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New Hampshire does not license general contractors at the state level. Instead, it regulates specific trades — electrical, plumbing, gas, asbestos abatement, and lead abatement — through separate boards, and requires DOT prequalification for highway and public works.
Always verify statutes, fees, and application details with the live regulator before making bidding, licensing, or legal decisions.

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At a glance

The fastest way to orient yourself in New Hampshire is to understand that regulation is trade-based, not project-value-based.

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Frequently asked questions

Pick the tab that matches your situation. Each FAQ gives a direct answer and points you to the full detail below.
No. New Hampshire does not license general contractors at the state level. General residential and commercial construction is unregulated by the state. If your work involves only general construction with no regulated trade, no state credential is needed. See Construction work regulated.
Electrical, plumbing, and gas work all require state licensing through separate boards. Asbestos and lead abatement have their own licensing programs with training and exam requirements. See Construction work regulated.
Route to the Electricians Board under the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) at 7 Eagle Square, Concord, NH 03301. Phone: (603) 271-2152. See Who regulates construction.
Master: $50 application + $270 license fee (triennial). Journeyman: $50 application + $150 license fee (triennial). Apprentice ID: $30 (annual). License fees are pro-rated according to birth month. See Requirements for the complete fee table.
Public works contracts require a 100% performance and payment bond plus a 5% bid guaranty. Highway and public works also require DOT prequalification with financial statements — compiled for projects up to $1,000,000, reviewed up to $5,000,000, or audited above $5,000,000. See Requirements.
New Hampshire has extensive electrical reciprocity — 22 states for master and journeyman, plus 11 additional states for journeyman only. Check the Reciprocal agreements table to see if your state is listed. Asbestos and lead reciprocity exist but require equivalency review on a case-by-case basis.
Journeyman plumbing requires a 70% exam score, 576 hours of schooling, and 4 years of apprentice experience. Master plumbing requires a 75% exam score and at least 6 months as a journeyman. Biennial renewal with continuing education. See Requirements.
Contractors need approved training course completion and a list of projects completed within the last year. Must be registered with the NH Secretary of State. Contractor license fee is $1,000 with $750 renewal. Worker certification is $50. See Requirements.
Contractors need 32-hour training, EPA and NH proficiency exams (70% minimum on both), and at least 2 years of related work experience. Annual meeting attendance and annual renewal are required. Contractor fee is $300. See Requirements.
No. Roofing falls under general construction, which New Hampshire does not regulate at the state level. However, if the project involves electrical, plumbing, or gas components, those trade licenses are still required. Check local requirements separately.
Submit experience documentation, completed project list, equipment listing, bonding capacity, and financial statements to NH DOT. There is no filing fee. Processing takes 2-4 weeks. Prequalification expires 15 months after the financial statement date. See Requirements.

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Start with your goal

Pick the card that matches what you need right now. Each one links to the relevant section on this page.

Is licensure triggered?

Start with the type of work — New Hampshire regulates trades, not general contracting.

Find the right regulator

Use the regulator directory to route your question to the correct New Hampshire agency.

Application and renewal details

Exams, fees, bonds, continuing education, and renewal cycles for each trade.

Reciprocity direction

Find out which boards or agencies recognize out-of-state credentials.

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Special considerations

Different roles need different things from a New Hampshire page. Use the tab that matches your situation to see what matters most before you read the full detail below.
New Hampshire has no general contractor license. Start by asking whether your trade requires state licensing.
  • Electrical, plumbing, and gas work all require state licensing through separate boards.
  • Asbestos and lead abatement have their own licensing programs with training and exam requirements.
  • Highway and public works require DOT prequalification — no filing fee, but financial statements must be compiled (up to $1,000,000), reviewed (up to $5,000,000), or audited (above $5,000,000).
  • Public works contracts require a 100% performance and payment bond plus a 5% bid guaranty.
  • General residential and commercial construction is not licensed at the state level.

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Readiness checklist

Four things you need to confirm before you can treat New Hampshire as “ready” for a bid or an application. If any of these are unclear, you are not ready yet.

Identify the work type

Determine whether the project involves a regulated trade (electrical, plumbing, gas, asbestos, lead) or highway / public works. General contracting does not require a state license.

Confirm whether a state license is needed

If the work falls in a regulated trade lane, licensing is required regardless of contract value. For DOT work, prequalification requires financial statements at the $1,000,000, $5,000,000, and above tiers.

Route to the correct agency

Use the regulator directory below. New Hampshire has 5 separate agencies — do not assume one board handles all trades.

Confirm the requirement set

Confirm exams, experience, fees, bonds, continuing education, renewal cycle, and reciprocity rules for the specific board before filing.
If you can identify work type, licensing requirement, regulator, and requirement set, you have the minimum package needed for a New Hampshire readiness check.
Use these links to jump to related cross-state comparisons and workflows.

