How states organize contractor licensing
Every state takes its own approach to structuring construction licenses. Some issue a single general contractor license through one board. Others split regulation across multiple agencies — one for general contractors, another for electrical, another for plumbing, and so on. Understanding a state’s regulatory model tells you how many agencies you need to contact, how many applications to file, and how many exams to pass. The table below groups all 53 jurisdictions by regulatory model and shows the approximate number of distinct license categories available in each.States with no state-level general contractor license
These jurisdictions regulate only specific trades at the state level. General contracting is handled locally or not regulated at all.| Jurisdiction | Regulatory model | What the state licenses | Boards / agencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Trade-only | Electrical, plumbing | 2 (Electrical Board, Plumbing Board) |
| Connecticut | Trade-only | Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, elevator, fire sprinkler, swimming pool | 1 (Dept. of Consumer Protection with multiple occupational boards) |
| Illinois | Minimal | Roofing certification; highway prequalification | 2 (IDFPR, IDOT/CDB) |
| Indiana | Trade-only | Plumbing | 1 (Plumbing Commission) |
| Kansas | None | Highway prequalification only | 1 (KDOT) |
| Kentucky | Trade-only | Plumbing, HVAC, electrical, elevator, boiler, fire sprinkler, LP gas, manufactured housing | 1 (Dept. of Housing, Buildings and Construction with multiple divisions) |
| Missouri | Trade-only | Electrical (statewide since 2019) | 1 (Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors) |
| New York | Trade-only | Asbestos, elevator | 2 (Dept. of Labor, Dept. of State) |
| Ohio | Trade-only | Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, asbestos | Multiple divisions |
| Oklahoma | Trade-only | Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing | Multiple boards |
| Texas | Trade-only | HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire sprinkler, elevator | Multiple agencies (TDLR administers most) |
| Wisconsin | Trade-only | Electrical, plumbing, HVAC; financial certification for 1-2 family dwelling contractors | Multiple boards |
| Wyoming | Trade-only | Electrical only | 1 (Electrical Board) |
Single-board and unified states
These states run most or all contractor licensing through a single board or a unified licensing body.| Jurisdiction | Regulatory model | # of license categories | Board / agency | License families |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Single board | 19+ | Dept. of Commerce, CBPL | General, General Residential, Mechanical, Electrical Admin, 30+ specialties |
| Arizona | Single board | 8 | Registrar of Contractors | General Commercial, Specialty Commercial, General Residential, Specialty Residential, Dual licenses |
| Delaware | Revenue license + trade boards | 4 | Division of Revenue + Electrical Board | General, Subcontractor, Electrical (Master, Limited, Journeyman), Asbestos |
| Georgia | Multi-board | 12+ | Construction Industry Licensing Board + Residential/General Board | Electrical, Conditioned Air, Plumbing, Low Voltage, Utility, Residential, General |
| Guam | Single board | 44+ | Contractor License Board | General Engineering, General Building, 40+ specialties |
| Idaho | Multi-board | 50+ | DOPL (multiple divisions) | General Registration (40+ sub-categories), Public Works (8 classes + 100+ specialties), Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC |
| Iowa | Unified dept. | 13+ | DIAL (multiple boards) | Contractor Registration, Electrical (10 types), Plumbing/Mechanical (6 disciplines), Alarm, Fire Protection, Explosives |
| Maine | Multi-board | 15+ | OPOR + DEP | Plumbing (4 levels), Electrical (8 types), Asbestos, Lead, UST |
| Montana | Registration + trade boards | 3+ | Contractor Registration, Electrical Board, Plumbing Board | Registration (all contractors), Electrical, Plumbing |
| Nebraska | Registration + electrical board | 5+ | Dept. of Labor + Electrical Board | Contractor Registration, Electrical (Master, Journeyman, Apprentice, Contractor) |
| Nevada | Single board | 3 families | State Contractors Board | General Engineering, General Building, Specialty |
| New Hampshire | Trade-specific | 4+ | Electricians Board + other boards | Electrical, Plumbing, Asbestos, Lead |
| New Jersey | Multi-agency | 9+ | Multiple agencies | Residential Registration, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC |
| Rhode Island | Single board | 1+ | Contractor Registration Board | Registration |
| Tennessee | Single board | 3+ | Board for Licensing Contractors | Contractor (various monetary limits), Home Improvement |
| Utah | Single board | 3+ | DOPL | General, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, specialty |
| Vermont | Registration | 1 | Dept. of Public Safety | Residential Contractor Registration |
| Virginia | Single board | 3 classes | Board for Contractors | Class A (over $120,000), Class B ($10,000–120,000**), Class C (under **\10,000) |
| Washington | Registration | 2 | Dept. of Labor & Industries | General Contractor, Specialty Contractor |
| West Virginia | Single board | 2+ | Division of Labor, Contractor Licensing Board | Residential, Commercial |
States with the most license categories
These states maintain granular classification systems with dozens of named specialties.| Jurisdiction | # of license categories | Board / agency | License families |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 71+ | DCCA, PVL Division | General Engineering (A), General Building (B), 65+ C-specialties, Electricians (7 types), Plumbers (2 types) |
| New Mexico | 60+ | Construction Industries Division | GA (Asphalt/Highway), GB (General Building), GF (Fixed Works), GS (General Specialties), Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, LP Gas |
| Michigan | 55+ | Bureau of Construction Codes | Boiler, Electrical (5 types), Fire Alarm, Sign, Elevator, Mechanical (10+ types), Plumbing (4 types), Residential Builder, Manufactured Housing |
| Mississippi | 53+ | State Board of Contractors | 6 major classifications + 50+ specialties across building, electrical, highway, heavy, mechanical, municipal |
| Louisiana | 41+ | State Licensing Board for Contractors | Building Construction, Highway, Heavy, Municipal, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Hazmat, Specialties, Residential |
| California | 36+ | Contractors State License Board | A (General Engineering), B (General Building), B-2 (Residential Remodeling), 30+ C-specialties, Certifications |
| North Carolina | 19+ | Multiple boards | 5 GC classifications (Building, Highway, Public Utilities, Specialty, Residential), Electrical, Plumbing/Heating/Fire Sprinkler, Refrigeration, Alarm, Landscape |
| Florida | 16+ | CILB + Electrical Board | Division I (Building, Residential, Specialty, Structure), Division II (11 mechanical/specialty types), Electrical (12 types) |
| Oregon | 14+ | Construction Contractors Board + BCD + DEQ | 4 commercial endorsements, 4 residential endorsements, Developer, Electrical, Plumbing, Lead, Asbestos, Drug Lab |
| Oklahoma | 15+ | Multiple boards | Electrical (Contractor, Journeyman), Plumbing, Mechanical, Roofing |
| Maryland | 9+ | Multiple boards | Home Improvement, Plumbing (7 types), Electrical (7 types), HVACR (7+ types) |
| Alabama | 10+ | 8 separate boards | General Contractors (10 classifications), Home Builders, Electrical, Plumbing/Gas, HVAC, Refrigeration, Fire Marshal, Manufactured Housing |
Summary by regulatory model
| Regulatory model | Count | Jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| No state GC license (trade-only or local) | 13 | CO, CT, IL, IN, KS, KY, MO, NY, OH, OK, TX, WI, WY |
| All construction regulated (no dollar threshold) | 11 | AK, DE, GU, HI, MT, NV, NM, OR, RI, VI, WA |
| Dollar-threshold GC licensing | 29 | AL, AR, AZ, CA, DC, FL, GA, IA, ID, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WV |