Whether you’re just starting out as a handyman or you’ve been working on your craft for years, it’s important to know the licensing requirements of the state where you plan to do business.
In general, individual states do not issue specific handyman licenses. However, a handyman may be considered a contractor when a project exceeds a specific cost or is part of a larger job. In this case, a handyman may be required to have a contractor license to perform the work or be subject to handyman license requirements.
Make sure that if you plan to perform any plumbing, electrical or HVAC work you check the licensing requirements as these are commonly not covered under the handyman or general contractor license requirements.
Once you know that you are in compliance with license requirements make sure you have the right handyman insurance so you are protected from the risks you face every day.
This comprehensive list of handyman requirements is in alphabetical order so that the information you need is easy to find.
A handyman does not need a state license or registration in Alabama for general maintenance and repair work. However, contractors must have a license issued by the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors if they work on projects valued at more than $50,000, and specialty licenses are necessary for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work.
You must show proof of business insurance, including general liability and property damage insurance.
Arizona
License required: No
This state does not offer a handy license. Arizona only requires a contractor license for major projects and work worth more than $1,000, including labor and materials. Work that is worth less than $1,000 and is of a casual or minor nature does not carry handyman license requirements. This is commonly known as the handyman exemption.
However, if the job has a value under $1,000 but still requires a building permit, the handyman exemption will not apply and a license will be required.
You’ll need a Home Improvement License as a handyman in Arkansas if you are planning to do specialty work worth more than $2,000 as a contractor at a single-family residence. This includes painting, roofing, flooring and other projects.
If you’re planning on doing more significant work you’ll need to consider another Arkansas contractors license for residential remodelers or residential rebuilders.
There is no exam, but the handyman license requirements include proof of workers’ compensation insurance, as well as a financial statement.
California
License required: Maybe
There is no specific handyman license in California for small jobs. However, a handyperson working on jobs worth more than $500 (even if your component is less than $500, but the overall job is worth more) must have a general contractor license from the state of California.
If you work on a job that does not become a fixed part of the structure, such as hanging pictures or building furniture, you’ll be exempt from the $500 limit and can work on bigger projects.
To cover all your options, you can get a California general contractor license from the Contractors State License Board. To be eligible for the license, you’ll need to show four years of work experience, have a certificate of insurance, and a contractor’s bond of $15,000. You’ll need to pass the trade exam and business and law exam.
As a handyman, you fall under the category of general contractors in Colorado. There are no state handyman license requirements for general contractors, although there are some local requirements that you need to check before you begin work.
Connecticut
License required: No
Handymen do not need a state license to work in Connecticut. However, if you consider yourself a home improvement contractor who creates permanent changes to a residential property, you’ll need to register with the Department of Consumer Protection.
Delaware
License required: No
There is no specific handyman license. General contractors in Delaware require a business license for revenue purposes and must register with the state to work on projects worth more than $50,000.
Florida
License required: No
As a handyman in Florida, you don’t need a state license for miscellaneous non-structural work, such as minor carpentry, door repairs, paneling, tile installation and window repair.
There are no contractor licensing requirements in Idaho. A handyman, however, cannot claim to be a contractor without registering with the Idaho Contractors Board.
Illinois
License required: No
Handymen and general contractors are not required to have a state license to work in Illinois. However, many local jurisdictions including Chicago, require that handymen and contractors have a general contractor license.
Indiana
License required: No
There are no licensing requirements for handymen or general contractors in Indiana. However, there may be regulations at a local level. Check with your local regulatory agencies before you do any work.
Iowa
License required: No
Iowa does not require a handyman to hold a state license. However, if you do business in the state and make more than $2,000 per year, you must register as a contractor with the Iowa Division of Labor.
Kansas
License required: No
As a handyman, you won’t need to get a state license to work in Kansas. However, there are regulations for general contractors on a local level so make sure to check these before you begin work.
Kentucky
License required: No
Kentucky does not require handymen or general contractors to hold a state license. However, be sure to check handyman license requirements with your local government before you begin work to make sure you are in compliance.
Louisiana
License required: Yes
A handyman must hold a state license in Louisiana for home improvement projects or residential projects where the labor and materials cost more than $7,500.
