Handyman License Requirements by State
Direct answer: There is no single national handyman license. Rules depend on your state, county, and city—some allow small repairs under a dollar threshold without a contractor license; others require licensing for most work. Use this state overview to orient, open the matching city guides for local detail, and always verify current requirements with your state licensing board and city/county offices before you market or take jobs.
There is no national handyman license. Whether you need one — and what it's called — depends on your state, and often your county and city on top of that. Many states set a dollar threshold: repairs under a certain job value can be done without a contractor license, while anything above it requires one.
Use the overview below as a starting point, then open the detailed guide for your city. Licensing rules change, so always confirm the current requirements with your state's licensing board before you rely on them.
How handyman licensing works
Most states regulate contracting rather than "handyman" work specifically. The key questions are: Does my state require a contractor license? Is there a dollar threshold under which small jobs are exempt? And do my county or city add their own license or registration on top? The answers determine what you can legally take on.
State-by-state overview
The table below summarizes what we've researched for each state. It reflects our latest research and is meant as a starting point — the licensing board for your state is always the final authority.
| State | License Threshold | Major City Guides |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $50,000 Alabama’s Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB) generally requires a home builder license for residential construction/repair/improvement when the “cost of the undertaking” is more than $10,000. Separately, the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors (GC Board) generally requires a general contractor license for commercial/industrial work when the project is $50,000 or more. A typical handyman doing small residential jobs under $10,000 (and not performing licensed trades) is usually outside HBLB licensure; small commercial jobs under $50,000 are usually outside GC licensure. | Huntsville · Birmingham · Montgomery · Mobile · Tuscaloosa |
| Alaska | None Alaska does not use a simple dollar-threshold “handyman exemption” for contractor licensing. If you advertise/contract to perform construction, repairs, or improvements for compensation, you generally must be registered as an Alaska contractor unless a narrow statutory exception applies (e.g., certain owner-builders working on their own property, certain government-related work, or specific exempt activities). | Anchorage · Fairbanks · Juneau · Wasilla · Sitka |
| Arizona | $1,000 Arizona allows an unlicensed person to perform work only when the total contract price is $1,000 or less (including labor, materials, and all other items). The exemption is job-by-job; you cannot divide a larger project into multiple contracts/invoices to stay under $1,000. | Phoenix · Tucson · Mesa · Chandler · Gilbert |
| Arkansas | $2,000 Residential projects totaling $2,000 or less (labor + materials combined) do not require an Arkansas state contractor license. Commercial projects over $50,000 require a license. The exemption applies to minor repairs, maintenance, and small improvement tasks on residential property. | Little Rock · Fayetteville · Fort Smith · Springdale · Jonesboro |
| California | $1,000 California allows an unlicensed person to perform work only when the TOTAL price for labor, materials, and all other costs on the project is less than $1,000. If the job is $1,000 or more, the person performing/contracting for the work must be licensed by CSLB in the proper classification. | Los Angeles · San Diego · San Jose · San Francisco · Fresno |
| Colorado | None Colorado has no state-level dollar-based handyman exemption. Licensing requirements are determined by individual cities and counties, and typically depend on whether the work requires a building permit rather than project cost. Homeowners performing work on their own primary residence are exempt from contractor licensing requirements. | Denver · Colorado Springs · Aurora · Fort Collins · Lakewood |
| Connecticut | $200 Connecticut exempts home improvement work under $200 per individual job OR under $1,000 total in any 12-month period. However, this exemption is extremely narrow. Any permanent change to residential property—including painting, drywall repair, flooring, roofing, siding, fencing, doors, windows, patios, landscaping, swimming pools, waterproofing, and alarm systems—triggers HIC registration the moment a single contract exceeds $200. Routine maintenance tasks (snow removal, lawn care, pruning, cleaning) are exempt. Work performed under a separate trade license (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) is exempt only for that specific licensed work. | Bridgeport · Stamford · New Haven · Hartford · Waterbury |
