Alphabetical. Search by state name or agency, or filter by region. Start with the licensing note: the threshold that requires a license is the number most people learn the expensive way. New here? The plain-language guide explains every term on these cards.
South
AlabamaAL
Licensing: General contractor license required when project cost is $50,000 or more (swimming pools over $5,000, per Ala. Code 34-8-1). Residential construction or remodeling exceeding $10,000 requires a separate Home Builders Licensure Board license (hblb.alabama.gov).
Workers comp: Businesses with five or more employees must carry coverage; the employee count includes full- and part-time workers, corporate officers, and LLC members.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
AlaskaAK
Licensing: Contractors must register with DCCED: surety bond ($25,000 general; $20,000 general with residential endorsement; $10,000 specialty and mechanical; $5,000 handyman for projects $10,000 or less), liability insurance, and workers' comp. Residential contractor endorsement requires a 16-hour cold-climate course plus exam.
Workers comp: Every employer with one or more employees in Alaska must carry workers' comp; sole proprietors, partners, and 10-percent-plus owner-officers and LLC members are excluded from mandatory self-coverage.
Tax note: No state sales tax or individual income tax; local municipal sales taxes may apply.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
ArizonaAZ
Licensing: ROC license required when a project's entire cost, including labor and materials, is over $1,000 or the work requires a municipal permit; below both triggers, work is generally exempt.
Workers comp: Required for any employer who regularly hires even one worker, part-time or family included; sole proprietors with no employees are not required to cover themselves.
Tax note: Prime contractors owe TPT on modification-project gross receipts; MRRA-only contractors instead pay tax on materials at purchase.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Home stateSouth
ArkansasAR
Licensing: Commercial license required for projects $50,000 or more, labor and materials included; residential builder or remodeler license required for single-family work over $2,000; home-improvement specialty and subcontractor registrations also exist.
Workers comp: Most employers with three or more employees must carry coverage; exceptions run both ways, so smaller employers should confirm status with AWCC.
Local depth: our NWA permit guides, contractor roster and funding directory go deeper for Benton and Washington counties.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
CaliforniaCA
Licensing: License required when a job totals $1,000 or more, labor plus materials; AB 2622 raised the old $500 exemption effective Jan. 1, 2025. Exemption is void if the work needs a building permit or the person employs anyone.
Workers comp: Required with even one employee; C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 and D-49 licensees must carry it with no employees; SB 291 (2025) delayed the all-licensee mandate to Jan. 1, 2028.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
ColoradoCO
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor license; cities and counties license GCs locally. The state licenses electricians and plumbers through DORA's State Electrical Board and State Plumbing Board.
Workers comp: All businesses with employees must carry coverage regardless of number of employees, including part-time and family-member employees.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
ConnecticutCT
Licensing: Home Improvement Contractor registration ($220 per year, $20,000 liability insurance) required for residential work over $200; new home construction contractors register separately. Major Contractor license (DCP Occupational & Professional Licensing) covers structural work above CGS 29-276b thresholds. Trade-licensed work exempt from HIC.
Workers comp: All Connecticut employers must carry workers' compensation insurance for employees, with few exceptions; corporate officers and LLC members may elect exclusion, and sole proprietors must opt in.
Tax note: All building contractors, including subcontractors, must obtain a DRS Sales and Use Tax Permit before providing any services.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
DelawareDE
Licensing: No general-contractor trade license; any contractor doing business in Delaware must register with and obtain a Division of Revenue business license (resident or non-resident contractor package via Delaware One Stop). Non-resident contractors face bonding rules. DPR licenses electricians, plumbers, HVACR.
Workers comp: Employers with one or more employees must carry workers' compensation; farm workers exempt. Construction-industry employers cannot be treated as independent contractors; they are deemed employers.
Tax note: Contractors must register and obtain a Delaware business license through One Stop; non-resident contractors have additional bond requirements.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
FloridaFL
Licensing: Contracting is state-licensed under F.S. Chapter 489: certified licenses are valid statewide, registered licenses only in local jurisdictions. Handyman work is exempt only when casual, minor, or inconsequential and total construction cost is under $2,500.
Workers comp: Construction employers with one or more employees, including corporate-officer or LLC-member owners, must carry coverage; non-construction employers at four or more; agriculture at six regular or twelve seasonal workers.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
GeorgiaGA
Licensing: Residential and general contractor licenses required when total work value exceeds $2,500 (O.C.G.A. 43-41). Electrical, plumbing, conditioned-air, low-voltage, and utility trades are licensed separately by the State Construction Industry Licensing Board's five divisions.
