The Stab-Lok Record, Zinsco and Every Breaker Recall Since 1990
• All kitchen and bath research

Reproduce this analysis

Every figure comes from the files below. The scripts that pulled and computed them are kept with the report and can be re-run.

Data quality and exclusions

• Fetch log: 102 requests returned a page and 53 were refused or timed out; 29 of the successful requests went to Internet Archive copies of official URLs, and every copy cited is labelled with its capture date.
• Dropped 6 claims that could not be confirmed on an official page (a reported Ohio home improvement registration bill, Maryland $20,000 bond, Tennessee $10,000 financial responsibility, Louisiana $75,000 threshold, North Carolina effective date, Colorado DORA statement); see excluded.md.
• Excluded 2 bonds from the bond count because they do not protect homeowners or do not apply to remodelers: Iowa's $25,000 out-of-state tax bond and Alabama's roofer-only $10,000 bond.
• Classified all 51 jurisdictions; 20 have a per-job trigger, 4 an annual trigger and 13 no dollar trigger stated in the source checked.
• Marked 8 credential jurisdictions as lookup not verified rather than counting them as having no lookup.
• Tennessee is entered at its statewide $25,000 trigger; its $3,000 county rule appears in the notes.

Methodology

Scope: the statewide credential that applies to a contractor hired directly by a homeowner for residential remodeling such as a kitchen or bathroom. Commercial licensing, new-home builder registration and trade licenses are noted only where they explain the residential rule.

Sources: we opened the statute, rule or licensing agency page for each of the 51 jurisdictions and saved a copy. Where a live official page refused automated requests, we used an Internet Archive copy of that official page and label it with its capture date. We used no paid data, no third-party license guides as data and no proxy readers.

Classification: license where the state issues a credential with qualification or exam requirements; registration where the state records the business, often with insurance or bond; none where we found no statewide credential and an official source points to local or trade-only regulation.

Conflicts: where a vendor guide disagreed with an official page (for example on Louisiana's residential threshold, Maryland's bond or an Ohio registration bill), we used the official page and listed the dropped claim in excluded.md.

Derived metrics: counts, shares and medians are computed by scripts/build_data.py from registry_data.py; inputs are listed by fact sheet row in derived_metrics.csv.

Last updated 2026-10-26. The registry is rechecked quarterly.

This report presents published data with its limitations. It is not legal, financial or investment advice.

Sources, ranked by quality

Tier 1: primary and official sources (76)

