50 States + DC
State Contractor License Boards — All 50 States
Every state board at a glance
| State | Licensing Authority | Threshold | Bond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors → Separate Home Builders Licensure Board for residential. | $50,000+ (GC); $2,500+ (residential/swimming pool) | No state bond; project-specific |
| Alaska (AK) | Alaska Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing → Arctic Engineer endorsement required for projects north of the 64th parallel. | All contractors | $25,000 (GC); $10,000 (specialty); $5,000 (handyman) |
| Arizona (AZ) | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) → Separate classes for residential, commercial, dual. | All work $1,000+ | $1,000–$200,000+ tiered by license class |
| Arkansas (AR) | Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board → Residential Builders & HVACR licensed separately. | $50,000+ (commercial); $2,000+ (residential) | Project-specific |
| California (CA) | Contractors State License Board (CSLB) → Classes A (engineering), B (general building), B-2 (residential remodeling), C-## (43 specialty classes). | $500+ in labor and materials | $25,000 contractor bond |
| Colorado (CO) | No state-level GC license — regulated locally → Electrical & plumbing licensed at state level (DORA). | Varies by city/county | Local |
| Connecticut (CT) | CT Dept. of Consumer Protection → Major Contractor registration for projects $100K+. | Home improvement $200+; new home construction registration required | Varies |
| Delaware (DE) | Delaware Division of Revenue (business license) → Trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) licensed by DPR. | All contractors | Required for non-resident contractors |
| Florida (FL) | FL Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) → Certified vs Registered tiers; financial responsibility waiver if FICO 660+. | All construction work statewide (Certified) or county (Registered) | $10,000–$20,000 or financial responsibility |
| Georgia (GA) | GA State Licensing Board for Residential & General Contractors → Residential-Basic, Residential-Light Commercial, General Contractor classes. | $2,500+ residential; all commercial | $25,000+ (varies by class) |
| Hawaii (HI) | HI Contractors License Board (DCCA) → Classes A (general engineering), B (general building), C (specialty). | All work $1,000+ (or requiring permit) | No state bond; financial statement required |
| Idaho (ID) | Idaho Contractors Board (Div. of Occupational & Professional Licenses) → Public works contractors license required for tax-funded projects. | All commercial/residential contracting | None state-mandated |
| Illinois (IL) | Plumbing & roofing state-licensed; GC regulated locally → Chicago, Cook County, and most municipalities issue GC licenses. | Local for GC; state for roofing/plumbing | $10,000 roofing |
| Indiana (IN) | Plumbing Commission state-level; GC by local jurisdiction → No statewide GC license. | Local for GC | Local |
| Iowa (IA) | Iowa Division of Labor — Contractor Registration → Registration only — not a license. Electrical/plumbing licensed separately. | $2,000+ aggregate annually | $25,000 (out-of-state) |
| Kansas (KS) | No state GC license — regulated locally → Cities/counties issue GC licenses; trades (electrical/plumbing) often local too. | Local | Local |
| Kentucky (KY) | KY Dept. of Housing, Buildings & Construction (HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical) → No statewide GC license requirement. | State for HVAC/plumbing/electrical; local GC | Varies |
| Louisiana (LA) | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) → Major classifications: Building Construction, Heavy, Highway, Specialty. | $50,000+ commercial; $75,000+ residential; $10,000+ HM/mold/electrical | Financial statement required |
| Maine (ME) | No state GC license — local → Electricians, plumbers, HVAC, oil/gas licensed at state level. | Local | Local |
| Maryland (MD) | MD Home Improvement Commission (DLLR) → Separate state Home Builder Registration for new home construction. | Home improvement $1.00+ | Guaranty fund $300+ contribution |
| Massachusetts (MA) | MA Office of Public Safety — Construction Supervisor License (CSL) → CSL + HIC registration both typically needed for residential remodeling. | Buildings <35,000 cu ft / residential structures | $10K Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) |
| Michigan (MI) | MI Dept. of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs (LARA) → Residential Builder & Maintenance & Alteration Contractor licenses. | Residential $600+; commercial via Bldg Officials | None state-mandated |
| Minnesota (MN) | MN Dept. of Labor & Industry — Construction Codes & Licensing → Residential Building, Residential Remodeler, Residential Roofer licenses. | Residential building $15,000+/yr aggregate | $15,000 Contractor Recovery Fund |
| Mississippi (MS) | MS State Board of Contractors → Certificate of Responsibility required to bid public projects $50K+. | $50,000+ commercial; $50,000+ residential | None state-mandated |
| Missouri (MO) | No state GC license — local → Cities (Kansas City, St. Louis) license GCs. | Local | Local |
| Montana (MT) | MT Dept. of Labor & Industry — Independent Contractor Registration → Construction Contractor Registration is mandatory; electrical & plumbing have separate state licenses. | All construction contractors using employees (registration) | Workers' comp & UI required |
| Nebraska (NE) | NE Dept. of Labor — Contractor Registration → Registration only — local jurisdictions license. | All contractors | Workers' comp required |
| Nevada (NV) | Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) → Classes A (general engineering), B (general building), C (specialty). | All work $1,000+ | $1,000–$500,000 tiered by monetary limit |
| New Hampshire (NH) | No state GC license — local → Electrical, plumbing, gas-fitting state-licensed. | Local | Local |
| New Jersey (NJ) | NJ Division of Consumer Affairs — Home Improvement Contractor Registration → New Home Warranty Program separate. Trades licensed by their own boards. | Home improvement $500+ | $500,000 commercial GL insurance |
