Michigan Handyman License Requirements 2026 | Official $600 Exemption Guide

No Michigan state contractor license is required to perform paid residential repair, alteration, or handyman work where the aggregate contract price for labor, material, and any other items for the one undertaking or project is LESS THAN $600.00, per MCL 339.2403 (Occupational Code, Public Act 299 of 1980, Article 24). At $600.00 or more, a state Residential Builder (RB) or Maintenance & Alteration (M&A) Contractor license — administered by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes — becomes mandatory. The exemption is automatic and requires no filing, fee, or exam. Three limits control it: an anti-evasion clause bars splitting one larger job into multiple sub-$600 contracts; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical/HVAC work always require their own skilled-trades licenses regardless of dollar amount; and unlicensed work at or above the threshold carries criminal penalties under MCL 339.601.

Governing Authority

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes — Residential Builders' and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors' Board (LARA / BCC) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Occupational Code, Public Act 299 of 1980, Article 24, MCL 339.2401 et seq.. Licenses and regulates residential builders and maintenance & alteration contractors under Article 24 of the Occupational Code. It administers the 'less than $600' minor-work threshold, below which no state contractor license is required to perform residential repair or alteration work.

Official portal: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/residential-builders
Address: Bureau of Construction Codes, P.O. Box 30254, Lansing, MI 48909

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 0 and producing a valid Social Security Number. No state residency requirement to use the less-than-$600 exemption or to hold the RB/M&A license.

Good moral character

Good moral character is a statutory qualification for the RB/M&A license only; it does not apply to sub-$600 exempt handyman work.

Background investigation

No fingerprint criminal-background check is required to work under the exemption. For the RB/M&A license, applicants must demonstrate good moral character; no separate fingerprint background check is imposed for residential builders (not fully re-verified this session).

Disqualifying conditions

Experience & Education Matrix

Eligibility here is not measured in years of experience but by No experience is required to work under the less-than-$600 exemption. For the RB/M&A license (needed at $600 or more), no confirmed years of hands-on experience are required; the entry pathway is education- and exam-based., per the cited materials.

Education substitution

For the RB/M&A license only: 60 hours of LARA-approved prelicensure coursework (6-hour minimums across business management, estimating, design/building science, contracts/liability, marketing/sales, project management, Michigan Residential Code, and MIOSHA construction safety, plus 18 elective hours) is required before applying. No education is required for sub-$600 exempt work.

Examination Structure

This credential carries no state-administered written exam under the cited sources. What governs instead is: No exam is required to perform paid handyman/repair work under the less-than-$600 threshold. A PSI-administered examination applies only to applicants for the Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license (work at $600 or more).

Examination fee: unconfirmed — the previously cited $111 Individual Residential Builder PSI fee was not verified against an official PSI/LARA source; one third-party source shows $117. Verify at test-takers.psiexams.com. Paid to PSI at scheduling.

Retake policy: unconfirmed — verify with PSI/LARA.

Insurance & Financial Security

Handyman work under the threshold generally carries no state bond or insurance mandate; liability coverage is left to the operator as a matter of business protection. The state-specific requirement, including anything tied to registration, follows.

General liability

Not required by the state as a condition of the RB/M&A license (no state mandate confirmed) and not required for sub-$600 exempt work. General liability coverage is a recommended business best practice.

Workers' compensation

Standard Michigan workers' compensation law applies to any handyman or builder with employees; no builder-specific state requirement is confirmed.

Additional financial requirements

unconfirmed

Application and License Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	No separate state fee
Initial license — sole owner	No separate state fee
Initial license — non-sole owner	No separate state fee
Renewal (every 3 years)	No separate state fee

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 Michigan handyman.

Maintenance & Renewal

Expect to renew the Minor Work Exemption — Residential Builder / Maintenance & Alteration Contractor "less than $600" rule (MCL 339.2403) every 3 years. The cited materials name no distinct statewide fee for renewal. Renewal applies only to holders of the RB/M&A license (needed at $600 or more); sub-$600 exempt handyman work requires no license and thus no renewal. RB/M&A licenses renew every 3 years by May 31. Secondary sources cite a $150 fee per 3-year cycle (one source cites $185); this could not be confirmed from the official LARA fee page and should be verified there.

Continuing education: For the RB/M&A license: first or second renewal cycle requires 21 hours of continuing competency; third or later cycle requires 3 hours. No continuing education applies to sub-$600 exempt work.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and Endorsement

Handyman rules do not travel across state lines. Whatever an operator relied on in another state, Michigan's own threshold and any registration requirement govern work performed in Michigan, as described below.

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

Not applicable to sub-$600 exempt handyman work, as there is no state credential to reciprocate. Michigan's RB/M&A license is education- and exam-based with no confirmed reciprocity or NASCLA acceptance for that residential license.

