State by State Contractor License Requirements

Contractor license requirements vary state by state, and what applies in one state is therefore not necessarily the case in the neighboring state. Where some states require general contractors to have a license, others don’t, or they might simply be regulated at the local level – again a state by state determination.

Homeowners — take advantage of this offer to also get free quotes for your home improvement project by filling out the form below. Did we mention it’s free? There’s also no obligation.

Get 4 Free Quotes From Competing Contractors

Type of Service

Project Details

Contact Info

Please Choose The Type of Service


It only takes 2 minutes to fill out the form


Type of Service

Project Details

Contact Info

step 2 of 4

Type of Service

Project Details

Contact Info

step 3 of 4
You are almost done – fill out this last step

Type of Service

Project Details

Contact Info

This information makes it easier to coordinate with pros.

Please fill this field
Please fill this field
Invalid zip code
Invalid email
Invalid phone number
Invalid address

By sumitting this form, you agree to be contacted about your project by Homeadvisor and / or other service partners using automated phone technology and / or email. We will not contact you with anything else.

Thank you!

Our specialists are currently reviewing your case and will get back to you shortly.

The best thing you can do is to choose the state on the right hand side that you are interested in learning more about. The way that you check contractors’ licenses will also vary by state, since some have very extensive databases, while other places might require that you pick up the phone and call someone.

Our guides on the right hand side contain a lot of information including how to become a licensed contractor, what it entails and what the limitations are.

How do you get a contractors’ license number? They will often display it on their website, but there are also times where you might need to ask them and when you then get it, you’ll need to verify that it’s currently active and valid in the category that they wish to do work in.

  • If you’re a homeowner,  to find out if a contractor is licensed in a specific state.
  • If you’re a contractor,  to find out how to become a licensed contractor.

Each state also has their own construction contractors’ boards, and these are very helpful when you need any additional information about contractor license requirements or to check that there are no issues with the contractor you are considering.

Besides providing you with help for finding the licenses, we have also created very extensive guides that you can use. They include tips on everything that you need to be aware of for specific types of remodeling projects.

More Contractor’s Websites and Information of Interest

If you are a contractor either needing to renew your license or take an exam again, you can also use the different pages we have available to the right to find the needed courses.

You can use the various pages on our website to find lots of different guides, and if you wish to get quotes from a contractor, all you need to do is use the link at the top of the page to ask for it, and you will soon have contractors contacting you to provide you with quotes.

The easiest way to get save money is by getting competing quotes, and the easiest way to get those is through this site.

Get The House You Always Dreamed of

Get Ready to Have No-Obligation Talks With Contractors

Talk With a Contractor