| Delaware | $50,000 Handymen and contractors performing work on projects under $50,000 are exempt from the Department of Labor's Contractor Registration requirement. However, this exemption does NOT apply to trade-specific work (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) which requires professional licenses regardless of dollar amount. Additionally, all contractors must still obtain a Delaware state business license and comply with building permit requirements. | Wilmington · Dover · Newark · Middletown · Smyrna |
| District of Columbia | None DC does not have a dollar-amount handyman exemption. Any person performing residential remodeling, alterations, or repairs for compensation in DC must obtain a Basic Business License (BBL) with Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) endorsement, regardless of project value. One third-party source mentions a $1,000 threshold, but this does not appear on official DLCP pages and cannot be independently confirmed. The conservative legal position is that all paid home improvement work requires the BBL/HIC endorsement. | Washington |
| Florida | $1,000 Jobs with an aggregate contract price for labor, materials, and all other items less than $1,000 do not require a state contractor license. The $1,000 limit is a combined total—if labor is $600 and materials are $500, the project totals $1,100 and requires a licensed contractor. The exemption applies to casual, minor, or inconsequential tasks such as drywall patching, painting, minor cosmetic repairs, fixture replacements (faucets, light fixtures, door hardware), furniture assembly and mounting, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, and caulking/weatherstripping. | Jacksonville · Miami · Tampa · Orlando · Saint Petersburg |
| Georgia | $2,500 No state contractor license is required for projects where the total cost (labor + materials combined) is less than $2,500 per project. This exemption applies to general contracting work such as painting, drywall repair, carpentry, deck staining, pressure washing, cabinet installation, flooring, tiling, and minor landscaping. The threshold is per-project, not annual. | Atlanta · Columbus · Augusta · Macon · Savannah |
| Hawaii | $1,000 Work valued at $1,000 or less (total project cost including labor and materials combined) does not require a state contractor license. This exemption has not been increased since 1992. A 2018 legislative attempt to raise it to $5,000 did not pass. Intentionally dividing a project into smaller contracts to stay under the threshold violates the law. | Honolulu · Hilo · Kailua · Kapolei · Kaneohe |
| Idaho | $2,000 Any single construction job with a total cost of $2,000 or less (materials + labor combined) is exempt from the contractor registration requirement under Idaho Code § 54-5205(2)(f). The person performing the work must not hold themselves out as a registered contractor. | Boise · Meridian · Nampa · Idaho Falls · Caldwell |
| Illinois | None Illinois does not publish a statewide dollar-threshold handyman exemption. Unlike California ($1,000 as of Jan. 1, 2025) or Arizona ($1,000), Illinois has no safe-harbor dollar amount under which unlicensed contracting is permitted. Licensing and permitting requirements are determined entirely at the local (city/county) level. | Chicago · Aurora · Joliet · Naperville · Rockford |
| Indiana | None Indiana has no statewide handyman exemption with a dollar threshold. The state does not impose a statewide general contractor license, so there is no corresponding exemption. Licensing and exemptions are determined at the city/county level. Crawfordsville's local rules govern what work requires registration. | Indianapolis · Fort Wayne · Evansville · Fishers · South Bend |
| Iowa | $2,000 Handymen and small contractors earning less than $2,000 annually from all construction work combined are fully exempt from Iowa contractor registration. This exemption also applies to residents working on their own real estate. The exemption is based on annual earnings, not per-project cost — there is no per-project dollar cap. | Des Moines · Cedar Rapids · Davenport · Sioux City · Ankeny |
| Kansas | None Kansas has no statewide handyman exemption or dollar threshold because Kansas has no statewide contractor licensing law at all. Licensing is entirely local/municipal. However, this does NOT mean handymen can work without limits—trade work (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, mechanical) is ALWAYS licensed at the local level in Salina regardless of project size or cost. Non-trade handymen work (painting, drywall repair, carpentry, etc.) is generally unregulated at the state level but may be subject to local permitting and zoning rules. | Wichita · Overland Park · Kansas City · Olathe · Topeka |
