Home improvement is where licensing gets messy. A new-home builder knows they need a license. A remodeler, a kitchen-and-bath shop, or a two-truck crew that does decks, windows and drywall often doesn’t know, because the rules change at the state line, at the county line, and at dollar amounts that range from $200 to $50,000.
Some states run a dedicated home improvement program (Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, DC). Others fold remodeling into a general contractor license with a dollar threshold (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina). A few license almost every paid job (California, Oregon, Washington). And 14 states have no statewide license at all, which pushes the rules down to cities and counties.
We checked all 50 states and DC against the licensing agency, statute or regulation wherever we could, and we flag the spots we couldn’t confirm. Current as of November 2026.
Quick answer: 33 states plus DC require a license or registration for residential remodeling work, usually above a dollar threshold. 3 more (Florida, New York and Wisconsin) regulate it partly or locally. 14 states have no statewide home improvement or general contractor license. Thresholds start as low as $200 (Connecticut and New York City) and run as high as $40,000 in North Carolina.
On this page
The Big Picture
“Home improvement contractor” means different things in different states, but the programs fall into four groups.
1. Dedicated home improvement programs. Maryland (MHIC license), New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania (HIC registrations), Massachusetts (HIC registration plus a Construction Supervisor License for structural work), and DC (HIC license) regulate home improvement as its own category. These programs focus on consumer protection: guaranty funds, insurance minimums, required contract language and salesperson licensing.
2. Contractor licenses that cover remodeling. California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, New Mexico, Virginia, Arkansas and South Carolina license residential remodelers through their general contractor or residential builder systems, usually with exams, experience requirements and a bond.
3. Size-based licenses and registrations. Alabama ($10,000), Mississippi ($10,000), Louisiana ($7,500), North Dakota ($4,000), North Carolina ($40,000), West Virginia ($5,000), Tennessee ($25,000, or $3,000 in nine counties) and Vermont ($10,000) only kick in above a dollar line. Washington, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Montana, Rhode Island and Alaska use registration, which means insurance and sometimes a bond, rarely an exam.
4. No state license. Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. In these states the city or county is the licensing authority, usually tied to building permits.
Two rules apply almost everywhere, licensed or not: electrical, plumbing and HVAC work needs its own trade license, and federal lead rules (EPA’s RRP rule) apply to paint-disturbing work in pre-1978 homes.
Where You Need a Home Improvement License or Registration
The 33 states plus DC with a statewide requirement, followed by the three that regulate remodeling partly or locally. Thresholds are labor plus materials unless noted.
| State | What You Need | When It Kicks In | Worth Knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | HBLB license | Residential jobs over $10,000 | — |
| Alaska | Registration + residential endorsement | Any paid job (handyman tier up to $10,000) | $5,000–$25,000 bond |
| Arizona | ROC license | $1,000+ or any permit | Recovery Fund or $200K bond |
| Arkansas | Home improvement license | Residential over $2,000 | Residential Remodeler covers all specialties |
| California | CSLB license | $1,000+, any permit, or any employee | Deposit cap: 10% or $1,000 |
| Connecticut | HIC registration | Residential jobs over $200 | $20,000 liability; renew by Mar 31 |
| District of Columbia | HIC license | Residential contracts of $300+ | $25,000 bond |
| Georgia | Residential-Basic license | Residential construction and remodeling | Specialty trades exempt |
| Hawaii | Contractor license | Over $1,500 or any permit | — |
| Idaho | Contractor registration | Projects over $2,000 | $300,000 liability |
| Iowa | Contractor registration | $2,000+ a year | — |
| Louisiana | HI registration; residential license | $7,500+; license over $50,000 | — |
| Maryland | MHIC license | Any residential home improvement | $50,000 liability; exam |
| Massachusetts | HIC registration (+ CSL for structural) | Owner-occupied 1–4 family, jobs over $500 | Guaranty Fund $100–$500 |
| Michigan | Residential builder or M&A license | Jobs of $600+ | 60 hours pre-licensure |
| Minnesota | Residential remodeler license | More than one special skill | Exemption under $15,000/yr |
| Mississippi | Residential remodeler license | Existing homes over $10,000 | — |
| Montana | Contractor registration | Any contractor with employees | — |
