Field guide · 3 states

Home Improvement Contractor licensing, state by state

Verified: 3 pages, all on 2026-09-19

There is no national home improvement contractor license. 3 states, 3 rulebooks — experience, exams, fees and the surety bond, compared side by side.

Home improvement contractor (HIC) licensing is a consumer-protection regime rather than a trade exam. States such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Tennessee require anyone remodeling, repairing or improving an existing home above a dollar threshold to register or hold a license — usually with proof of liability insurance plus a surety bond or a guaranty-fund payment and strict written-contract rules, but rarely an exam. Several states fold the HIC credential into what they call the general-contractor or roofing license, so the same registration can appear on more than one page. Pick a state below for the verified figures.

Moving states? Home Improvement Contractor license reciprocity, all 50 states →

Bond type: Fixed set amount · Tiered scales by volume · Credit-based financial responsibility in lieu of a bond · Conditional only if the board requires one · None no bond required