| Kentucky | None Kentucky generally does not have a single statewide dollar-threshold “handyman exemption” because Kentucky generally does not issue a statewide general contractor license for ordinary handyman/general remodeling work. Instead, whether you can legally do a job is determined by (1) whether the work falls into a state-licensed trade (electrical/plumbing/HVAC) and (2) local building permits/inspections and local business licensing. | Louisville · Lexington · Bowling Green · Owensboro · Covington |
| Louisiana | $7,500 Work on existing residential structures valued under $7,500 (including labor and materials) does not require a state LSLBC license. This is the primary 'handyman zone' in Louisiana. Work between $7,500–$74,999 on residential structures requires a Home Improvement Registration. New residential construction $75,000+ requires a full Residential Contractor license. | New Orleans · Baton Rouge · Shreveport · Lafayette · Lake Charles |
| Maine | Unlimited Maine has no dollar-threshold exemption for handymen. Instead, Maine allows handymen to perform work of any dollar amount without a state contractor license, provided the work does not involve regulated trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fuel systems, asbestos abatement). This is a significant advantage compared to states with $500–$30,000 thresholds. However, all residential construction contracts exceeding $3,000 in materials or labor must be in writing and signed by both parties, with down payments limited to one-third of the total contract price. | Portland · Lewiston · Bangor · South Portland · Auburn |
| Maryland | None Maryland does not provide a simple statewide dollar-threshold “handyman exemption” that allows unlicensed persons to perform residential home-improvement contracting for pay. If the work meets the MHIC definition of home improvement (repair/replace/remodel/modernize of a residence), an MHIC contractor registration is generally required unless you fall under a specific statutory exemption (e.g., homeowner doing their own work; certain new-home builders; certain subcontractor/employee situations). | Baltimore · Columbia · Germantown · Silver Spring · Frederick |
| Massachusetts | $1,000 Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration is required for residential home improvement projects on owner-occupied one- to four-unit properties valued at $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials. Projects under $1,000 may not require HIC registration, but specialty trade licenses (electrical, plumbing, gas fitting, HVAC) apply regardless of project value. A written contract is required for all HIC work estimated at $1,000 or more. | Boston · Worcester · Springfield · Cambridge · Lowell |
| Michigan | $600 Michigan allows unlicensed handymen to perform residential repair and maintenance work on jobs totaling $600 or less (labor + materials combined). This exemption applies to minor repairs such as drywall patching, painting, basic carpentry, fixture replacement (non-plumbing), and general maintenance. The exemption does NOT apply to any electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC work, or jobs exceeding $600 in total cost. | Detroit · Grand Rapids · Warren · Sterling Heights · Ann Arbor |
| Minnesota | $15,000 A handyman or small contractor does not need a state license if gross annual receipts from residential work do NOT exceed $15,000 in a calendar year. This exemption applies to single-skill contractors (e.g., painting only, carpentry only) but NOT to multi-skill remodelers. The threshold is calculated across ALL residential work performed in the calendar year, not per individual project. Once you cross $15,000 in annual receipts, you must be licensed as a Residential Remodeler or Residential Building Contractor. | Minneapolis · St. Paul · Rochester · Duluth · Bloomington |
| Mississippi | $10,000 Residential remodeling, additions, and roofing work under $10,000 (labor + materials combined) does not require a state MRBC license. Commercial work under $50,000 does not require a state MSBOC license. Homeowners performing work on their own primary residence are exempt if they own and occupy the property. | Jackson · Gulfport · Southaven · Biloxi · Hattiesburg |
| Missouri | None Missouri does not have a statewide handyman exemption or dollar threshold. There is no statewide general contractor license in Missouri, so there is no formal exemption carve-out. Licensing is handled entirely at the local (city/county) level. However, trade-specific work (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) is always excluded from any 'handyman' scope regardless of dollar amount. | Kansas City · St. Louis · Springfield · Columbia · Independence |