| Nebraska | Contractor registration | Any contractor doing business in NE | $40/yr |
| Nevada | NSCB license (B-2 or C class) | $1,000+ or any permit | — |
| New Jersey | HIC registration | Residential home improvement | $500,000 liability |
| New Mexico | CID license (GB-2) | Most construction work | Narrow handyman exemption |
| North Carolina | GC license (residential) | $40,000+ | — |
| North Dakota | Contractor license | Jobs over $4,000 | — |
| Oregon | CCB license (residential endorsement) | Any paid job (narrow exemption under $1,000) | 16-hour course + exam |
| Pennsylvania | HICPA registration | $5,000+ a year | Deposit cap: one-third |
| Rhode Island | Contractor registration | Residential work | $500,000 liability; 2028 license for structural |
| South Carolina | Residential builder license or specialty registration | Residential work; bond over $5,000 (specialty) | Commercial license over $10,000 |
| Tennessee | State license; HI license in 9 counties | $25,000+; $3,000–$25,000 in listed counties | — |
| Utah | DOPL license | $7,000+ (affirmation over $3,000) | Insurance floor in flux |
| Vermont | Residential contractor registration | Contracts of $10,000+ | $1M / $2M liability |
| Virginia | DPOR license (HIC specialty) | Jobs over $1,000 | — |
| Washington | L&I registration | Any paid job | $30,000 general bond |
| West Virginia | Contractor license | Residential $5,000+; commercial $25,000+ | Painting excluded |
| Partial or local regulation | |||
| Florida | CILB license for structural/permitted work | Work needing a building permit | Local trade licensing preempted |
| New York | Local licenses (NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Yonkers) | NYC: over $200 | Written contract over $500 statewide |
| Wisconsin | Dwelling Contractor credential | Pulling permits on 1–2 family homes | ATCP 110 contract rules |
Contract and Deposit Rules That Catch Remodelers
Home improvement laws often care more about your paperwork than your skills. These are the rules that most often cause problems for remodelers, separate from licensing:
| State | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Down payment capped at 10% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less | B&P 7159 |
| Maine | Written contract required over $3,000 | Home construction contracts law |
| Maryland | Contracts must carry the MHIC license number | MHIC |
| New Jersey | Written contract over $500, with a three-day cancellation notice | Contractors’ Registration Act |
| New York | Written contract required over $500 | General Business Law 771 |
| Pennsylvania | Deposit capped at one-third (contracts over $1,000) plus special-order materials; three-day right to cancel | HICPA |
| Vermont | Written contract required at $10,000 and up | Residential contractor law |
| Wisconsin | Written contract and disclosure rules for residential work | ATCP 110 |
On top of state law, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers three days to cancel most sales made at their home, and many state home improvement laws add their own cancellation notice. If you sell at the kitchen table, put the cancellation language in every contract.
Recent Law Changes You Need to Know
If you only read one section: California’s small-job exemption is $1,000 with no employees and no permit. Utah’s is now $7,000. Rhode Island adds a license for structural remodeling in 2028, and Washington’s bonds more than doubled.
Minor-work exemption doubled: California’s $1,000 rule
AB 2622 raised California’s exemption from $500 to $1,000 on January 1, 2025, but only for jobs with no permit and no employees, and only if your ads say you’re not licensed. SB 1455 pushed universal workers’ comp for licensees to January 1, 2028.
Small-job ceiling raised: Utah goes to $7,000
HB 483 (2024) raised Utah’s unlicensed limit from $3,000 to just under $7,000, with an insurance affirmation required on jobs over $3,000.
New license coming: Rhode Island structural remodeling (2028)
From January 1, 2028, builders of new homes and structural remodelers in Rhode Island need a license on top of their registration. Nonstructural home improvement stays registration-only.
Bonds more than doubled: Washington (July 2024)
Washington’s general contractor bond went from $12,000 to $30,000 and the specialty bond from $6,000 to $15,000, phased in at renewal.
Thresholds raised: Alabama and South Carolina commercial work
Alabama’s General Contractors board now starts at $100,000 (Act 2024-277, October 2024), and South Carolina’s commercial license starts over $10,000 (Act 69 of 2023). Residential rules in both states didn’t change.
Fees up: Oregon and Nebraska
Oregon’s CCB license went to $400 on July 1, 2025, and Nebraska’s contractor registration became $40 a year on August 1, 2026.
State-by-State Breakdown
Every state and DC, with the agency, what triggers the requirement, and the rules remodelers miss. Red chips in the jump bar are states with a statewide license or registration.
