Before you bid a job, know which license the law expects you to hold. This guide maps all 50 states across eight trades — with links to the official boards that issue the licenses — and explains the city and county layer that sits on top.
Why This Matters
Licensing is the first credibility test a customer — or a regulator — applies to your business. Working a trade without the license your state or city requires can mean stop-work orders, fines, contracts you cannot enforce, and jobs you cannot pull permits for. Keeping every license current, in every jurisdiction where you work, is basic professional hygiene.
NAIHSP members listed in the association directory should hold the license for their trade in the jurisdiction where the work is performed — and be able to show it. Use this page to check what your state requires, then confirm the details with the board itself before you bid.
Two patterns explain most of the map. Some states license contractors centrally through a state board. Others license only a few trades at the state level — most often plumbing and electrical — and leave the rest to cities and counties. A third group registers contractors without a trade exam. The table below tells you which pattern your state follows.
How to read the table
“State license required” lists the trades that need a state-issued license. Where a state registers contractors instead of licensing them, the table says so — registration is not an exam license, but it is still mandatory.
Trades not listed for a state are generally licensed locally or not licensed at all — the note for each state explains which. License design professions (landscape architects, for example) are separate from trade licenses and are flagged in the research notes.
The State Matrix
Eight trades: general contracting, roofing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, landscaping, painting, and handyman / home repair. Authority names link to the official board or agency website wherever one could be verified.
| State | Licensing authority | State license required for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Licensing Board for General Contractors; Home Builders Licensure Board; state boards for plumbing, HVAC and electrical | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Residential work is licensed through the Home Builders Licensure Board and commercial work through the Licensing Board for General Contractors. Landscaping and painting have no state contracting license. |
| Alaska | Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development — Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing (Construction Contractors) | None by exam — Alaska registers contractors instead. Registration covers: General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting · Handyman | Plumbers and electricians also need a certificate of fitness from the Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development. Handyman registration is capped at $10,000 per project. |
| Arizona | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | Licenses are issued in commercial (C) and residential (R) classifications. Unlicensed handyman work is exempt only under $1,000 in total value and when no building permit is required. |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board (Dept. of Labor & Licensing); trade boards for electrical, plumbing and HVACR | General Contracting · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | Residential roofing over $2,000 requires a Residential Roofer registration rather than a full license. Small jobs under $2,000 are generally exempt. |
| California | Contractors State License Board (CSLB), Dept. of Consumer Affairs | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | A license is required for projects of $1,000 or more in labor and materials; smaller handyman jobs below that threshold are exempt. |
| Colorado | Dept. of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) — State Plumbing Board & State Electrical Board | Plumbing · Electrical | No state general contractor license — general contractors, roofers and HVAC contractors are licensed by cities and counties. |
| Connecticut | Dept. of Consumer Protection (DCP) | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Home improvement contractors — including roofers, painters and landscapers — register with the DCP rather than holding a trade license. |
| Delaware | Division of Professional Regulation (electrical, plumbing & HVACR boards); Division of Revenue (contractor business license) | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Every contractor needs a Delaware business license through the Division of Revenue; the remaining trades have no state trade license. |
| Florida | Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Construction Industry Licensing Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Certified licenses are statewide; registered licenses are local. Painting, landscaping and handyman services are not state-licensed — and counties also register state licensees (see the local section below). |
| Georgia | Secretary of State — State Licensing Board for Residential & Commercial General Contractors; Construction Industry Licensing Board (trades) | General Contracting · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Per the Georgia Attorney General's consumer guidance, roofers, painters, drywall contractors and repair handymen are not required to be licensed by the state. |
| Hawaii | Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs — Contractors License Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | Licenses use A (general engineering), B (general building) and C (specialty) classifications. Small handyman projects under $1,500 are exempt. |
| Idaho | Division of Occupational & Professional Licenses — Idaho Contractors Board; plumbing, electrical and HVAC boards | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | General contractors register with the state (projects of $2,000 or more) rather than holding an exam license; that registration also covers roofing, painting and handyman work. |
| Illinois | Illinois Dept. of Financial & Professional Regulation (roofing); Illinois Dept. of Public Health (plumbing) | Roofing · Plumbing | No state general contractor license — general contracting, electrical and HVAC are licensed locally (see Chicago in the local section). |
| Indiana | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Indiana Plumbing Commission | Plumbing | No state general contractor license — general contracting, roofing, electrical and HVAC are licensed by cities and counties. |
| Iowa | Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (contractor registration); Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Board; Electrical Examining Board | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | All construction contractors must register with the state; that registration covers general contracting, roofing, painting and handyman work. |