| Montana | No dollar threshold Montana exempts independent contractors (solo operators with NO employees) from the Construction Contractor Registration requirement. The exemption is based on employment status, not project value. A solo handyman working alone without hiring any employees can operate under this exemption. However, the exemption does NOT apply to corporations, manager-managed LLCs, or any contractor with employees. Additionally, all independent contractors must either obtain an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (ICEC) or carry workers' compensation insurance on themselves. | Billings · Missoula · Great Falls · Bozeman · Butte |
| Nebraska | $5,000 Contractors earning less than $5,000 annually from construction services are exempt from Nebraska Department of Labor registration. The exemption applies to sole proprietors with no employees performing general repair and maintenance work. Property owners performing work on their own occupied property are also exempt. | Omaha · Lincoln · Bellevue · Grand Island · Kearney |
| Nevada | $1,000 Nevada has a practical exemption for minor repair and maintenance work valued under $1,000 (including materials and labor) that does not require a building permit. However, this exemption is narrow and disputed. The Nevada State Contractors Board does not explicitly codify a dollar-amount exemption in NRS 624.031. Work that requires a building permit, or any electrical, plumbing, HVAC, pool/spa, asbestos, or mold remediation work, is excluded from this exemption regardless of cost. Projects cannot be artificially split to stay under $1,000. An unlicensed handyman cannot work as a subcontractor on larger projects. | Las Vegas · Henderson · Reno · North Las Vegas · Sparks |
| New Hampshire | Unlimited New Hampshire has no formal dollar-threshold handyman exemption statute. General contracting and handyman work are effectively unregulated at the state level regardless of project value. However, this does NOT mean unlicensed individuals can perform regulated-trade work (electrical, plumbing, gas fitting, HVAC, asbestos abatement, lead abatement). Performing such work without a valid state license is a misdemeanor under RSA 332-A. | Manchester · Nashua · Concord · Dover · Rochester |
| New Jersey | None New Jersey does not use a simple dollar-threshold handyman exemption for “contractor licensing.” For residential ‘home improvement’ work, the requirement is generally to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, regardless of job size. | Newark · Jersey City · Paterson · Elizabeth · Lakewood |
| New Mexico | None New Mexico has NO dollar-amount handyman exemption. All construction work performed for compensation requires a valid CID contractor license, regardless of project value or scope. The ONLY exemption is for owner-occupants performing work on their own personal residence (not for sale or business purposes). This makes New Mexico one of the strictest licensing states in the nation. | Albuquerque · Las Cruces · Rio Rancho · Santa Fe · Roswell |
| New York | $1,500 New York General Business Law Article 36-A defines a 'home improvement contractor' as one whose total cash price of home improvement contracts exceeds $1,500 in any 12 consecutive months. Individual home improvement contracts are defined as those with an aggregate price exceeding $500. Contractors below these thresholds are not technically 'home improvement contractors' under state law and are not bound by Article 36-A's written contract mandates. | New York · Buffalo · Rochester · Yonkers · Syracuse |
| North Carolina | $40,000 North Carolina’s key exemption is that a NC General Contractor license is generally not required if the total cost of the project is under $40,000 (including labor and materials). At $40,000 or more, a properly licensed NC General Contractor is required (with limited statutory exceptions). | Charlotte · Raleigh · Greensboro · Durham · Winston-Salem |
| North Dakota | $4,000 Any single construction contract valued at $4,000 or less (labor + materials combined) does not require a state contractor license. This is a per-job threshold, not cumulative. Work includes carpentry, drywall, painting, flooring, tile, and general repairs. The exemption applies to the total contract value, not individual line items. | Fargo · Bismarck · Grand Forks · Minot · West Fargo |