Jump to your state
Alabama License Over $10K
Issuing Agency: Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board
What you need: A Home Builders Licensure Board license for residential remodeling, repair or improvement work once the job costs more than $10,000. That covers kitchens, baths, additions and big exterior jobs on existing homes.
Commercial: Commercial work moves to the General Contractors board at $100,000 or more (up from $50,000 on October 1, 2024, under Act 2024-277).
Under $10,000, Alabama has no state remodeling license; local business licenses still apply.
Alaska Registration + Endorsement
Issuing Agency: Alaska Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing
What you need: Every contractor registers with the state. A general contractor who remodels homes also needs the residential contractor endorsement. Handymen can register for jobs of $10,000 or less in labor and materials.
Bonds: $25,000 for a general contractor, $20,000 for residential-only work ($25,000 if you take any commercial work), $10,000 for specialty contractors and $5,000 for handymen.
Insurance: $20,000 property damage and $50,000 per person / $100,000 per occurrence bodily injury (AS 08.18.101), plus workers’ comp for employees.
Arizona License Required ($1,000+)
Issuing Agency: Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
What you need: An ROC license for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, or any job that needs a permit. Remodelers usually carry a general residential class or the matching specialty (cabinets, flooring, painting, and so on).
Residential extras: Residential licensees pay into the Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund or post a separate $200,000 bond, on top of the license bond.
Handyman exemption: Under $1,000, no permit, casual or minor work only, and you must advertise as “not a licensed contractor.” Unlicensed contracting is a class 1 misdemeanor (A.R.S. 32-1164).
Arkansas License Over $2,000
Issuing Agency: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board
What you need: A home improvement license for residential projects over $2,000 in labor and materials. You can license by specialty (38 of them, from drywall to kitchen and bath renovations) or as a Residential Remodeler, which covers every specialty plus additions.
Commercial: A commercial license applies at $50,000 or more.
California License Required ($1,000+)
Issuing Agency: Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
What you need: A CSLB license, usually the B General Building class for remodels, for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Since January 1, 2025 (AB 2622), the under-$1,000 exemption also requires no permit and no employees on the job.
Licensing: Four years of journey-level experience, the Law & Business exam plus a trade exam, and a $25,000 contractor bond. Salespeople who sell home improvement jobs need their own Home Improvement Salesperson registration.
Contract rules: Home improvement contracts must follow Business and Professions Code 7159, and the down payment can’t exceed 10% of the contract or $1,000, whichever is less.
Workers’ comp: Required for every licensee, employees or not, from January 1, 2028 (pushed back from 2026 by SB 1455). An unlicensed contractor can’t sue to collect (B&P 7031).
Colorado No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Denver, Colorado Springs and many other cities license contractors who pull building permits, and most real remodels need one.
Check the city and county where the job is before you quote anything structural, electrical or plumbing-adjacent.
Connecticut Registration Required
Issuing Agency: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP)
What you need: Home Improvement Contractor registration. The statute’s definition covers residential repair, remodeling and improvement jobs over $200, and DCP’s guide says you must register once you charge more than $1,000 in home improvement contracts within 12 months.
Cost and insurance: $220 a year, part of which goes to the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund. Registrations lapse March 31, and you need general liability coverage of at least $20,000.
Salespeople: Anyone selling home improvement jobs for you needs a separate salesperson registration.
Delaware Business License Only
Issuing Agency: Delaware Division of Revenue
Delaware has no home improvement license, but every contractor needs a state business license ($75 a year) and pays gross receipts tax of 0.6537% after a $100,000-a-month exclusion.
Out-of-state contractors: Non-residents post a bond equal to 6% of any Delaware contract over $20,000.
District of Columbia License Required ($300+)
Issuing Agency: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP)
What you need: A Home Improvement Contractor basic business license for residential contracts of $300 or more. Repeat contracts with the same homeowner within 12 months count together.
Requirements: A $288.20 fee, a $25,000 surety bond, liability insurance, tax registration, a police criminal history report, and at least one licensed Home Improvement Salesperson.
Florida License for Permitted Work
Florida has no separate home improvement license, but remodeling that touches structure or needs a building permit requires a state-certified or registered contractor (building, residential or general) from the Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Cosmetic work like painting, flooring and cabinet refacing usually doesn’t need a state license. Since HB 735 (2021), cities and counties can’t license trades the state doesn’t license, so local handyman or painting cards are gone.
Georgia Residential License
Issuing Agency: Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors
What you need: A Residential-Basic license for residential construction and remodeling work; larger commercial work needs a Residential-Light Commercial or General Contractor license.
