Maryland Masonry License Requirements (2026)

Maryland has no standalone statewide masonry license. A mason who contracts with an owner for covered improvements to an existing residence generally needs a Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) contractor license. MHIC’s definition includes residential buildings, related structures, and improvements to adjacent land, such as patios and retaining walls. New-home construction and certain statutory exclusions are outside MHIC, while commercial projects can have local permit and business requirements. A subcontractor working for an MHIC-licensed contractor does not need a separate MHIC subcontractor license, but only an MHIC-licensed contractor may contract directly with homeowners.

Regulatory Body

Licensing for this trade is governed by Maryland Department of Labor — Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (MD DOL), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under Maryland Code, Business Regulation and Business Occupations Articles. The Maryland Department of Labor houses the occupational boards that license home improvement contractors, master electricians, plumbers, and HVACR contractors statewide, adopts technical codes by reference, and conducts disciplinary proceedings.

Official portal: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/
Address: 1100 North Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 230-6231

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. MHIC publishes no general Maryland-residency requirement. Business entities and trade names must provide the applicable Maryland registration documents with the application.

Good moral character

Applicants must report qualifying felony or home-improvement-related misdemeanor convictions and provide the records MHIC requests.

Background investigation

MHIC’s published application requirements call for conviction disclosure; confirm current application instructions for any additional records.

Experience and Education

A minimum of 2 years of At least two years of home-improvement, construction, or related education is required for a contractor license. must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

MHIC experience record and supporting application documents

Education substitution

Related education may count toward the published two-year experience, construction, or related-education requirement.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Examination Services for the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

MHIC contractor examination — 55 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $63 standard PSI examination fee.

Retake policy: After an unsuccessful attempt, wait 30 days before reapplying; later requests require a 60-day wait. Pay the exam fee for each attempt. A passing score expires if no license application is made within two years.

Insurance and Bonds

No statewide contractor license surety bond is required for this credential in the cited sources. Project-specific, permit, or public-works bonds may still apply, so confirm bonding before bidding a given job.

General liability

Maryland Business Regulation §8-302.1 requires at least $500,000 in general liability insurance for an applicant and licensed home-improvement contractor.

Workers' compensation

Confirm workers’ compensation obligations with the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission for the business’s staffing arrangement.

Additional financial requirements

MHIC reviews financial solvency using the scope and size of the business, assets, liabilities, credit report, and net worth. An applicant not meeting its guidelines may obtain an indemnitor or surety bond.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$303.75
Examination	$63
Initial license	$403.75
Renewal (every 2 years)	$456.25

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Maryland masonry.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Maryland Home Improvement Contractor (MHIC) License must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $456.25. Current renewal charges shown by MHIC are $281.25 application plus a $175 two-year Guaranty Fund assessment. Maintain required liability insurance.

Continuing education: MHIC’s published contractor requirements do not list a general continuing-education requirement; verify current renewal instructions before filing.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Maryland Masonry License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

Maryland grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

MHIC publishes no general reciprocity program for out-of-state masonry or home-improvement licenses. Meet the normal MHIC requirements unless MHIC confirms an applicable expedited military pathway.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Masonry license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Masonry Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Maryland's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Delaware Masonry License Requirements — Delaware Contractor Business License and Contractor Registration Certificate
District of Columbia Masonry License Requirements — DC Contractor Basic Business License and Project Permits for Masonry Work
Pennsylvania Masonry License Requirements — Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor Registration
Virginia Masonry License Requirements — Virginia BRK Masonry Specialty Contractor — DPOR Board for Contractors
West Virginia Masonry License Requirements — West Virginia Masonry Contractor License

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Confirm that the masonry is MHIC-covered. MHIC generally covers improvements to existing residences, including patios and retaining walls; new-home construction and statutory exclusions follow different rules.
Document qualifying background. Prepare evidence of at least two years of home-improvement, construction, or related education.
Pass the MHIC contractor exam. The PSI exam has 55 questions, a two-hour time limit, and a 70% passing score.
Prepare financial and business documents. Provide the financial-solvency information and any entity or trade-name documents MHIC requires.
Obtain required liability insurance. Maintain at least $500,000 in general liability insurance.
Apply and pay the initial fees. Current original contractor charges are $281.25 application, $22.50 processing, and a $100 Guaranty Fund assessment, plus the exam fee.
Confirm building permits and trade scope. MHIC is not a building permit. Obtain local approvals and use licensed specialty trades when the work requires them.
Renew on the two-year cycle. Keep insurance current and submit the renewal charge and Guaranty Fund assessment before expiration.

Application Checklist

Ahead of submission to MD DOL, confirm every item on this short list:

MHIC-covered scope confirmed
Two years of qualifying experience, construction work, or related education documented
PSI MHIC contractor examination passed
Financial-solvency documents prepared
$500,000 general liability insurance certificate
Entity or trade-name documents, if applicable
Original MHIC fees and $100 Guaranty Fund assessment
Local permits and specialty-trade requirements checked

Common Filing Mistakes

These are the recurring mistakes that most often delay or reject a Maryland Masonry application, based on the official instructions cited here.

Treating masonry as unregulated

Masonry is not separately licensed, but covered existing-residential improvement contracts generally require an MHIC contractor license.

Using the stale $50,000 insurance figure

The current statute requires at least $500,000 in general liability coverage.

Applying before passing the exam

An applicant must pass the examination before submitting the MHIC license application.

Ignoring financial-solvency review

MHIC reviews the applicant’s financial information and may require an indemnitor or surety bond if its guidelines are not met.

Assuming MHIC replaces local permits

MHIC licensing does not replace building permits, inspections, or local construction requirements.

Study and Reference Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

MHIC Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI Examination Services. Use the current PSI bulletin and its list of references.
Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, 5th edition — PSI/MHIC. MHIC identifies this as the basis for contractor-exam content.
Maryland Business Regulation Title 8 — Maryland General Assembly. Primary statutory source for MHIC scope and licensing.

Other Maryland Trade Licenses

CLR maintains guides for additional Maryland trades; the published ones are listed here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Maryland have a masonry contractor license?

No separate statewide masonry license exists. For covered existing-residential work, the statewide credential is the MHIC contractor license.

Do patios and retaining walls require MHIC?

MHIC states that installing patios and retaining walls at a residence is home improvement, so an MHIC license is required when acting as the contractor.

Do I need MHIC for commercial masonry?

MHIC regulates home improvement, not general commercial construction. Check the local jurisdiction for permits, business licensing, and project requirements.

What insurance amount does MHIC require?

State law requires at least $500,000 in general liability insurance for applicants and licensed MHIC contractors.

How often does an MHIC contractor license renew?

The license period is two years from original issuance. Current contractor renewal charges include a $281.25 application fee and a $175 Guaranty Fund assessment.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.