There is also home improvement registration required for projects valued between $7,500 and $75,000. Registration requires only proof of insurance.
Maine
License required: No
There are no general contractor or handyman license requirements at the state level in Maine. There may be local regulations you need to comply with, so make sure to check these out before you begin working.
According to the department website, this will cover additions or alterations, conversions, improvement, modernization, remodeling, repair or replacement of a residential building. You must show two years of experience in home improvement work and a certificate of insurance. You must also pass an exam that questions about business and law.
Massachusetts
License required: No
A handyman who performs small home improvement jobs and property repairs in Massachusetts does not need a state license but must have a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration.
There is no HIC exam requirement, but you must pay a registration fee. If you perform any structural work, such as a renovation or larger building projects on existing homes, you’ll need a Construction Supervisor License (CSL).
There are various Massachusetts CSLs depending on the scope of the work you plan to perform, including restricted licenses for work on one-to-two-family homes and unrestricted licenses for work on structures up to 35,000 cubic feet.
You’ll need to show three years of experience and pass an exam to qualify for a Construction Supervisor License.
A handyman in Michigan does not need a specific handyman’s license to work in the state. However, there are many jobs that a handyman may do that could require a license, including carpentry, laying concrete, painting and tiling. These all require a Maintenance and Alteration Contractor License.
To be eligible for the license, you’ll need to complete 60 hours of educational courses and pass an exam.
Minnesota
License required: No
If you’re a handyman in Minnesota and you make more than $15,000 per year by working on existing structures, you’ll need a Residential Remodeler License. Contractors who build new structures require a Residential Building License.
The license is issued by the Department of Labor and Industry. However, if you only provide services in one specialty skill area (excavation, masonry, carpentry, interior finishing, exterior finishing, drywall and plaster or general installation specialties), you do not need a license.
A handyman does not need a license in Mississippi unless the residential job costs more than $10,000. In this case, you’ll need a Residential Remodeling license issued by the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board.
Handymen and general contractors do not need a state license to work in Missouri. Check your local handyman license requirements to make sure you are in compliance with any city regulations.
Montana
License required: No
General contractors, including handymen, are not required to hold a license to work in Montana. However, if you have employees, you will be required to register with the Department of Labor and Industry, Contractor Registration Unit.
To register, you must show proof of Montana workers’ compensation insurance. If you have no employees, you can register, but you’re not required to. You cannot perform any electrical work without a license.
Nebraska
License required: No
You can work as a handyman in Nebraska without a state license. However, you will need to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor. This requirement applies to all general contractors, subcontractors or people who perform construction, alterations, renovations, additions, installations or repairs.
Nevada
License required: Maybe
As a handyman, you will need a contractor license awarded by the Nevada Contractors Board if you plan to do any work worth more than $1,000 or work that requires a building license.
To be eligible for a license, you’ll need to show four years of work experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor. Up to three years of experience can be substituted for years of education at an approved college. You’ll need to pass a trade exam and a business and law exam and show proof of insurance.
Handymen are not required to have a state license to work in New Hampshire, which only licenses those who perform electrical, plumbing or asbestos abatement work.
New Jersey
License required: No
No handyman license requirements apply in this state. However, each handyman must register with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs as a home improvement contractor. You must submit proof of general liability coverage with your application.
A handyman in New Mexico must either apply for a handyman certificate or obtain a contractor license. The handyman certificate requirement applies to those who work only on minor repairs and maintenance and earn up to $7,200 a year.
Those who earn more or work on major repairs and renovations must have a GB-2 Residential or GB-98 General Building contractor license issued by the Construction Industries Division of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department. The residential classification requires two years of experience and the general building classification requires four years experience. You must also pass a trade exam and a business and law exam, provide proof of a $10,000 bond and obtain New Mexico workers’ compensation insurance.
There are no state licensing requirements for handymen or general contractors in New York. However, there are laws and regulations at a local level. Check handyman license requirements with local government before you do any work.
North Carolina
License required: No
A handyman doesn’t need a state license in North Carolina. If the value of your work projects exceeds $30,000, however, you must have a general contractor license issued by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. To apply, you must meet the financial requirements and pass an exam.