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Construction work regulated

New Hampshire does not use a dollar threshold to trigger general contractor licensing. Instead, regulation is trade-based — certain types of work require licensing regardless of contract size.
Even though general contracting is unlicensed, trade-specific credentials are still required for any electrical, plumbing, gas, asbestos, or lead work within a larger project.

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Common determination scenarios

If you are trying to figure out where to start, expand the scenario that is closest to your situation.
All electrical work requires licensing. Route to the Electricians Board under the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Journeyman and master exams require a minimum score of 70% on an open code book exam.
All plumbing and gas work requires licensing. Route to the Mechanical Licensing and Safety Board. Journeyman plumbing requires 576 hours of schooling and 4 years of apprentice experience; master requires 6 months as a journeyman.
Route to the Department of Environmental Services, Asbestos Management and Control Program. Contractors need approved training course completion and a list of projects completed within the last year.
Route to the Department of Health and Human Services, Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. Contractors need 32-hour training, EPA and NH proficiency exams, and at least 2 years of related work experience.
Route to NH DOT Prequalification. Submit experience documentation, project lists, equipment listing, bonding capacity, and financial statements. There is no filing fee, and processing takes 2-4 weeks.

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Who regulates construction

New Hampshire splits construction regulation across 5 separate agencies. There is no single statewide contractor board. Use this directory to find the agency that owns the lane you need.
John O. Morton Building, Room 131, 7 Hazen Drive, PO Box 483, Concord, NH 03302-0483Phone: (603) 271-3402 | Fax: (603) 271-1558Website: dot.nh.gov
NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, 7 Eagle Square, Concord, NH 03301Phone: (603) 271-2152Website: oplc.nh.gov/electricians
7 Eagle Square, Concord, NH 03301Phone: (603) 271-2152Website: oplc.nh.gov
Asbestos Management and Control Program, 29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095Phone: (603) 271-4609 | Fax: (603) 271-1381Website: des.nh.gov/waste/asbestos/license-and-certifications
Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301-6504Phone: (603) 271-4507 | Fax: (603) 271-3991Website: dhhs.nh.gov/lead-poisoning-prevention

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Requirements

New Hampshire has separate application inputs, exams, fees, and renewal cycles for each regulated trade. Expand the trade that applies to your situation.

Electricians

License fees are pro-rated according to birth month. Triennial renewals are due on the last day of the birth month.
Individuals applying for more than one discipline pay the highest applicable fee plus $25 per additional discipline.
Simple-scope projects common to the industry (such as simple carpentry or painting) may be exempt from prequalification to broaden the bidding field.

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Reciprocal agreements

New Hampshire’s reciprocity is strongest for electrical licenses. Asbestos and lead reciprocity exist but require equivalency review. There is no general contractor reciprocity because New Hampshire does not license general contractors.
Electrical reciprocity is the broadest — 22 states at the master and journeyman level, plus 11 additional states for journeyman only.
Any lead professional currently licensed or certified in another state, Tribal Nation, or by the EPA can apply for reciprocity. Requirements include a completed application, current license copy, refresher course completion certificate, and passing scores on the EPA proficiency examination and either the NH proficiency examination or the reciprocity educational program examination. The department may request the applicant’s home-state licensing requirements to confirm equivalency.

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Types of licenses

New Hampshire issues credentials across five regulated trade families. Use this section to confirm the exact license name for an application or comparison.
  • Apprentice (Registration)
  • Journeyman
  • Master
  • Corporation / Partnership
  • High-Medium Voltage Trainee (Registration)
  • High-Medium Voltage Electrician
  • Apprentice (Registration)
  • Journeyman
  • Master
  • Corporation
  • Trainee (Registration)
  • Installer
  • Piper
  • Service Corporation
  • Domestic Appliance Technician
  • Entity License
  • Supervisor
  • Worker
  • Inspector
  • Management Planner
  • Project Designer
  • Disposal Site Contractor
  • Disposal Site Worker / Worker-in-Training
  • Lead Training Provider
  • Lead Abatement Contractor
  • Lead Abatement Supervisor
  • Lead Abatement Worker
  • Lead Inspector
  • Risk Assessor

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See also

Northeast region guide

Browse all Northeast jurisdictions for comparison.

Contractors guide

Cross-state guidance for contractors evaluating new jurisdictions.

Regulators guide

Cross-state guidance for comparing regulatory models and agency structures.
Neighboring jurisdictions with reciprocity ties:

Maine

Electrical master and journeyman reciprocity with New Hampshire.

Vermont

Electrical master and journeyman reciprocity with New Hampshire.

Massachusetts

Electrical master and journeyman reciprocity with New Hampshire.

Connecticut

Electrical master, journeyman, and electrical contractor reciprocity with New Hampshire.