Licensing Requirements By State

ALABAMA
1. The state of Alabama requires any general contractor working on a commercial or industrial project costing $50,000 or more to get a license. General contractors working on a residential project that costs $10,000 or more need a license.


ALASKA
2. Alaska law requires that contractors be registered with the Department of Community and Economic Development.


ARIZONA
3. Basically, you need a license to bid on any job over $750 in Arizona.


ARKANSAS
4. To bid and work on construction projects in Arkansas that cost $20,000 or more, you must get a contractor's license.


CALIFORNIA
5. With a few exceptions, all businesses or individuals who work on any building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost of one or more contracts on the project is $500 or more


COLORADO
6. General construction contractors in Colorado are not licensed by the state. You should check for license requirements at the local level. You will need a license to do electrical or plumbing work in the state, however.


CONNECTICUT
7. Home improvement and new home construction contractors must be certified. Anyone working on major projects must be registered.


DELAWARE
8. Contractors bidding on jobs over $50,000 must apply for a license.


DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
9. Electrical, plumbing, and home improvement contractors must be licensed to work in the District of Columbia.


FLORIDA
10. You need to be registered or certified to do construction work in Florida. You can get a "registered" contractor's license at the local level, unless a certified license is required by the county in which you want to perform the work. Contractors with a "certified" license are allowed to work anywhere in the state.


GEORGIA
11. Most contractors don't need a license in Georgia. The exception is asbestos abatement and the mechanical trades.


HAWAII
12. Hawaii requires general engineering, general building and specialty contractors to be licensed.


IDAHO
13. The state of Idaho doesn't license general contractors working on private sector residential or commercial projects. That's done at the local level. However the state does license plumbers, electricians, well drillers, fire protection sprinkler contractors, and public works contractors.


ILLINOIS
14. Most construction contractors don't need to be licensed in Illinois. Roofing contractors are the exception.


INDIANA
15. Only plumbing contractors need to be licensed in Indiana. Public Works and Department of Transportation work must be done by certified or pre-qualified contractors. Before beginning work, you should check for license requirements at the local level.


IOWA
16. Plumbers and electricians must be registered with the state but are licensed at the local level. Asbestos workers, contractors and supervisors must obtain licenses for all asbestos projects.


KANSAS
17. Kansas doesn't license construction contractors at the state level. But you should check for licensing requirements at the local level.


KENTUCKY
18. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors have to be licensed in Kentucky.


LOUISIANA
19. To do construction work in Louisiana you need to be licensed by the State Licensing Board for Contractors.


MAINE
20. General building contractors do not need a license in Maine. You'll need to be licensed to do asbestos abatement work, or electrical or plumbing contracting.


MARYLAND
21. General construction contractors don't need a license to work in Maryland. You will need a license to do electrical, plumbing or HVACR contracting, or work on home improvement projects.


MASSACHUSETTS
22. Anyone who supervises construction work or demolition (even a crew of one) needs a license.


MICHIGAN
23. Contractors working on residential or a combination of residential and commercial buildings must be licensed. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors also have to be licensed.


MINNESOTA
24. The Minnesota Department of Commerce licenses residential builders and remodelers.


MISSISSIPPI
25. A certificate or license is required for all but the smallest construction and remodeling projects.


MISSOURI
26. The state of Missouri doesn't license construction contractors.


MONTANA
27. All construction contractors and subcontractors must register with the Department of Labor and Industry if they have employees. Those contractors without employees may register, but are not required to do so.


NEBRASKA
28. All contractors doing business in counties with a population of 100,000 or more need a license to do business. Nonresident contractors doing business in Nebraska must register with the Nebraska Secretary of State and the Nebraska Department of Revenue. All electricians have to be licensed.


NEVADA
29. You must be licensed to bid or work on construction jobs in Nevada.


NEW HAMPSHIRE
30. Only certain types of specialty contractors are licensed: asbestos and lead abatement contractors, electrical contractors and plumbing contractors.


NEW JERSEY
31. You must register to be in the business of building new homes in New Jersey. You must also warrant each new home you build and provide warranty follow-up services. Plumbers and electricians are licensed in New Jersey.


NEW MEXICO
32. Construction contractors must be licensed in New Mexico.


NEW YORK
33. Except for asbestos abatement work, all construction work in New York is regulated at the local level.


NORTH CAROLINA
34. To work as a general contractor on projects costing more than $30,000 in North Carolina, you must get a license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Electrical, plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler contractors must be licensed.


NORTH DAKOTA
35. You must have a license in North Dakota to work on any job costing $2,000 or more.


OHIO
36. The state of Ohio doesn't license contractors. The municipality where work is done does that. However the Ohio Construction Industry Examining Board issues Qualification Certificates for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, hydronics, and refrigeration contractors. Landscapers need to be licensed if they plant trees or shrubs.


OKLAHOMA
37. Oklahoma doesn't license resident construction contractors, except in the electrical, mechanical and plumbing trades. But there are some special requirements for nonresident contractors.


OREGON
38. If you're paid for any construction activity, you need to register with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.


PENNSYLVAINIA
39. Contractors are not licensed in Pennsylvania. However the Department of Transportation has certain requirements for public works contractors.


RHODE ISLAND
40. If you build, repair, or remodel one- to four-family dwellings in Rhode Island, you must register with the Contractors' Registration Board. Some specialty trades must be licensed in Rhode Island.


SOUTH CAROLINA
41. To do residential building over $200 and commercial building over $5,000 in South Carolina you must be licensed.


SOUTH DAKOTA
42. South Dakota certifies or licenses only asbestos abatement, electrical and plumbing contractors.


TENNESSEE
43. You must have a license to do construction work in Tennessee.


TEXAS
44. Only specialty contractors, including HVAC, fire sprinkler systems, plumbing, and well drilling/pump installation specialists, need to be licensed in Texas.


UTAH
45. To do construction work in Utah you need a license from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Electricians and plumbers have to be licensed.


VERMONT
46. Contractors need to be certified to do asbestos or lead abatement and licensed to do electrical or plumbing work.


VIRGINIA
47. Some construction contractors must be licensed in Virginia. Trade licenses are required for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, gas fitting, asbestos abatement and lead abatement work.


WASHINGTON
48. To do construction work in Washington you must register with the Washington Department of Labor and Industries. Electricians and plumbers must be licensed.


WEST VIRGINIA
49. Construction contractors have to be licensed in West Virginia.


WISCONSIN
50. Most residential builders must have a state credential. Electricians, plumbers and some specialty trades must have a state credential.


WYOMING
51. All contractors, except electrical, are licensed at the local (city or county) level. However, the state requires everyone doing electrical work in Wyoming to be licensed.