A handyman must have a contractor license to perform any jobs in North Dakota that are worth more than $4,000. The contractor license covers any construction, alteration or repairs to a property. It is awarded by the Secretary of State of North Dakota.
There are four classes of licenses based on the size of the jobs you plan to work on.
Ohio
License required: No
You don’t need a handyman license at the state level to work in Ohio, but there may be regulations at the local level. Make sure to confirm with your local government before you start work.
You must have a specialty contractor license issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board if you work on any electrical, HVAC, hydronics, plumbing or refrigeration projects. Licensing requirements include a background check, passing scores on two exams and $500,000 in liability insurance coverage.
As a handyman, you will not need a state license to work in Oklahoma on any renovation, remodeling, repair or construction project. Make sure to check with local governments to see if there are any regulations on the local level before you begin work.
Oregon
License required: Yes
A handyman must hold a state license in Oregon to work on jobs that are worth more than $1,000. Anyone doing construction work that involves improvements to a property must have a contractor license issued by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.
You do not need a state license to work as a handyman in Pennsylvania. However, if you do more than $5,000 worth of home improvement work per year, you must register with the Attorney General’s Office.
Rhode Island
License required: No
As a handyman, you won’t need a license to work in Rhode Island. However, if you work on construction, alterations, remodeling or repair projects at residential properties, you’ll need to register with the State of Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board.
South Carolina
License required: No
A handyman, under the classification of Residential Specialty Contractor, does not need a license to work in South Carolina. However, you will need to register with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. This allows you to work in carpentry, drywalling, wallpaper, painting, sidings, insulation, floor covering, masonry, concrete and roofing.
South Dakota
License required: No
Handymen do not need a state license to work in South Dakota. There may be handyman license requirements at the local level so make sure to confirm with local agencies before you start work.
Tennessee
License required: Maybe
A handyman in Tennessee is not required to hold a state license unless the job they are working on is worth more than $25,000. A home improvement license is required for remodeling jobs worth between $3,000 and $24,999.
You do not need a state license to work as a handyman in Vermont. However, there may be regulations at the local level that you need to check before you begin work.
Virginia
License required: Yes
A handyman will need a Virginia contractors license to complete any projects worth more than $1,000. The state offers three classes of licenses (A, B and C) based on the monetary value of the projects you plan to work on.
You’ll need to complete a pre-license education course approved by the board. If you apply for a Class C license (which covers single projects up to $10,000 and a total project value of up to $150,000 per year), you must show two years of experience in your chosen specialty.
Washington classifies handymen as specialty contractors. In this state, a handyman is defined as someone who does minor work on existing properties worth a total value of less than $2,000. This does not include work that requires a building permit, and all work must be completed personally.
To register with the Department of Labor and Industries, you’ll need to purchase a $6,000 bond and show proof of general liability insurance.
The state of West Virginia does not issue a specific handyman license or have handyman license requirements. However, if your handyman projects exceed $5,000 for work on a residential property or $25,000 for a commercial property, you must have a contractor license from the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board.
You will need to pass an exam and, if you have employees, provide proof of workers’ compensation insurance.
To work as a handyman in Wisconsin you’ll need to hold a Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier license, which is the contractor license that is issued to individuals. You’ll need to complete and pass a 12-hour course to be eligible for a license from the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Wyoming
License required: No
You do not need a state license to work as a handyman in Wyoming; however, there may be local regulations that you need to check before you begin work.
Handyman license info by state
Learn more about contractor license requirements in the following states:
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Start a free online application to review options for your business. You can get a quote, purchase coverage and have a certificate of insurance in about 10 minutes with our online services.
This information is provided as a service. To the best of our knowledge, it is correct and up-to-date; however, it is not to be taken as legal advice and you must always check with local authorities before making any business decisions. Requirements and regulations are subject to change at any time.
About the author
Matt Crawford leads NEXT's content team. He's a small business insurance specialist and has worked with business owners throughout his career as a community journalist and content marketer.
You can find him at one of his many favorite local restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area when he's not at work.