Specialty trades: The board treats trades like painting, flooring and cabinets as specialty work outside the license, and specialty contractors can take on related work outside their trade only up to the greater of $10,000 or 25% of the job.
Check the board’s current rules for small-job exemptions before you take unlicensed remodeling work.
Hawaii License Over $1,500
Issuing Agency: Hawaii Contractors License Board
What you need: A contractor license (B General Building for remodels, or the matching C specialty) for any job over $1,500 in labor and materials, or any job that needs a building permit (HRS 444-2).
Licensing takes documented experience, the board’s exams and proof of financial responsibility.
Idaho Registration Over $2,000
Issuing Agency: Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
What you need: Contractor registration (no exam) once a project tops $2,000.
Insurance: $300,000 in general liability, plus workers’ comp for employees. Registration renews every year.
Illinois No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. The state licenses roofers only.
Chicago licenses general contractors for permitted work, and many suburbs require contractor registration, so check each city.
Indiana No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Indianapolis and other cities license contractors who pull permits.
Iowa Registration ($2,000+/yr)
Issuing Agency: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing
What you need: Contractor registration once you earn $2,000 or more a year in construction. The fee is $50, with no exam.
Kansas No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Johnson County, Wichita and other local governments license contractors, mostly for permitted work.
Kentucky No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Kentucky licenses electrical, plumbing and HVAC work separately, and cities may require business licenses.
Louisiana Registration $7,500+
Issuing Agency: Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC)
What you need: Home improvement registration for work on existing homes valued at $7,500 or more. Once a residential job exceeds $50,000, you need a residential building contractor license instead.
Commercial: A commercial license applies at $50,000 or more. Mold remediation is licensed from $7,500, and lead or asbestos abatement from $1.
Maine No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license.
Contract rule: Maine’s home construction contracts law requires a written contract for residential jobs over $3,000.
Maryland License Required (MHIC)
Issuing Agency: Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC)
What you need: An MHIC contractor license for home improvement work on existing residential buildings, with no dollar floor.
Requirements: Two years of trade experience, the PSI exam and $50,000 in liability insurance. The 2-year license costs $281.25 plus a $22.50 processing fee and a $100 Guaranty Fund assessment; renewal is $281.25 plus $175 to the Fund.
Salespeople: Anyone selling jobs for you needs an MHIC salesperson license.
Massachusetts HIC + Supervisor License
Issuing Agency: Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (HIC program)
What you need: Home Improvement Contractor registration for work on existing owner-occupied 1- to 4-family homes. The state’s guidance chart applies it to jobs over $500, or more than $5,000 a year in total.
Structural work: Jobs that need a building permit, such as structural carpentry, roofing, siding, windows and demolition, also need a Construction Supervisor License on the job.
Cost: $150 to register, plus a Guaranty Fund payment from $100 (0 to 3 employees) up to $500 (more than 30). Renewal is $100 every two years.
Michigan License $600+
Issuing Agency: Michigan LARA (Residential Builders and M&A Contractors)
What you need: A residential builder license, or a maintenance and alteration (M&A) license for single trades like carpentry, roofing or siding, for residential jobs of $600 or more (MCL 339.2403).
Licensing: 60 hours of pre-licensure education and a state exam. Painting was removed from the M&A license in 2018, so paint-only work needs no license.
Minnesota License (2+ Skills)
Issuing Agency: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
What you need: A residential remodeler license if you contract directly with homeowners for more than one “special skill” (carpentry, interior finishing, roofing and so on). Single-skill specialty contractors don’t need one, except roofers.
Small operators: Contractors with less than $15,000 a year in residential receipts can file for a certificate of exemption instead.
Mississippi License Over $10K
Issuing Agency: Mississippi State Board of Contractors
What you need: A residential remodeler license for work on an existing home that costs more than $10,000. New homes over $50,000 need a residential builder license.
Commercial: A commercial certificate of responsibility is required at $50,000 or more (Miss. Code 31-3-1).
Missouri No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Kansas City, St. Louis and other cities require business licenses, and some license contractors for permitted work.
Montana Registration (Employers)
Issuing Agency: Montana Department of Labor & Industry
What you need: Construction contractor registration is mandatory once you have employees. The application fee is $70, and the crew needs Montana workers’ comp.