• [1] Alabama Legislative Services Agency / Home Builders Licensure Board. Ala. Admin. Code ch. 465-X-1, definitions (residential home builder, $10,000 remodeling trigger). Rule text current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [2] Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board. HBLB law compilation, Code of Alabama ch. 34-14A, effective October 1, 2025. Law effective 2025-10-01. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [3] Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board. Home Builders Licensure Board home page (licensee search link). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [4] Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Is Your Contractor Properly Licensed, Bonded, and Insured? (Hiring a contractor brochure). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [5] Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. General Contractor Registration Application (form 08-4815): insurance and bond. Current form as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [6] Arizona State Legislature. A.R.S. 32-1121, persons not required to be licensed. Statute current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [7] Arizona State Legislature. A.R.S. 32-1152, bonds. Statute current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [8] Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Contractor search. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [9] Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board (Department of Labor and Licensing). Apply for a contractor's license or registration. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [10] California Contractors State License Board. Before applying for a license. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [11] California Contractors State License Board. Check a license. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [12] City of Boulder, Colorado. Contractor licensing. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [13] Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Home Improvement Contractor guide. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [14] Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Why is Home Improvement Registration Important to Consumers?. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [15] Delaware One Stop / Department of Labor. Construction contractors (Contractor Registration Act, 19 Del.C. ch. 36). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [16] DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Contractor and Construction Services (business license requirements). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [17] Florida Legislature. Fla. Stat. 489.103, exemptions. 2026 Florida Statutes. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [18] Florida Legislature. Fla. Stat. 489.105, definitions (residential contractor). 2026 Florida Statutes. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [19] Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. License search. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [20] City of Fayetteville, Georgia. Contractor licensing requirements (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-02-06). Page captured 2025-02-06. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [21] Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards. Residential and commercial general contractors FAQ (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-04-24). Page captured 2026-04-24. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [22] Hawaii State Legislature. HRS 444-2, exemptions (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-02-07). Statute captured 2025-02-07. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [23] Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Contractor registration FAQ (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-10-09). Page captured 2026-10-09. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [24] City of Chicago, Department of Buildings. General Contractor License (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-10-09). Page captured 2026-10-09. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [25] Illinois Attorney General. Avoid home repair fraud. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [26] Indiana Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. Storm chasers consumer guide. Guide dated 2024-04. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [27] Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. Contractor registration. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [28] Kansas Business Center (State of Kansas). Business starter kit: construction. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [29] Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Plan submission application guide (revised 04/25), license requirements table. Guide revised 2025-04. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [30] Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Types of licenses. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [31] Maine Attorney General, Consumer Protection. Home construction and repair (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-10-09). Page captured 2026-10-09. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [32] Maryland Home Improvement Commission (Maryland Department of Labor). FAQs: Do You Need a License to Do That?. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [33] Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. HIC contractor resources (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-03-17). Page captured 2026-03-17. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [34] Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Helpful information for homeowners (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-05-21). Page captured 2026-05-21. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [35] Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Residential contractors, remodelers, roofers (licensing exemption). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [36] Mississippi State Board of Contractors. Frequently asked questions. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [37] City of St. Louis, License Collector. Apply for a Construction – Contracting Business License (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-03-12). Page captured 2026-03-12. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [38] Missouri Division of Professional Registration. FAQs for political subdivisions, statewide electrical contractor license. FAQ dated 2017-08-28. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [39] Montana Department of Labor and Industry. MAR Notice No. 2025-209.1, construction contractor license rules. Notice dated 2025-11-07. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [40] Nebraska Department of Labor. Who needs to register (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-10-11). Page captured 2026-10-11. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [41] Nevada State Contractors Board. Licensing requirements (bond requirements). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [42] Nevada State Contractors Board. Handyman exemptions (NRS 624.031). Page dated 2024-08-27. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [43] New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Find a board (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-08-21). Page captured 2026-08-21. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [44] New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Home improvement contractors FAQ (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-06-30). Page last modified 2025-03-03, captured 2026-06-30. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [45] New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Notice regarding changes to the law and new requirements for registration (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-02-05). Notice issued for the 2025 renewal cycle. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [46] New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. License verification system. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [47] New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division. Apply for a Construction Industries license. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [48] New York State Attorney General. Contractors and home maintenance. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [49] North Carolina General Assembly. G.S. 87-1, general contractor defined (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-10-24). Statute captured 2025-10-24. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [50] North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Verify license search. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [51] North Dakota Secretary of State. Contractor licensing. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [52] Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. Contractors and contracting companies (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-08-15). Page captured 2026-08-15. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [53] Oklahoma Construction Industries Board. Oklahoma General Contractors Statement. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [54] Oregon Construction Contractors Board. Getting a CCB license. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [55] Oregon Construction Contractors Board. Endorsement chart (bond and insurance by endorsement). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [56] Oregon Construction Contractors Board. Contractor license search. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [57] Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Home improvement contractor registration (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-09-06). Page captured 2025-09-06. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [58] Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. HIC application instructions, February 2026 (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-03-06). Instructions dated 2026-02-18. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [59] Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. General contractor registration (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-06-08). Page captured 2026-06-08. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [60] South Carolina Legislature. S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 59, residential builders. Code current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [61] South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation. Boards, commissions and councils (all). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [62] Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Home improvement licensing requirements (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-09-02). Page captured 2025-09-02. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [63] Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. County information adopting the home improvement law (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-11-09). Page captured 2025-11-09. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [64] Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. Texas Residential Construction Commission (agency history). 2008 to 2009 review cycle. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [65] Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Apply for a license (program list). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [66] Utah State Legislature. Utah Code 58-55-305, exemptions from licensure (version effective 2025-05-07). Version effective 2025-05-07. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [67] Utah Division of Professional Licensing. Apply for a general contractor license (Internet Archive copy captured 2026-09-15). Page captured 2026-09-15. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [68] Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation. Residential contractor FAQs. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [69] Virginia General Assembly. Code of Virginia 54.1-1100, definitions (contractor classes). Code current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [70] Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. License lookup. Live lookup, opened 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [71] Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. Register as a contractor. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [72] West Virginia Legislature. W. Va. Code 30-42-3, definitions (Internet Archive copy captured 2025-10-15). Code captured 2025-10-15. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [73] West Virginia Division of Labor. Contractor information (Internet Archive copy captured 2024-09-04). Page captured 2024-09-04. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [74] Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. Dwelling Contractor (DC). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [75] Wyoming Business Council. Licensing and permitting FAQ. Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.
• [76] Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board. How to get licensed (roofer license bond). Current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-26.