| New Mexico (NM) | NM Construction Industries Division (CID) → GB-98, GB-2, GA-1, mechanical, electrical, plumbing classes. | All work $7,200+ | None state-mandated; financial responsibility |
| New York (NY) | No state GC license — NYC & local → NYC Dept. of Buildings issues GC, HIC, master plumber, master electrician. | Local | Local |
| North Carolina (NC) | NC Licensing Board for General Contractors → Building, Residential, Highway, Public Utilities, Specialty classifications. | $40,000+ | Financial statement (tiered: Limited/Intermediate/Unlimited) |
| North Dakota (ND) | ND Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing → Classes 1 (>$500K), 2 ($300K–$500K), 3 ($100K–$300K), 4 ($4K–$100K). | $4,000+ | None state-mandated |
| Ohio (OH) | OH Construction Industry Licensing Board (HVAC/Plumb/Elec/Refrig/Hydronic) → No statewide GC license. | State for commercial trades; local for GC | Varies |
| Oklahoma (OK) | OK Construction Industries Board (CIB) → No statewide GC license. | State for HVAC, electrical, plumbing, roofing; local for GC | $5,000 (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing) |
| Oregon (OR) | Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) → Residential General, Residential Specialty, Commercial General, Commercial Specialty endorsements. | All construction work | $10,000–$75,000 tiered by class |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | PA Attorney General — Home Improvement Contractor Registration → No state GC license for commercial; HIC registration for residential remodeling. | Home improvement $5,000+/yr aggregate | GL insurance required ($50K BI / $50K PD) |
| Rhode Island (RI) | RI Contractors' Registration & Licensing Board (CRLB) → Residential, Commercial Roofing, Home Improvement registrations. | All construction work | GL insurance ($500K) required |
| South Carolina (SC) | SC Contractor's Licensing Board (LLR) → General, Mechanical, Specialty contractor classes; residential builder separate. | Commercial $5,000+; residential builder all new construction | Financial statement |
| South Dakota (SD) | No state GC license — local + Dept. of Revenue contractor's excise tax license → Plumbing and electrical state-licensed. | Excise tax license for all contractors | Local |
| Tennessee (TN) | TN Board for Licensing Contractors → Home Improvement license for residential remodel $3K–$25K. | $25,000+ (GC); $3,000+ (HVAC/electrical/plumbing/masonry) | Financial statement (tiered monetary limit) |
| Texas (TX) | TX Dept. of Licensing & Regulation (electrical, HVAC, plumbing) → GCs not licensed at state level; municipalities may require. | State for trades; no state GC license | Trade-specific |
| Utah (UT) | UT Div. of Occupational & Professional Licensing (DOPL) → General Building (B100), General Engineering (E100), Residential & Small Commercial (R100), specialty subclasses. | All construction work | Financial responsibility / surety required |
| Vermont (VT) | VT Office of Professional Regulation — Residential Contractor Registration → Electrical & plumbing state-licensed; commercial GC by local jurisdiction. | Residential work $10,000+ | GL insurance recommended |
| Virginia (VA) | VA Board for Contractors (DPOR) → Class A (>$120K/$750K agg), Class B ($10K–$120K), Class C ($1K–$10K). | $1,000+ | Financial statement |
| Washington (WA) | WA Dept. of Labor & Industries — Contractor Registration → General vs Specialty registration; electrical & plumbing separate state licenses. | All contractors | $12,000 GC bond; $6,000 specialty |
| West Virginia (WV) | WV Division of Labor — Contractor Licensing → General Building, Residential, Specialty, Heavy/Highway classifications. | $2,500+ work value | None state-mandated |
| Wisconsin (WI) | WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services (DSPS) → Commercial GC regulated locally; trades licensed at state level. | Dwelling Contractor & Dwelling Contractor Qualifier for residential 1- & 2-family | None state-mandated |
| Wyoming (WY) | No state GC license — local + electrical state board → Electrical licensed by State Fire Marshal. | Local | Local |
| District of Columbia (DC) | DC Dept. of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA / DLCP) → Trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) separately licensed. | Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) for residential; General Contractor for commercial | HIC bond $25,000 |
How state licensing actually works
States fall into three patterns. State-licensed GC jurisdictions (CA, FL, NV, NC, TN, VA, OR, WA, LA, MS, AL, AK, HI, MN, MD, NJ, NM, ND, RI, SC, UT, WV, plus DC) require a board-issued license before you can pull a permit or sign a contract above their threshold. Trade-only state jurisdictions (CO, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MO, MT, NH, NY, OH, OK, PA, SD, TX, WY) license electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors at the state level but leave general contracting to cities. Mixed jurisdictions (AZ, GA, IA, MA, MI) split coverage between the state board and local authority.
Trades — electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC — are almost always state-licensed, even in states where general contractors aren't. If you're a sub, your state board is the first stop regardless of where you work.
Multi-state contractors: practical tips
- Maintain a separate qualifying agent per state where possible. Most state boards require the qualifying agent to be an officer or employee of the entity — using a third-party qualifier ("license rental") is illegal in CA, NV, AZ, and others.
- File a foreign entity registration in every state where you'll contract. The contractor license is separate from the Secretary of State registration; you need both.
- Bond once per state. Most state bonds are not transferable across states. Budget $400–$2,000 in annual bond premium per state for a typical commercial contractor.
- Use the southern reciprocity pact. AL, AR, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN reciprocate on trade exams — pass once, waive the exam in the others. Application, fees, and bond are still required.
- Track license renewals centrally. Licenses expire on different cycles per state. Lapse penalties can include stop-work orders and disqualification from awarded public projects.