Nebraska Registration Required
Issuing Agency: Nebraska Department of Labor
What you need: Every contractor doing business in Nebraska, subcontractors included, registers with the Department of Labor. There’s no exam.
Cost: $40 a year since August 1, 2026. Contractors with employees must keep a workers’ comp certificate on file.
Nevada License Required ($1,000+)
Issuing Agency: Nevada State Contractors Board
What you need: An NSCB license, usually B-2 Residential and Small Commercial for remodels, or the matching C specialty. The handyman exemption stops at $1,000 including labor and materials, and doesn’t apply to work that needs a permit.
Licensing: Exams, verified experience, a financial review and a bond the board sets from your monetary limit. Residential contractors also fall under Nevada’s residential recovery fund. An unlicensed contractor can’t sue to collect (NRS 624.320).
New Hampshire No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Town rules vary, and the state attorney general handles home improvement fraud complaints.
New Jersey Registration Required
Issuing Agency: New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
What you need: Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Division of Consumer Affairs, shown on your contracts, ads and vehicles.
Cost and insurance: $110 to register, then $90 to renew each year by March 31. You need commercial general liability of at least $500,000 per occurrence.
Contract rule: Home improvement contracts over $500 must be in writing and include the registration number and a three-day cancellation notice.
New Mexico License Required
Issuing Agency: New Mexico Construction Industries Division
What you need: A CID license for construction work, usually GB-2 (residential) for remodels, or the matching GS specialty (drywall GS-7, plaster and stucco GS-30, siding GS-31, and others).
Handyman work: New Mexico has a narrow handyman exemption for minor, unpermitted work. Confirm the current limits with CID before relying on it.
New York Local Licenses Only
Issuing Agencies: NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and county consumer affairs offices
State: New York State doesn’t license home improvement contractors, but General Business Law 771 requires a written contract for home improvement jobs over $500.
New York City: A DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license for residential jobs over $200. The license runs on a two-year cycle ($200 for a full term), requires a 30-question exam and fingerprinting, plus a $200 Trust Fund payment or a $20,000 bond. Salespeople need their own license.
Counties: Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties license home improvement contractors, and Yonkers has its own city license ($400, with $100,000/$300,000 liability coverage). A job in each county needs that county’s license.
Paint-only work is excluded from NYC’s license unless it’s part of a remodel (Admin. Code 20-386).
North Carolina License $40K+
Issuing Agency: North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors
What you need: A general contractor license, with a residential classification for home work, for any project of $40,000 or more. Below $40,000, there’s no state license for general remodeling.
Trades: Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work needs its own state license at any dollar amount.
North Dakota License Over $4,000
Issuing Agency: North Dakota Secretary of State
What you need: A contractor license for any job over $4,000. Licenses are classed A through D by the size of job you can take, from $100 (Class D) to $450 (Class A), and renew by March 1 each year.
Ohio No State License
Ohio’s state contractor licenses cover commercial electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration only. Many Ohio cities require contractor registration, so check the city where the job is.
Oklahoma No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Oklahoma’s statewide contractor registration covers roofers only.
Oregon License Required
Issuing Agency: Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
What you need: A CCB license with a residential endorsement for any paid home improvement work. Applicants complete 16 hours of pre-license training and pass an 80-question exam.
Cost and bonds: $400 for a two-year license since July 1, 2025. Residential general contractors carry a $25,000 bond and residential specialty contractors $20,000.
Small jobs: Exempt only under $1,000 per project for “casual, minor or inconsequential” work, and only if you don’t advertise as a contractor (ORS 701.010).
Pennsylvania Registration ($5,000+/yr)
Issuing Agency: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (HICPA)
What you need: Home Improvement Contractor registration if you do $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year. Subcontractors register too.
Cost and insurance: $50 for two years, with $50,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage coverage.
Contract rules: Contracts must be written and signed, include a three-day right to cancel, and deposits on contracts over $1,000 can’t exceed one-third of the price plus special-order materials.
Rhode Island Registration Required
Issuing Agency: Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board
What you need: Contractor registration, with a 5-hour pre-registration course, $500,000 in liability insurance, workers’ comp for employees, a $150 fee and 2.5 hours of continuing education at each renewal.
Coming in 2028: Starting January 1, 2028, builders of new homes and contractors doing structural remodeling need a license on top of registration. Nonstructural home improvement stays registration-only.
South Carolina License or Registration
Issuing Agency: South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (LLR)
What you need: A residential builder license (with a $15,000 bond) for general residential construction and remodeling. Single-trade remodelers register as residential specialty contractors, and need a bond once a job tops $5,000.