| Kansas | No state contractor licensing board — local licensing; Kansas Attorney General (roofing registration) | None at state level | Roofing contractors must register with the Attorney General; every other trade is licensed by cities and counties (for example Wichita, Topeka and Johnson County). |
| Kentucky | Dept. of Housing, Buildings & Construction — plumbing, HVAC and electrical divisions | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Kentucky has no state general contractor license; the remaining trades are handled locally. |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC); State Plumbing Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | Licensing is threshold-based (commercial $50,000+, residential $75,000+, trade work $10,000+). Mid-size residential jobs use a Home Improvement registration instead of a full license. |
| Maine | Dept. of Professional & Financial Regulation — Plumbers' and Electricians' Examining Boards; Maine Fuel Board | Plumbing · Electrical | No state general contractor license. Only fuel-specific HVAC work (oil, propane and natural gas) is state-licensed, through the Maine Fuel Board. |
| Maryland | Maryland Dept. of Labor — Home Improvement Commission (MHIC); boards for plumbing, HVACR and electricians | Home Improvement Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Painting · Handyman | The MHIC license is Maryland's home-improvement license and covers roofing, painting and repair work on homes; commercial general contractors are not state-licensed. |
| Massachusetts | Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation (HIC registration); Board of Building Regulations and Standards (Construction Supervisor License); Division of Occupational Licensure (trades) | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Structural work requires a Construction Supervisor License, and work on existing homes requires Home Improvement Contractor registration — which also covers roofing and exterior painting. |
| Michigan | Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Bureau of Construction Codes | General Contracting (residential) · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Painting | Residential builders and Maintenance & Alteration contractors are licensed by trade category. Handyman work under $600 in labor and materials is exempt. |
| Minnesota | Dept. of Labor and Industry — Construction Codes and Licensing Division | General Contracting (residential) · Roofing (residential) · Plumbing · Electrical | HVAC contractors file a mechanical bond with the state rather than holding a license; single-specialty contractors such as painters and landscapers register under the contractor registration program. |
| Mississippi | Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Commercial work is licensed at $50,000 and above; residential builders, remodelers and roofers are licensed through the Board's Residential Division. |
| Missouri | Division of Professional Registration — Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors | Electrical | Missouri has no state general contractor, plumbing or HVAC license — those trades are licensed by cities and counties (for example St. Louis and Kansas City). |
| Montana | Dept. of Labor & Industry — Business Standards Division | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · Electrical · Painting | Effective January 1, 2026, Montana replaced contractor registration with a Construction Contractor License; plumbing and electrical also carry their own board licenses. There is no separate state HVAC license. |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Dept. of Labor (contractor registration); State Electrical Division | Electrical | All contractors must register with the Dept. of Labor; actual general contractor and plumbing licensing is local (for example Omaha's contractor and plumber licenses). |
| Nevada | Nevada State Contractors Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | Every contractor — including specialty subcontractors — must be licensed before bidding. Handyman work under $1,000 is exempt, but plumbing, electrical and HVAC work always requires the trade license. |
| New Hampshire | Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) — Electricians' Board; Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board | Plumbing · Electrical | New Hampshire has no state general contractor or home improvement contractor license; most other trades are unlicensed at the state level. |
| New Jersey | Division of Consumer Affairs — boards for electrical, master plumbers and HVACR; Home Improvement Contractor registration | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Home improvement contractors — including roofers, painters and handymen — register with Consumer Affairs; there is no state general contractor license. |
| New Mexico | Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping | Licenses use GB (building), EE (electrical) and MM (mechanical) classifications with GS specialty licenses. Casual handyman work up to $7,200 a year is exempt. |
| New York | No state contractor board — licensing is local; NY State Dept. of Labor (public-work contractor registry) | None at state level | New York licenses contractors city by city and county by county — see New York City in the local section. A state registry applies to contractors on public work. |
| North Carolina | Licensing Board for General Contractors; boards for electrical and for plumbing & heating; Landscape Contractors' Licensing Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping | A general contractor license is required at $40,000 and above; roofing falls under the general contractor board, and landscape contracting businesses have their own licensing board. |
| North Dakota | Secretary of State (contractor licensing); State Electrical Board; State Plumbing Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · Electrical | The Secretary of State license (projects over $4,000) is a single credential issued in classes A–D by project value; electrical and plumbing also have their own board licenses. Jobs of $4,000 or less need no license, which is where most handyman work falls. |
| Ohio | Ohio Dept. of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance — Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | OCILB licenses five commercial trades (also hydronics and refrigeration). There is no state general contractor license and residential work is local. A new statewide Home Improvement Contractor registration (HB 614) began rolling out in 2026 — verify its current status with OCILB. |
| Oklahoma | Construction Industries Board (CIB) | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Roofing contractors register with the CIB under the Roofing Contractor Registration Act. There is no state general contractor license. |
| Oregon | Construction Contractors Board (CCB); Building Codes Division (electrical & plumbing); Landscape Contractors Board | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting · Handyman | Anyone paid to work on real property needs a CCB license; landscape contracting businesses are licensed separately by the Landscape Contractors Board. |