Workers comp: Employers regularly employing three or more persons, including regular part-time workers, must provide workers' compensation benefits.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
HawaiiHI
Licensing: Contractors License Board license required for nearly all contracting work; exemption only for projects under $1,500 (labor and materials) that need no building permit, and never for electrical or plumbing work.
Workers comp: Employers with one or more employees, full- or part-time, must provide workers' compensation coverage under HRS chapter 386.
Tax note: General Excise Tax applies to contracting at 4 percent; register for a GET license via Hawaii Tax Online (Form BB-1, $20).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
IdahoID
Licensing: State registration with the Idaho Contractors Board (DOPL) rather than a competency license; $50 fee, biennial renewal; statute exempts projects under $2,000 aggregate; electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are licensed separately by DOPL boards.
Workers comp: Employers with one or more full-time, part-time, seasonal, or occasional employees must carry workers' comp before hiring unless specifically exempt; policies from licensed carriers, overseen by the Industrial Commission.
Tax note: Contractors are consumers: they pay sales and use tax on materials, equipment, and supplies used improving real property.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
MidwestOne or more links needs a manual re-check
IllinoisIL
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor license; GC licensing is local. The state licenses roofing contractors via IDFPR (Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335) and plumbers and plumbing contractors via the Illinois Department of Public Health (225 ILCS 320).
Workers comp: Near-universal: even one part-time employee triggers the requirement to obtain workers' compensation insurance; no employee-count threshold.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
IndianaIN
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor, electrician, or HVAC license; those are regulated locally. Plumbing is the state-licensed construction trade, via the Indiana Plumbing Commission under the Professional Licensing Agency (IC 25-28.5).
Workers comp: Every employer under IC 22-3 must insure its workers' compensation liability or prove financial ability to pay claims directly; no minimum employee count; IRS-guideline independent contractors excluded.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
IowaIA
Licensing: No statewide GC license, but contractor registration is mandatory: anyone earning $2,000 or more per year from construction work must register with DIAL ($50 fee); under $2,000 or own-property work exempt. Plumbing and mechanical contractors also need a state contractor license.
Workers comp: Most Iowa employers must carry workers' compensation insurance or be authorized self-insurers; proprietors, partners, LLC members and corporate officers may elect out; registered contractors with employees must show coverage.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
KansasKS
Licensing: No statewide general contractor license; cities and counties license contractors locally. State-level exception: roofing contractors must register annually with the Attorney General under the Kansas Roofing Registration Act. Kansas Business One Stop directs license questions to local governments.
Workers comp: Coverage required once a non-agricultural employer's gross annual payroll exceeds $20,000; agricultural pursuits and some sole proprietors exempt.
Tax note: Contractors pay sales tax on materials; labor taxable except original construction and residential projects (Pub. KS-1525).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
KentuckyKY
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor license; GC requirements are local. Housing, Buildings and Construction licenses electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors and journeymen statewide (HVAC licensed since 1995, KRS 198B.650-689), plus boiler and sprinkler and fire-alarm contractors.
Workers comp: Employers with one or more employees must obtain and maintain workers' compensation coverage or Commissioner-approved self-insurance; part-time, temporary, and family-member employees all count.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
LouisianaLA
Licensing: Commercial and residential licenses required at $50,000 and up; home-improvement registration covers $7,500 to $50,000 projects; electrical and mechanical (HVAC) specialty work licensed at $10,000 and up. Residential threshold dropped from $75,000 under Act 178 (2024).
Workers comp: Required even with one employee, including part-time, temporary and seasonal workers; owners and certain officers with at least ten percent ownership may elect written exemption.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
MaineME
Licensing: No state general-contractor license. Electricians and plumbers are licensed by state examining boards under OPOR; boiler, elevator, and architect programs also state-run. General home-construction contracting is otherwise unlicensed at state level.
Workers comp: Nearly all public and private employers must carry coverage; limited exemptions for domestic servants and certain agricultural or aquacultural employers carrying liability insurance.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
MarylandMD
Licensing: MHIC licenses and regulates home improvement contractors and salespersons; only MHIC-licensed contractors may contract with homeowners for residential alteration, remodeling, repair, or replacement work. Subcontractors may work under a licensed contractor. Since June 1, 2024, licensees must carry $500,000 general liability insurance.
