Contractor Licensing by State
Select a state to view licensing requirements for 30+ contractor trades.
Northeast
Connecticut
30 trades covered
Delaware
30 trades covered
Maine
30 trades covered
Maryland
30 trades covered
Massachusetts
30 trades covered
New Hampshire
30 trades covered
New Jersey
30 trades covered
New York
30 trades covered
Pennsylvania
30 trades covered
Rhode Island
30 trades covered
Vermont
30 trades covered
Southeast
Alabama
30 trades covered
Arkansas
30 trades covered
Florida
30 trades covered
Georgia
30 trades covered
Kentucky
30 trades covered
Louisiana
30 trades covered
Mississippi
30 trades covered
North Carolina
30 trades covered
South Carolina
30 trades covered
Tennessee
30 trades covered
Virginia
30 trades covered
West Virginia
30 trades covered
Midwest
Illinois
30 trades covered
Indiana
30 trades covered
Iowa
30 trades covered
Kansas
30 trades covered
Michigan
30 trades covered
Minnesota
30 trades covered
Missouri
30 trades covered
Nebraska
30 trades covered
North Dakota
30 trades covered
Ohio
30 trades covered
South Dakota
30 trades covered
Wisconsin
30 trades covered
Southwest
West
Alaska
30 trades covered
California
30 trades covered
Colorado
30 trades covered
Hawaii
30 trades covered
Idaho
30 trades covered
Montana
30 trades covered
Nevada
30 trades covered
Oregon
30 trades covered
Utah
30 trades covered
Washington
30 trades covered
Wyoming
30 trades covered
Understanding State-Level Contractor Licensing
There is no national contractor license in the United States. Every state sets its own rules, and the differences are significant. Some states like California and Florida regulate dozens of trade classifications through centralized licensing boards, while others like Texas and Pennsylvania leave most contractor regulation to cities and counties. A few states require no general contractor license at all.
Each state page on this site covers 30 contractor trades with detailed information on fees, exam requirements, insurance and bond minimums, experience thresholds, and reciprocity agreements. We also include direct links to the official issuing authority so you can verify the latest requirements before applying.
If you plan to work across state lines, start by checking whether your current license qualifies for reciprocity in your target state. Many states waive the trade exam for contractors already licensed in a partner state, though you will still need to meet all other requirements. Our reciprocity guide provides a full breakdown of which states have agreements with each other.