| Pennsylvania | Office of Attorney General — Home Improvement Contractor Registration | None — registration only. Registers: General Contracting · Roofing · Landscaping · Painting · Handyman | Pennsylvania licenses plumbers, electricians and HVAC contractors locally (for example Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), not at the state level. |
| Rhode Island | Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB); Dept. of Labor and Training (trades) | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Contractors, roofers, painters and handymen must register with the CRLB; a single job under $500 is exempt unless you advertise as a contractor. |
| South Carolina | Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) — Contractors' Licensing Board; Residential Builders Commission | General Contracting · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Residential roofing and painting are handled as residential specialty registrations through the Residential Builders Commission. |
| South Dakota | Dept. of Labor & Regulation — Plumbing Commission & Electrical Commission | Plumbing · Electrical | No state general contractor license; contractors must register for the state contractor's excise tax, and cities such as Sioux Falls and Rapid City license HVAC and roofing locally. |
| Tennessee | Dept. of Commerce & Insurance — Board for Licensing Contractors | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Licenses kick in at $25,000 and above; smaller residential jobs use limited licenses, and a Home Improvement license covers handyman work of $3,000–$24,999 in specified counties. |
| Texas | Texas Dept. of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR); Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners | Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | Texas has no state general contractor license, and roofing and painting are unlicensed at the state level; landscape irrigation work is licensed by TDLR. |
| Utah | Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Dept. of Commerce | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting | Each trade has its own DOPL classification. A handyman exemption covers work under $3,000 that needs no building permit and involves no licensed trade work. |
| Vermont | Office of Professional Regulation (residential contractor registration); Division of Fire Safety (plumbing & electrical boards) | Plumbing · Electrical | Vermont has no general contractor license; residential contractors register with the state for jobs over $10,000 in labor and materials. |
| Virginia | Dept. of Professional & Occupational Regulation (DPOR) — Board for Contractors | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical · Landscaping · Painting · Handyman (home improvement specialty) | Licenses are issued as Class A, B or C by contract value, each with trade specialties; work over $1,000 requires a license. |
| Washington | Dept. of Labor & Industries (L&I) | Plumbing · Electrical | All construction contractors — including roofers, painters, landscapers and HVAC contractors — must register with L&I and carry a bond and insurance; it is registration, not an exam license. |
| West Virginia | Division of Labor — Contractor Licensing Board; Office of the State Fire Marshal (electricians) | General Contracting · Roofing · Plumbing · HVAC · Electrical | A state license is required at $5,000 and above for residential work and $25,000 and above for commercial work; landscaping and painting are excluded from the statutory definition of a contractor. |
| Wisconsin | Dept. of Safety & Professional Services (DSPS) | Plumbing · Electrical | Residential general contractors and roofers who pull permits need Dwelling Contractor and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier certifications; HVAC contractors register with DSPS. |
| Wyoming | Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety — Electrical Board (electrical only) | Electrical | Wyoming has no state contractor board — every other trade, including plumbing and HVAC, is licensed by cities and counties. |
Compiled October 2026 from official state board and agency sources. Dollar thresholds and classifications change — confirm your trade's current requirements with the board linked for your state before you bid or start work.
City & County Requirements
A state license is rarely the whole story. Most states and cities add a local layer, and it applies even in states with no state license at all. Expect some combination of these four:
Most cities and counties require a general business license or business tax receipt simply to operate — separate from any trade license.
Some jurisdictions license trades themselves — most often where the state does not. A city can require its own contractor or trade license on top of state rules.
Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are pulled job by job from the local building department, and only properly licensed contractors can pull many of them.
Many counties require state-licensed contractors to register locally before pulling permits — proof of the state license, insurance, and sometimes a local competency card.
Four examples, checked against the official sources, show how differently the local layer can work.
Anyone doing home improvement work on residential property in the five boroughs — construction, repair, remodeling, even landscaping and patios — needs a Home Improvement Contractor license from the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). Master plumber and master electrician licenses are issued separately by the NYC Department of Buildings.
DCWP license checklist →Illinois licenses only roofing and plumbing at the state level, so Chicago runs its own system: a Home Repair regulated business license from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) covers fixing and improving homes, and work that needs a building permit requires the city's General Contractor license instead.
Chicago BACP →On top of Florida's state system, Miami-Dade County issues 55+ local contractor licenses in building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical categories through the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, and runs a registration program for contractors already licensed by the state. County licenses reciprocate with Broward and Palm Beach.
Miami-Dade contractor licensing →Broward issues local Certificates of Competency through its Central Examining Boards. State-certified Florida contractors do not take a county license, but they must register with the county to pull permits in unincorporated Broward and contracted areas — and individual cities inside the county set their own rules on top.
Broward contractor licensing →Four stops, in order, before you bid work in a new jurisdiction:
Requirements change. Verify with your state board and local licensing office before starting work. This page is a starting guide, not legal advice.
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