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📋 Contractor Licensing
License classes, bonding requirements, reciprocity agreements, and CE hours for all 50 states.
Advisory Reference Only — Not Legal Advice
This information is provided for general reference purposes only. Laws, regulations, and code requirements change frequently. Always verify current requirements with the applicable state agency, and consult a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before making legal or compliance decisions. J. Worden & Sons makes no representations regarding accuracy or completeness.
J. Worden & Sons Legal Advisory Board
Contractor Licensing — All 50 States
For reference only — not legal advice · Verify with applicable state agency · 4/29/2026
Contractor Licensing — All 50 States
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| State | License Req. | Classes | Authority | Bond (Res.) | Bond (Com.) | Workers Comp | Renewal | CE Hours | Reciprocity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | ✅ Yes | Class A - General, Class B - Sub/Specialty | Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors | $10,000 | $50,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | MS, TN |
| Alaska | ❌ No | — | Municipal/Local Jurisdictions | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Arizona | ✅ Yes | Class A - General Engineering, Class B - General Building, Class C - Specialty (over 50 categories), Class CR - Residential | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) | $4,250 | $4,250 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Arkansas | ✅ Yes | Class A - General, Class B - Sub/Specialty | Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board | $10,000 | $25,000 | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | LA, MS, TN |
| California | ✅ Yes | Class A - General Engineering, Class B - General Building, Class C - Specialty (over 40 categories) | California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | $15,000 | $15,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Colorado | ❌ No | — | DORA (specific trades) / Local Jurisdictions (GC) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | ✅ Yes | Home Improvement Contractor (HIC), New Home Construction Contractor, Tradesperson licenses (Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC) | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection | $20,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Delaware | ✅ Yes | Home Improvement Contractor, Trade licenses (Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC) | Delaware Division of Revenue / Local Jurisdictions | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | — |
| Florida | ✅ Yes | Certified General Contractor, Certified Building Contractor, Certified Residential Contractor, Registered Contractor (local jurisdiction) | Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) | $10,000 | $20,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 14 hrs | — |
| Georgia | ✅ Yes | Class I - Residential/Light Commercial, Class II - General Contractor | Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors | $25,000 | $500,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 6 hrs | AL, SC, TN |
| Hawaii | ✅ Yes | A - General Engineering, B - General Building, C - Specialty (over 25 categories), D - Specialty | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) - Professional and Vocational Licensing | $2,500 | $2,500 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Idaho | ❌ No | Public Works Contractor, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC (specialty trades only) | Idaho Department of Labor (Public Works) / Division of Building Safety (trades) | — | — | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | — |
| Illinois | ❌ No | Roofing Contractor (only statewide construction license), Trade licenses: Electrical, Plumbing | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Indiana | ✅ Yes | Residential Contractor (Home Improvement), Trade licenses: Plumbing, Electrical (via certifications) | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) / Office of the Indiana Attorney General (HIC) | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Iowa | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical (specialty only) | Local Jurisdictions / Iowa Utilities Board (specialty trades) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Kansas | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC (specialty only) | Local Jurisdictions / Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (specialty) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | ✅ Yes | Class A - General (>$100,000), Class B - Building ($10,000-$100,000), Class C - Residential | Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction | $12,500 | $25,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | IN, OH, TN, WV |
| Louisiana | ✅ Yes | Class A - General Commercial (>$50,000), Class B - Commercial ($10,000-$50,000), Class C - Residential, Specialty Subcontractor | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors | $10,000 | $10,000 | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | MS, AR |
| Maine | ✅ Yes | Residential Contractor (Home Improvement), Lead Renovation Contractor | Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation - Contractors' Registration Program | $25,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Maryland | ✅ Yes | Home Improvement Contractor (MHIC), Home Builder (MHBR) | Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) / Maryland Home Builder Registration Unit | $20,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Massachusetts | ✅ Yes | Construction Supervisor License (CSL), Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) | Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 12 hrs | — |
| Michigan | ✅ Yes | Residential Builder, Residential Maintenance and Alteration Contractor, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical (specialty) | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Bureau of Construction Codes | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 3 yrs | 3 hrs | — |
| Minnesota | ✅ Yes | Residential Building Contractor, Residential Remodeler, Manufactured Home Installer | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry - Construction Codes and Licensing | $15,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 14 hrs | — |