Workers comp: Every Maryland employer with one or more employees must provide workers' compensation coverage for employees, with few exceptions (per WCC employer Q&A).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
MassachusettsMA
Licensing: Construction Supervisor License (Division of Occupational Licensure/OPSI) required to supervise structural work on buildings under 35,000 cubic feet, including 1-2 family homes; restricted and specialty categories exist. Home improvement contractors must also register with OCABR's HIC program (guaranty fund up to $25,000).
Workers comp: All Massachusetts employers must carry workers' compensation for employees regardless of hours; domestic workers covered at 16-plus hours per week. Sole proprietors and LLC members need not cover themselves.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
MichiganMI
Licensing: No state license for commercial general contractors. LARA licenses residential builders statewide, plus electricians, plumbers, mechanical contractors, and boiler and elevator trades, through its Bureau of Construction Codes.
Workers comp: Required if you regularly employ one or more employees 35-plus hours per week for 13 or more weeks in the preceding 52, or three or more employees at one time (part-time counts).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
MinnesotaMN
Licensing: Residential building contractors and remodelers providing services in more than one special skill area must hold a DLI license; exemption certificate available if residential gross receipts are under $15,000 per year. Commercial contractors need no state license but must register with DLI's Contractor Registration Program.
Workers comp: All employers must buy workers' compensation insurance or obtain self-insurance approval; no minimum employee count; one part-time employee triggers coverage; limited statutory exceptions (Minn. Stat. 176.181).
Tax note: Contractors pay sales and use tax on all construction materials and supplies; construction contract labor generally not taxable (DOR contractor guide).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
MississippiMS
Licensing: Commercial license required for jobs over $50,000 (including subcontractors and equipment installation); residential license for new construction over $50,000; residential remodeling, additions, or roofing over $10,000. Roofers are state-licensed.
Workers comp: Employers with five or more regularly employed workers must carry coverage; employers with fewer than five may cover voluntarily.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
MissouriMO
Licensing: No statewide general contractor license; cities and counties license contractors and most construction trades locally. The Division of Professional Registration offers a voluntary statewide electrical contractor license.
Workers comp: Required with five or more employees; construction-industry employers must carry coverage with one or more employees.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
MontanaMT
Licensing: Registration, not a license: construction contractors with employees (plus corporations and manager-managed LLCs) register with DLI's Employment Standards Division; self-employed contractors without employees instead obtain an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (ICEC) or carry workers' comp coverage.
Workers comp: Workers' Compensation Act, with limited exceptions, requires employers to cover full-time, part-time, seasonal, and occasional workers (MCA 39-71); not monopolistic, private carriers and self-insurance allowed.
Tax note: Montana does not have a general sales tax; register and file state taxes through the TransAction Portal (TAP).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
NebraskaNE
Licensing: No statewide GC license. Under the Contractor Registration Act, all contractors and subcontractors engaging in work on real property other than their own must register with the Nebraska Department of Labor; registrants with employees must file a current workers' compensation insurance certificate.
Workers comp: Applies to every resident or nonresident employer with one or more employees; agriculture (under ten unrelated full-time employees), domestic service and railroads exempt (Neb. Rev. Stat. 48-106).
Tax note: DOR publishes Nebraska Taxation of Contractors Option 1, 2 and 3 guidance for construction contractors.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
NevadaNV
Licensing: License required for construction work of virtually any size; NRS 624.031 exempts only repair or maintenance work valued under $1,000 including labor and materials, and the exemption fails if a building permit is required.
Workers comp: Mandatory for employers with one or more employees; DIR states construction trades are required to have workers' compensation insurance.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
New HampshireNH
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor license. Individual trades are state-licensed under OPLC: electricians (Electricians' Board); plumbers, gas fitters, and oil-heat technicians (Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board).
Workers comp: Every employer with one or more employees must carry workers' comp; up to three corporate officers or LLC members may be excluded from the count (RSA 281-A:2).
Tax note: No general sales tax; businesses register and file Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax via Granite Tax Connect.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
New JerseyNJ
Licensing: Home improvement contractors must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs before selling or performing work; municipalities cannot issue permits to unregistered contractors. New home builders register separately with the Department of Community Affairs before starting construction.