| Ohio | None Ohio has no statewide handyman license and no statewide dollar threshold that lets an unlicensed person perform otherwise licensed work. Permit exemptions in the Ohio Building Code and Residential Code of Ohio are scope-based (finishes, decorating, maintenance, and minor repair), not price-based. There is no current equivalent of a $500 or $1,000 job-price exemption. | Columbus · Cleveland · Cincinnati · Toledo · Akron |
| Oklahoma | Unlimited Oklahoma does not impose a state-level general contractor or handyman license requirement. There is no dollar threshold. Handymen and general contractors can operate without a state license as long as they do not perform regulated trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, or other CIB-regulated work). The exemption is effectively unlimited in scope for non-trade work. | Oklahoma City · Tulsa · Norman · Broken Arrow · Edmond |
| Oregon | $1,000 Oregon allows unlicensed work on projects with a total contract value of $1,000 or less (labor + materials combined), provided the work is casual, minor, or inconsequential in nature. This is NOT a broad handyman exemption but rather a narrow carve-out under ORS 701.010(4). The exemption covers gutter cleaning, power washing, debris cleanup, and minor handyman repairs that do not affect health or safety. | Portland · Salem · Eugene · Gresham · Hillsboro |
| Pennsylvania | $500 Pennsylvania’s HICPA contains a commonly-cited small-project exemption: if the total cash price of a home-improvement job is less than $500, the contractor is not required to register as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) for that job. The threshold is based on the total contract price for the job (labor + materials) with the homeowner. | Philadelphia · Pittsburgh · Allentown · Erie · Reading |
| Puerto Rico | None Puerto Rico Law 220 of 2012 (Contractor and Subcontractor Registration Act) requires DACO registration for anyone publicly offering construction services. No bright-line dollar exemption for minor work has been confirmed in current DACO publications. Any construction, repair, or improvement work offered commercially appears to require registration regardless of project value. | San Juan |
| Rhode Island | $500 A single contract where labor, materials, and all other items combined total $500 or less may be exempt from registration. However, this exemption is extremely narrow: it applies only to one-off transactions, not to ongoing business activity. If you operate a handyman business performing multiple jobs, registration is required at any volume, regardless of individual job size. | Providence · Cranston · Warwick · Pawtucket · East Providence |
| South Carolina | $5,000 South Carolina’s contractor licensing threshold is generally tied to project value: work with a total value of less than $5,000 typically does not require a South Carolina contractor license from the state contractor board (so long as the work does not require a separate trade license such as electrical/plumbing/HVAC and you still comply with local permitting). The $5,000 figure is commonly applied as the point where a Residential Builder/General Contractor license becomes required for contracting. | Charleston · Columbia · North Charleston · Mount Pleasant · Rock Hill |
| South Dakota | None South Dakota has no statewide dollar-threshold handyman exemption statute. While some third-party sources vaguely reference exemptions for 'minor repairs' below a cost threshold, no specific SDCL statute with a defined dollar amount was located. All contractors entering into construction contracts must obtain a Contractor's Excise Tax License from the SD Department of Revenue, regardless of project value. Local city or county ordinances may have their own thresholds—contact the City of Huron Inspections Department (605-353-8512) or Beadle County Planning & Zoning (605-353-8400) to confirm. | Sioux Falls · Rapid City · Aberdeen · Brookings · Watertown |
| Tennessee | $25,000 Tennessee generally does NOT require a state contractor license for projects under $25,000 total contract amount (labor + materials). At/above $25,000, a TN contractor license is required (with specific classification/monetary limit). | Nashville · Memphis · Knoxville · Chattanooga · Clarksville |
| Texas | None Texas has no dollar-based handyman exemption. Licensing restrictions are determined by work TYPE, not job value. Handymen can perform unlimited-value carpentry, drywall, painting, flooring, fencing, and general repairs without a state license. However, ANY electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work—regardless of dollar amount—requires the appropriate state trade license. | Houston · San Antonio · Dallas · Austin · Fort Worth |