Commercial: The Contractor’s Licensing Board licenses commercial work over $10,000 (raised from $5,000 by Act 69 of 2023).
South Dakota No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. South Dakota licenses electricians and plumbers. Check city rules in Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
Tennessee License $25K+ (Lower in 9 Counties)
Issuing Agency: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors
Statewide: A contractor license is required for projects of $25,000 or more.
Home improvement license: In Bradley, Davidson, Haywood, Hamilton, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, residential remodeling jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license.
Texas No State License
Texas doesn’t license home improvement or general contractors. The Texas Residential Construction Commission, which registered home builders and remodelers, was abolished in 2009.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work are licensed by the state, and a few cities register contractors for permitted work.
Utah License $7,000+
Issuing Agency: Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)
What you need: A DOPL license, usually R100 Residential and Small Commercial or B100 General Building for remodels, or the matching specialty.
Small jobs: The handyman exemption now runs to just under $7,000 in labor and materials (raised from $3,000 by HB 483 in 2024). Jobs over $3,000 require a one-time affirmation to DOPL that you carry liability insurance and, if you have employees, workers’ comp.
Insurance floor: DOPL’s rule long required $100,000 per incident and $300,000 aggregate. A broker reports a 2026 increase to $1,000,000 / $2,000,000 that we couldn’t confirm with DOPL, so check before you renew.
Vermont Registration $10K+
Issuing Agency: Vermont Office of Professional Regulation
What you need: Residential contractor registration for any residential contract of $10,000 or more in labor and materials, plus a written contract for those jobs. Fees are $75 for individuals and $250 for business organizations, renewed every two years.
Insurance: $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. A 2026 bill (H.718) would set up a task force on the registry rather than add licensing.
Virginia License Over $1,000
Issuing Agency: Virginia DPOR, Board for Contractors
What you need: A contractor license for jobs over $1,000. Remodelers typically carry the Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) specialty, which requires its own exam. Class C covers single jobs under $30,000 (under $250,000 a year), Class B up to $150,000, and Class A anything larger.
Requirements: An 8-hour pre-license course for the business’s designee. Class A and B licenses add net-worth and experience requirements.
Washington Registration Required
Issuing Agency: Washington Department of Labor & Industries
What you need: Contractor registration as a general contractor (remodelers) or specialty contractor (single trades). There’s no exam.
Bond and insurance: $30,000 general or $15,000 specialty bond (up from $12,000 and $6,000 on July 1, 2024), and $200,000 public liability plus $50,000 property damage, or a $250,000 combined single limit. Unregistered contractors can’t sue to collect (RCW 18.27.080).
West Virginia License $5,000+
Issuing Agency: West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board (W. Va. Code 30-42)
What you need: A contractor license for residential jobs of $5,000 or more and commercial jobs of $25,000 or more.
Exclusions: The law excludes painting and landscaping services, so paint-only shops don’t need the license.
Wisconsin Credential for Permits
Wisconsin has no general home improvement license. Contractors who pull building permits for one- and two-family homes need a Dwelling Contractor credential and a certified qualifier, which takes continuing education.
Wisconsin’s home improvement practices rule (ATCP 110) also sets contract and disclosure requirements for residential work.
Wyoming No State License
There’s no state home improvement or general contractor license. Some cities license contractors locally.
Thresholds are labor plus materials unless noted. Sources are the agencies, statutes and regulations linked in each state block, checked November 2026. We couldn’t confirm Georgia’s small-job exemption, New Mexico’s handyman limits or Utah’s 2026 insurance change with the agencies, and say so in those blocks. Rules change, so confirm with the agency before you bid.
Employees, Subs and Salespeople
- Salespeople need their own credential in several places. California (Home Improvement Salesperson registration), Maryland (MHIC salesperson license), Connecticut (salesperson registration), DC (salesperson license) and New York City (DCWP salesperson license) all license the person who sells the job, not just the company.
- Subcontractors usually register too. Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Washington require subs to register, and Louisiana requires licenses for subs on commercial jobs of $50,000 or more.
- Your first hire changes things. California’s $1,000 exemption disappears with any employee on the job, and Montana’s registration is triggered by having employees. Workers’ comp becomes mandatory in most states once you hire, though a few only require it at three to five employees, and Texas lets private employers opt out.