Workers comp: All New Jersey employers not covered by federal programs must have workers' compensation coverage or approved self-insurance, including any employee working for compensation.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
New MexicoNM
Licensing: CID licenses all contracting: a license is required to act, or offer to act, as a contractor (NMAC 14.6.3); no small-job dollar exemption appears in the licensing rule.
Workers comp: Required at three or more employees generally; every employer required to be licensed under the Construction Industries Licensing Act must carry coverage regardless of employee count.
Tax note: Gross receipts tax applies to services performed in New Mexico, construction included; combined state and local rate varies by location.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
New YorkNY
Licensing: No statewide contractor license; NYS DOS confirms New York State does not license home improvement contractors. Some counties and cities do, including NYC, Buffalo, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland. NYC requires a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license for residential work.
Workers comp: Virtually all employers must provide coverage for anyone working for them; sole proprietors and partnerships without employees are exempt (WCL sections 2 and 3).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
North CarolinaNC
Licensing: State general contractor license required to bid or build any project costing $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1, verified at ncleg.gov). Licenses issued by the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors.
Workers comp: Businesses with three or more employees must carry coverage; radiation work requires it regardless of count, and contractors can be liable for uninsured subcontractors' employee injuries.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
North DakotaND
Licensing: Contractor license required when a job exceeds $4,000, issued by the Secretary of State through the FirstStop portal. Classes by contract size: D up to $100,000, C up to $300,000, B up to $500,000, A over $500,000. Liability insurance and WSI verification required.
Workers comp: Monopolistic state fund: WSI is the sole workers' compensation provider and administrator; every ND employer, including prospective employers, must carry WSI coverage for employees.
Tax note: Contractors pay sales and use tax on materials as final users; repair labor is not taxable.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
MidwestOne or more links needs a manual re-check
OhioOH
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor license; GC licensing is municipal. OCILB (Department of Commerce) licenses electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing and hydronics contractors statewide under ORC Chapter 4740.
Workers comp: Monopolistic state fund: employers with one or more employees must obtain coverage through Ohio BWC's state insurance fund or be granted self-insurance status.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
OklahomaOK
Licensing: No state general contractor license required; CIB licenses electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, and roofing contractors plus building and home inspectors; local jurisdictions may add registration and permit rules.
Workers comp: Required for nearly all employers regardless of size; narrow exemptions include family-only businesses with five or fewer related employees and low-payroll agricultural employers.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
OregonOR
Licensing: True license: nearly all paid construction work requires a CCB license. An RMI completes 16 hours pre-license training and passes the exam; surety bond ($25,000 residential general, $20,000 residential specialty), liability insurance, $400 two-year fee.
Workers comp: Most employers with employees must carry workers' comp, purchased through licensed insurance agents or carriers; not a monopolistic state fund.
Tax note: Oregon has no general sales or use tax; register payroll and withholding accounts via Revenue Online.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
PennsylvaniaPA
Licensing: Registration, not licensing: contractors performing $5,000 or more of home improvements per year must register biennially ($100) with the Attorney General under HICPA; registration numbers must appear on advertisements, contracts, estimates, and proposals.
Workers comp: Coverage required for any employer with at least one employee who could be injured in Pennsylvania, unless every employee fits a narrow statutory exemption.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
Rhode IslandRI
Licensing: CRLB registration required for anyone performing, bidding, or offering construction work, residential or commercial, including all subcontractors and handyman-type remodeling or repairs. Employees of registered contractors and homeowners working on their own homes exempt. Separate licenses for commercial roofers, underground utilities, well drilling.
Workers comp: Employers with one or more employees regularly employed in the same business must carry coverage; sole proprietors, partners, and independent contractors exempt for themselves.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
South CarolinaSC
Licensing: Contractor's Licensing Board: general and mechanical license required when commercial job cost exceeds $10,000 (raised from $5,000 by 2023 Act 69). Residential Builders Commission: builder license over $5,000; residential specialty registration over $500.
Workers comp: Coverage required with four or more regular employees; exempt if fewer than four employees or prior-year payroll under $3,000 (SC Code 42-1-360).
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
South DakotaSD
Licensing: No statewide general-contractor license or board; DLR's board list includes only Electrical and Plumbing commissions for construction trades. Every construction contractor must instead hold a Department of Revenue contractor's excise tax license.