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

Handyman Licensing in Neighboring States

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

Indiana Handyman License Requirements — No statewide handyman/contractor license — municipal regulation; statewide Home Improvement Contracts Act (IC 24-5-11) written-contract rule applies
Ohio Handyman License Requirements — No statewide handyman or general-contractor license (Ohio licenses only five commercial trades via OCILB; general home-repair/handyman work is unregulated at the state level and handled locally)
Wisconsin Handyman License Requirements — No state handyman license — permit-linked Dwelling Contractor / Dwelling Contractor Qualifier credential (Wis. Stat. § 101.654)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Confirm the less-than-$600 threshold applies to each project. Under MCL 339.2403, the exemption applies only where the aggregate contract price for labor, material, and any other items for the one undertaking or project is less than $600.00. Total the full project value before quoting.
Do not split a larger job to stay under $600. MCL 339.2403 contains an anti-evasion clause: splitting one operation into multiple sub-$600 contracts to evade the act is expressly prohibited and does not preserve the exemption.
Use licensed pros for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Electrical (Art. 7), plumbing (Art. 11), and mechanical/HVAC (Art. 8) work require their own skilled-trades licenses under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act regardless of dollar amount. The $600 exemption does not cover these trades.
Check for local city or county registration and permits. Michigan has no statewide handyman registration, but some municipalities may require a local business license or contractor registration, and building permits may be required for certain work. Confirm with the local building department before starting.
Use a written contract and carry liability insurance. Although Michigan confirms no separate state home-improvement contract statute, a clear written contract and general liability coverage are business best practices that protect both the handyman and the homeowner.
Obtain the RB/M&A license before taking work at $600 or more. Complete 60 hours of LARA-approved prelicensure education, pass the PSI examination, and file the license application with the Bureau of Construction Codes before contracting for any project valued at $600.00 or more.

Pre-Submission Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with LARA / BCC:

Total the full aggregate contract price (labor plus materials plus any other items) for the project and confirm it is less than $600.00 before quoting.
Verify the job is one undertaking and is not being split from a larger project into multiple sub-$600 contracts.
Confirm no part of the work is electrical, plumbing, or mechanical/HVAC — those require a separately licensed trade professional regardless of price.
Check with the local city or county building department for any local business license, contractor registration, or building permit requirements.
Prepare a written contract describing scope, price, and terms, and confirm general liability insurance is in place as a business best practice.
If any project reaches $600.00 or more, obtain the Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license before contracting for the work.

Study and Reference Materials

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

MCL 339.2403 — the less-than-$600 minor-work exemption statute — Michigan Legislature (Occupational Code, Article 24). The controlling compliance reference: the exact threshold, aggregate-price basis, anti-evasion clause, and the electrical/plumbing/mechanical carve-outs.
LARA Bureau of Construction Codes — Residential Builders licensing page — Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The board's official page explaining when the RB/M&A license is required and the 60-hour education and PSI exam path for work at $600 or more.
Local city/county building department permit and registration office — Municipal building departments. Confirm any local business license, contractor registration, or building-permit requirements that may apply even to sub-$600 handyman work.

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Michigan Handyman application.

Exceeding the $600 threshold by aggregating a project

The threshold is measured on the aggregate contract price for labor, material, and any other items for the whole undertaking. Underestimating materials or add-ons can push a job to $600.00 or more, requiring a license.

Splitting one job into multiple sub-$600 contracts

MCL 339.2403's anti-evasion clause expressly prohibits dividing one operation into several under-$600 contracts to avoid licensing. Doing so does not preserve the exemption and exposes the handyman to penalties.

Performing an excluded trade without its own license

Even a small electrical, plumbing, or HVAC task requires the corresponding skilled-trades license under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act. The $600 exemption never covers these trades regardless of the job's price.

Ignoring the criminal penalty for unlicensed contracting

Unlicensed residential-builder or M&A work at or above the threshold is a criminal misdemeanor under MCL 339.601 carrying a $5,000–$25,000 fine and possible imprisonment, and the worker cannot sue to collect payment or file a lien under MCL 339.2412.

Overlooking local registration and permit requirements

Michigan has no statewide handyman registration, but some municipalities require a local business license or contractor registration, and permits may be required for specific work. These local rules apply independently of the state exemption.

Other Michigan Trade Licenses

Should the Handyman path not apply, these other Michigan trade guides from CLR may help:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license to do handyman work in Michigan?

No state license is required to perform paid residential repair, alteration, or handyman work where the aggregate contract price for labor, material, and any other items for the one project is less than $600.00, per MCL 339.2403. At $600.00 or more, a Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license is required.

What is the exact dollar threshold for the Michigan handyman exemption?

The threshold is 'less than $600.00' in aggregate contract price for labor, material, and any other items per one undertaking or project, set by MCL 339.2403 (Occupational Code, Article 24). A project priced at $600.00 or more requires a state RB or M&A license; the figure includes both labor and materials.

Can I split a larger job into several jobs under $600 to stay exempt?

No. MCL 339.2403 contains an anti-evasion clause that expressly prohibits splitting one operation or undertaking into multiple sub-$600 contracts to evade the licensing act. The aggregate price of the whole project controls whether a license is required.

Does the exemption cover electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work?

No. Electrical (Article 7), plumbing (Article 11), and mechanical/HVAC (Article 8) work each require their own skilled-trades license under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act regardless of the dollar amount. The less-than-$600 exemption never covers these trades, even on a small job.

What is the penalty for doing licensed work without a license in Michigan?

Under MCL 339.601, performing residential-builder or M&A contracting without the required license is a criminal misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $25,000.00 and/or imprisonment up to 1 year for a first offense (up to 2 years for subsequent offenses; a felony if it causes death or serious injury). Separately, MCL 339.2412 bars an unlicensed person from suing to collect payment or filing a construction lien.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-07-17 · Next scheduled review 2026-10-15