Find a licensed home improvement contractor
How to find, check and hire a licensed home improvement contractor: state license rules, public-record listings and what to ask before you hire.
Home improvement contractors handle kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, painting, windows, decks, basements and general renovation. Many states and cities require a home improvement or contractor license and a written contract for jobs over a set amount. Larger work, such as walls, structure, plumbing, electrical and some roofing, also needs permits, which the contractor or the licensed trades on the job should pull.
Where do you need a home improvement contractor?
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
What do home improvement contractors do?
- Kitchen remodeling
- Bathroom renovation
- Flooring and tile
- Painting and drywall
- Windows and doors
- Basement finishing
- Decks, porches and fences
- Small repairs and handyman jobs
How do you hire a good home improvement contractor?
- Check the contractor's license with the state or city. Many places require a home improvement license for residential work over a few hundred dollars.
- Get a written contract with the scope, materials, schedule, total price and payment schedule. Don't pay most of it upfront.
- Ask who pulls the permits. If the contractor suggests skipping a permit that the job needs, find another contractor.
- Ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation, and make sure the policy is current.
- Ask for two or three recent jobs like yours that you can see or call about.
The US Census Bureau counts about 134,525 residential remodelers with employees nationwide (County Business Patterns 2023). We list the ones we can confirm in public license records, starting with New York City.
Questions people ask
Do home improvement contractors need a license?
It depends on the state and city. Many states license residential contractors, and New York City requires a Department of Consumer and Worker Protection license for most home improvement work over $200. Search the license before you sign.
How much should I pay upfront for a renovation?
Keep the deposit small and tie later payments to finished stages of work. Some places cap or regulate deposits. Never pay in full before the job is done.
Does my renovation need a permit?
Anything structural, moving walls, new plumbing or electrical, and many window, roofing and deck jobs need permits. Cosmetic work such as painting, flooring and replacing cabinets usually doesn't.
What if a contractor takes my deposit and disappears?
File a complaint with the licensing agency and your state attorney general. Some places, including New York City, have a home improvement trust fund that can repay homeowners who hired a licensed contractor, which is one more reason to hire licensed.