| Utah | $7,000 Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 55, § 58-55-305 (as amended by HB 483, effective May 7, 2025) establishes a three-tier system: (1) Projects under $3,000 (labor + materials) are fully exempt with no filing required; (2) Projects $3,000–$6,999 require filing an Affirmation of Exemption with DOPL and carrying minimum liability insurance ($100,000 per incident / $300,000 aggregate); (3) Projects $7,000+ require a full state contractor license. The exemption covers general repair and remodeling work such as drywall patching, painting, flooring replacement, minor carpentry, and door/window installation. | Salt Lake City · West Valley City · West Jordan · Provo · St. George |
| Vermont | $10,000 Vermont exempts residential construction work valued at $10,000 or less (total contract value including labor and materials) from state registration requirements. Work exceeding $10,000 requires registration with the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation. The exemption applies to residential dwelling units and buildings with four or fewer residential units. | Burlington · South Burlington · Rutland · Essex Junction · Bennington |
| Virginia | $1,000 Virginia has no separate handyman license. The Class C contractor category begins when a single contract or project exceeds $1,000; exactly $1,000 does not exceed that per-project threshold. The value is for the project, not just labor. Annual-volume rules also apply, and a larger project cannot be split into smaller invoices to evade licensing. | Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk · Richmond · Newport News |
| Washington | $500 RCW 18.27.090(9) exempts an undertaking with an aggregate price of less than $500, including labor, materials, and other items. The exemption cannot be obtained by dividing a larger undertaking into smaller contracts and does not apply to someone advertising or otherwise representing to the public that they are a contractor or qualified to do contracting. | Seattle · Spokane · Tacoma · Vancouver · Bellevue |
| West Virginia | $2,500 West Virginia Code Chapter 21, Article 11 establishes that any contractor performing construction, alteration, repair, or improvement work with a total project value exceeding $2,500 must hold a valid state contractor license. Note: A separate statute (WV Code §30-42-3) sets residential at $5,000 and commercial at $25,000, but the Division of Labor enforces the $2,500 threshold. Confirm with the Contractor Licensing Board at (304) 558-7890 for your specific project type. | Charleston · Huntington · Morgantown · Parkersburg · Wheeling |
| Wisconsin | None Wisconsin does not use a single dollar-amount “handyman exemption” threshold like some states. Instead, the key statewide line is whether the work falls under regulated trades (electrical/plumbing/HVAC) or whether you are acting as a "dwelling contractor" on 1–2 family dwellings. There is no statewide rule that says 'under $X you don’t need licensing.' | Milwaukee · Madison · Green Bay · Kenosha · Racine |
| Wyoming | None Wyoming has no statewide contractor licensing system and therefore no statewide handyman exemption threshold. The only statewide exemption is for homeowners performing their own electrical work under W.S. 35-9-123—this does not apply to hired handymen or contractors. All licensing requirements are determined at the local (city/county) level. | Cheyenne · Casper · Gillette · Laramie · Rock Springs |
Thresholds reflect our latest research and are a starting point only. Always confirm current requirements with your state's licensing board.
Check your exact city
State rules are only half the picture — counties and cities frequently add their own requirements. Our city licensing guides go deeper for specific locations, including local registration, permits, and the exact thresholds that apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every state require a handyman license?
No. Requirements vary widely. Some states require a contractor license for most work, some only above a dollar threshold, and some have no state-level handyman license at all. County and city rules can add requirements on top, so check your exact location.
What is a handyman license dollar threshold?
Many states let you do repair work under a certain job value without a contractor license, and require a license above it. The threshold amount — and whether it exists — varies by state, so confirm the current figure with your state's licensing board.
How do I find the license requirements for my city?
Start with the state overview on this page, then open our detailed city licensing guides for local rules, registration, and permits. Always verify the current requirements with your state and local authorities.
Can I do handyman work without any license?
In some areas, small repairs under a threshold can be done without a contractor license — but you may still need a local business license and should always carry insurance. The rules depend entirely on where you work.