| Mississippi | ✅ Yes | Class A - General Building, Class B - Building up to $1,500,000, Class C - Specialty, Class R - Residential | Mississippi State Board of Contractors | $10,000 | $25,000 | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | AL, AR, TN |
| Missouri | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing (specialty only at state level) | Local Jurisdictions / Missouri Division of Professional Registration (specialty) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Montana | ✅ Yes | Construction Contractor Registration, Electrical, Plumbing (specialty) | Montana Department of Labor and Industry - Building Codes Bureau | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Nebraska | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC (specialty only) | Local Jurisdictions / Nebraska Electrical Division and Plumbing Division (specialty) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Nevada | ✅ Yes | Class A - General Engineering, Class B - General Building, Class C - Specialty (over 40 categories) | Nevada State Contractors Board | $1,000 | $50,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| New Hampshire | ❌ No | Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Electrical, Plumbing (specialty) | NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification / NH Insurance Dept (HIC bond) | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | — |
| New Jersey | ✅ Yes | Home Improvement Contractor (HIC), New Home Builder Registration, Electrical, Plumbing (specialty) | New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs - Contractor's Registration Act | $500,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| New Mexico | ✅ Yes | General Contractor (GB-98), Residential (RB-98), Trade Specialty licenses | New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) | $10,000 | $10,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| New York | ❌ No | Home Improvement Contractor (NYC/Westchester/Nassau/Suffolk), Local licenses only | Local Jurisdictions (NYC DCA, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk counties) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | ✅ Yes | Limited (under $500,000), Intermediate ($500,000-$1,000,000), Unlimited (over $1,000,000) | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors | $10,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | SC, TN, VA |
| North Dakota | ✅ Yes | Contractor Registration (Secretary of State) | North Dakota Secretary of State | $25,000 | $50,000 | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | — |
| Ohio | ❌ No | Electrical (statewide), Plumbing (statewide), HVAC (statewide), Hydronics, Refrigeration | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) / Local jurisdictions for GC | $25,000 | $50,000 | ✅ Yes | 3 yrs | 24 hrs | — |
| Oklahoma | ✅ Yes | Class A - General, Class B - Building, Specialty Subcontractor | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board | $5,000 | $25,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | AR, KS, TX |
| Oregon | ✅ Yes | Residential General Contractor, Residential Specialty Contractor, Commercial General Contractor, Commercial Specialty Contractor, Landscape Contractor | Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) | $20,000 | $75,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 16 hrs | — |
| Pennsylvania | ❌ No | Home Improvement Contractor (HIC Registration) | Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Bureau of Consumer Protection | $50,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | — |
| Rhode Island | ✅ Yes | Class A - General Building, Class B - Specialty, Class C - Residential | Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation - Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board | $10,000 | $25,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | CT, MA |
| South Carolina | ✅ Yes | Class I - Unlimited, Class II - up to $5,000,000, Class III - up to $1,500,000, Class IV - up to $500,000, Class V - Residential | South Carolina Contractors' Licensing Board (CLB) | $10,000 | $15,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 8 hrs | GA, NC, TN |
| South Dakota | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing (specialty only) | Local Jurisdictions / South Dakota State Electrical Commission (specialty) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | ✅ Yes | BC-A General Contractor, BC-B Building Contractor, BC-C Residential Contractor, BC-D Masonry Contractor | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors | $10,000 | $50,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 8 hrs | AL, MS, SC |
| Texas | ❌ No | HVAC Contractor, Plumbing Contractor, Electrical Contractor, Residential Appliance Installer, Other specialty trades via TDLR | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) - specific trades only | — | — | ❌ No | — | — | — |
| Utah | ✅ Yes | Class A100 - General Engineering, Class B100 - General Building, Class C - Specialty (over 50 categories), Class E - Elevator, Class R100 - Residential | Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) | $15,000 | $75,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| Vermont | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Suppression (specialty only) | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (specialty trades only) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
| Virginia | ✅ Yes | Class A - $120,000+ annually, Class B - $10,000-$120,000 annually, Class C - $1,000-$10,000 annually | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) | $50,000 | $50,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | DC, MD, NC |
| Washington | ✅ Yes | General Contractor (General), Specialty Contractor | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) | $12,000 | $12,000 | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | — | — |
| West Virginia | ✅ Yes | Class A - Unlimited, Class B - up to $2,500,000, Class C - up to $500,000, Class D - up to $100,000 | West Virginia Contractors Licensing Board | $10,000 | $25,000 | ✅ Yes | 1 yr | — | KY, OH, VA |
| Wisconsin | ✅ Yes | Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (DCQ), Dwelling Contractor Certification, Trade licenses: Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) | $25,000 | — | ✅ Yes | 2 yrs | 12 hrs | — |
| Wyoming | ❌ No | Electrical, Plumbing (specialty only at state level) | Local Jurisdictions / Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety (specialty) | — | — | ✅ Yes | — | — | — |
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