Workers comp: Not mandatory: no law in South Dakota requires any employer to carry workers' compensation insurance, but uninsured employers face civil suits; coverage strongly advised.
Tax note: 2 percent contractor's excise tax on gross receipts; anyone contracting construction services must hold a contractor's tax license.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
TennesseeTN
Licensing: License required when total project cost is $25,000 or more, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing subcontracts over $25,000 (masonry $100,000 and up). Home improvement license covers $3,000 to $24,999 residential remodels in nine adopting counties.
Workers comp: Construction businesses must carry coverage for everyone, including business owners; other employers need insurance at five or more employees.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
TexasTX
Licensing: No statewide general contractor license; local rules apply. State licenses trades: electricians and air-conditioning/refrigeration contractors through TDLR; plumbers through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (tsbpe.texas.gov).
Workers comp: Optional for most private employers; building or construction employers contracting with governmental entities must provide coverage for employees on the public project.
Tax note: Comptroller guidance: repair or remodeling of nonresidential real property is taxable on the entire charge; see Publication 94-105 for contract-type rules.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
UtahUT
Licensing: DOPL licenses contractors statewide: B100 general building, R100 residential and small commercial, E100 general engineering, plus electrical and plumbing contractor classifications requiring master-level qualifiers. Roughly two years (4,000 hours) experience plus the Utah Business & Law exam, with NASCLA and out-of-state reciprocity pathways.
Workers comp: With few exceptions, all employers must provide workers' compensation coverage for their employees; the Industrial Accidents Division also administers coverage waivers and self-insurance.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Northeast
VermontVT
Licensing: Not a license: residential contractors performing work valued at $10,000 or more (labor and materials) must register with the Office of Professional Regulation; required since April 1, 2023 under Act 182.
Workers comp: Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory for all Vermont employers; no employee-count threshold.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
VirginiaVA
Licensing: License required for work over $1,000. Class C: over $1,000 to under $30,000 per project; Class B: $30,000 to under $150,000; Class A: $150,000 and up (12-month totals also apply). Thresholds effective July 1, 2025.
Workers comp: Employers regularly employing more than two part-time or full-time employees must carry coverage; subcontractors' employees count toward the total when subs perform the same trade or fulfill a contract.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
WashingtonWA
Licensing: Registration, not an exam-based license: all construction contractors register with L&I, with surety bond ($30,000 general, $15,000 specialty), liability insurance, and a $150.20 fee; no exam, though plumbing and electrical trades have separate exam-based licensing.
Workers comp: Monopolistic: private workers' comp coverage not allowed; employers with workers must buy coverage through L&I (or qualify as certified self-insured), paying quarterly premiums based on worker hours.
Tax note: B&O gross receipts tax applies; construction businesses may owe under multiple B&O classifications.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
South
West VirginiaWV
Licensing: Contractor license from the Contractor Licensing Board (Division of Labor Licensing Section) required when work totals $5,000 or more residential or $25,000 or more commercial (WV Code 30-42-3); issuance requires examination. The Division also issues HVAC technician and plumber certifications.
Workers comp: All WV employers are statutorily required to maintain workers' compensation coverage, purchased from private carriers since 2006 privatization; limited statutory exemptions exist via the Insurance Commissioner.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
Midwest
WisconsinWI
Licensing: No statewide general contractor license. To obtain building permits for one- and two-family dwellings, a business must hold a DSPS Dwelling Contractor certification and hold or employ a certified Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (12-hour initial course); apply via license.wi.gov.
Workers comp: Required with three or more employees, or once one or more employees are paid $500 or more in combined gross wages in a calendar quarter; farmers at six or more workers on 20 days.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
West
WyomingWY
Licensing: No statewide general contractor license; contractor licensing happens at the city and county level. State-level licensing covers electrical work: electrical contractor ($400) and journeyman and master electrician licenses issued statewide by the State Fire Marshal's Office Electrical Board.
Workers comp: Monopolistic: the state fund is the primary provider; most employers obtain coverage through DWS Workers' Compensation Division, required before work begins in extra-hazardous industries; register via WYUI.wyo.gov.
Tax note: Excise Tax Division maintains a separate contractor registration and returns section.
Checked 2026-07-28 against the official pages linked above.
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This directory is general information, not legal advice. Every link was checked against the official source on the date on each card, and rules change after we check them: confirm thresholds and requirements with the linked agency before relying on them. A listing is not a recommendation.