- Licensed trades stay licensed. A remodeling license almost never covers electrical, plumbing, gas or HVAC work. Sub it out to a licensed trade or hold that license yourself.
- Older homes bring lead rules. Paint-disturbing work in pre-1978 homes needs EPA RRP firm certification and a certified renovator on the job. See our painting license guide for the details.
City and County Rules
In the 14 no-license states, and in New York, local rules are the real licensing system:
- New York City. DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license for residential jobs over $200, with a 30-question exam and a Trust Fund payment or $20,000 bond.
- Long Island and the Hudson Valley. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties each license home improvement contractors, and Yonkers has its own city license. Working in three counties means three licenses.
- Tennessee’s nine counties. Bradley, Davidson (Nashville), Haywood, Hamilton (Chattanooga), Knox (Knoxville), Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby (Memphis) require a state home improvement license for residential jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000.
- Permit-based cities. Denver, Chicago, Indianapolis, Kansas City and many Ohio cities license or register contractors who pull permits. If the job needs a permit, assume the city wants your license number on it.
Working Without a License
- You may not get paid. California (B&P 7031), Arizona (A.R.S. 32-1153), Nevada (NRS 624.320), Oregon (ORS 701.131) and Washington (RCW 18.27.080) bar unlicensed or unregistered contractors from suing to collect. California also lets the homeowner sue to recover what they already paid.
- It can be a crime. Unlicensed contracting is a class 1 misdemeanor in Arizona, and California, Nevada and Washington also treat it as a criminal offense.
- Homeowners can use it against you. In registration states, a missing registration number on the contract can make the contract harder to enforce and hand the homeowner leverage in any dispute.
Running a Remodeling Business Once You’re Licensed
- Know the neighboring licenses. General contractor license requirements by state covers new construction and commercial work, and handyman license requirements by state covers small-job limits.
- Get the insurance right. Contractor insurance requirements by state breaks down liability, workers’ comp and bonds.
- Quote faster. How to quote a job over the phone without losing it walks through quoting from the first call.
- Invoice the same day. Our free invoice generator for trades gets a clean invoice out before you leave the job.
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FAQ
Do I need a license to do home improvement work?
In 33 states plus DC, yes, once the job crosses that state’s threshold: $200 in Connecticut, $300 in DC, $1,000 in California, Arizona, Nevada and Virginia, $10,000 in Alabama, Mississippi and Vermont, and $40,000 in North Carolina. Maryland’s MHIC license has no dollar floor. 14 states have no statewide license, but cities and counties often license contractors who pull permits.
What’s the difference between a home improvement license and a general contractor license?
A home improvement license or registration covers work on existing homes and focuses on consumer protection: guaranty funds, insurance minimums, contract rules and salesperson licensing. A general contractor license usually covers new construction and commercial work too, and more often requires exams and financial statements. Some states, like California and Oregon, use one license for both.
Which states have the lowest home improvement thresholds?
Connecticut’s definition starts at jobs over $200, New York City’s license also applies over $200, DC starts at $300, Massachusetts at $500, and Michigan at $600. Maryland, New Jersey and Washington regulate home improvement work without a meaningful dollar floor.
How much deposit can a remodeler take?
It depends on the state. California caps the down payment at 10% of the contract or $1,000, whichever is less. Pennsylvania caps deposits at one-third of the price (plus special-order materials) on contracts over $1,000. Many other states don’t cap deposits but require written contracts and cancellation notices.
Do home improvement salespeople need a license?
In some places, yes. California, Maryland, Connecticut, DC and New York City license or register home improvement salespeople separately from the contractor, so anyone selling jobs for you needs their own credential.
Can I do electrical or plumbing work under a home improvement license?
Almost never. Electrical, plumbing, gas and HVAC work need their own trade licenses in nearly every state, even when your remodeling license covers the rest of the job.
Does Texas require a license for remodeling?
No. Texas has no state home improvement or general contractor license, since the Texas Residential Construction Commission was abolished in 2009. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work are still licensed, and some cities register contractors who pull permits.
Bottom Line
If you remodel homes in one of the 33 states (or DC) with a statewide program, find your threshold and get licensed or registered before your jobs cross it. The fine is the small risk; not being able to collect on a finished kitchen is the big one.
If you’re in one of the 14 no-license states, your city or county is the licensing authority, and the permit office will ask for your number. And everywhere, the paperwork matters as much as the license: written contracts, deposit limits, cancellation notices and registration numbers on every contract.
