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Before you hire

Which home service trades need a state license

All 50 states and Washington, D.C. The trades below need a license or a registration from the state itself to do most home jobs.

StateTrades that need a state license or registrationWhere to check a number
AlabamaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Septic service, Pest controlAlabama Home Builders Licensure Board
AlaskaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest control, HandymanAlaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
ArizonaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlArizona Registrar of Contractors
ArkansasPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlArkansas Contractors Licensing Board
CaliforniaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlCalifornia Contractors State License Board
ColoradoPlumbers, Electricians, Pest controlColorado Division of Professions and Occupations
ConnecticutPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest control, HandymanConnecticut Department of Consumer Protection
DelawarePlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlDelaware Division of Professional Regulation
Washington, D.C.Plumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest control, HandymanDC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
FloridaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Septic service, Pest controlFlorida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
GeorgiaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlGeorgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing
HawaiiPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlHawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing Division
IdahoPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest controlIdaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
IllinoisPlumbers, Roofers, Septic service, Pest controlIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
IndianaPlumbers, Pest controlIndiana Professional Licensing Agency
IowaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest controlIowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing
KansasRoofers, Pest controlKansas Attorney General (roofing registration)
KentuckyPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlKentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction
LouisianaPlumbers, Septic service, Pest controlState Plumbing Board of Louisiana and the state health office
MainePlumbers, Electricians, Pest controlMaine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation
MarylandPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest control, HandymanMaryland Department of Labor, Licensing
MassachusettsPlumbers, Electricians, Roofers, Pest controlMassachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure
MichiganPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest controlMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
MinnesotaPlumbers, Electricians, Roofers, Septic service, Pest controlMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry
MississippiSeptic service, Pest controlMississippi State Department of Health
MissouriPest controlMissouri Department of Agriculture
MontanaPlumbers, Electricians, Pest controlMontana Department of Labor and Industry
NebraskaElectricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest control, HandymanNebraska Department of Labor (contractor registration)
NevadaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlNevada State Contractors Board
New HampshirePlumbers, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlNew Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification
New JerseyPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest control, HandymanNew Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
New MexicoPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest controlNew Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
New YorkPest controlNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation
North CarolinaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlNorth Carolina's licensing board for the trade
North DakotaPlumbers, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlNorth Dakota Secretary of State
OhioPest controlOhio Department of Agriculture
OklahomaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Septic service, Pest controlOklahoma Construction Industries Board
OregonPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest control, HandymanOregon Construction Contractors Board
PennsylvaniaRoofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest controlPennsylvania Office of Attorney General (home improvement registration)
Rhode IslandPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest control, HandymanRhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board
South CarolinaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlSouth Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
South DakotaPlumbers, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlSouth Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
TennesseeSeptic service, Pest controlTennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
TexasPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation
UtahPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest controlUtah Division of Professional Licensing
VermontPlumbers, Electricians, Pest controlVermont Division of Fire Safety
VirginiaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Septic service, Pest controlVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
WashingtonPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Painters, Gutters, Pest control, HandymanWashington State Department of Labor & Industries
West VirginiaPlumbers, Heating & AC, Electricians, Roofers, Septic service, Pest controlWest Virginia Division of Labor
WisconsinPlumbers, Electricians, Septic service, Pest controlWisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
WyomingElectriciansWyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety

Pest control: check with the state's pesticide office, usually its Department of Agriculture. Texas plumbers: the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. A trade missing from a state's row may still need a city or county license there, and bigger jobs can need a general contractor license. Last looked over in November 2026. Rules change, and this page is general information, not legal advice: the state office has the final word.

Questions people ask

Does a plumber, electrician or heating and AC business need a state license?

In most states, yes. A few states leave it to cities and counties: the table shows which states license each trade themselves.

What does a license number on a listing mean?

It is the number the business printed on its own website or gave us. We have not checked it with the state. Look it up with the state office in the table before you hire.

What does Jetsy Home Pros check before it lists a business?

That it is a real, open business with a phone number and a city, in one of our trades, and that it has not asked to be left off. A business that adds itself in a trade its state licenses must give its number. In the states marked in the table, every business in those trades is listed only with a number on file.

Do landscapers, pool cleaners, house cleaners and handymen need a license?

Upkeep work such as mowing, pool cleaning and house cleaning needs no state license. Building work and bigger jobs often do: a new patio, a new pool or a remodel. Some states make every handyman register. Ask before you hire.