Original 918-record comparison
Contractor License Renewal Requirements by State and Trade
Renewal is rarely just a fee and a date. The license, business entity, qualifying individual, bond, insurance, continuing education, and local registration can each follow a different rule. This finder preserves those distinctions across all 50 states and DC instead of forcing every credential into a misleading yes-or-no chart.
Underlying guides were source-checked from through . Every row links to the current guide, its complete primary-source set, and the issuing authority. Confirm the authority’s live renewal notice before filing.
What is—and is not—normalized
- Renewal records
- 918
- one per published guide
- Jurisdictions
- 51
- 50 states plus DC
- Trades
- 18
- consistent categories
- Fixed cycles recorded
- 712
- not inferred from other dates
- Positive fees recorded
- 584
- unknown never means free
Read the numbers conservatively
- “Not established” is not zero. It means the reviewed record does not support a current, universally applicable amount or interval.
- A renewal fee is not the total renewal cost. Education, portal, entity, local, insurance, bond, recovery-fund, fingerprinting or reinstatement costs may be separate.
- A fixed cycle may not supply one universal deadline. The due date can depend on birth month, initial issuance, license number, classification or a board-set calendar.
A safe renewal check has five parts
- Identify the exact license class, entity and individual credentials being renewed.
- Verify active status and expiration in the issuing authority’s live system.
- Complete required education before the board’s cutoff—not merely before payment.
- Keep the qualifier, entity registration, bond, insurance and workers’ compensation current.
- Save the confirmation and recheck active status before contracting or pulling permits.
State-and-trade renewal finder
Filter the complete dataset. Follow “Read the complete renewal record” for education, late-renewal, and maintenance details; do not rely on the badge alone.
Showing 1–25 of 918 records
| License record | Cycle | Recorded fee | Continuing education | Requirements and cautions | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama — Carpentry Alabama Carpentry Contractor Licensing Guide | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | Not established in record | Local or credential-specific | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Concrete Contractor Alabama Concrete Contractor — No Standalone State Concrete License | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $200 | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-08 |
| Alabama — Electrician Alabama Electrical Contractor License (also called Master Electrician) | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $150 | Requirement specified | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Fire Sprinkler Alabama State Fire Marshal Fire Protection Sprinkler Contractor Permit | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $120 | No statewide requirement stated | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — General Contractor Alabama General Contractor License (prime or subcontractor) | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $200 | No statewide requirement stated | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Handyman Handyman / Minor-Work Exemption (Home Builders Licensure Board $10,000 residential threshold) | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $250 | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-07-17 |
| Alabama — Home Inspector Home Inspector License | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $300 | Requirement specified | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-30 |
| Alabama — HVAC Alabama Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $220 | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Landscaping Alabama Horticulture Professional Services License (When Applicable) | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $175 | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Low Voltage Alabama Electrical Contractor license and AESBL electronic-security license, as applicable | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | Not established in record | Local or credential-specific | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Masonry Alabama Masonry Contractor — AL General Contractors Board Requirements | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $200 | Local or credential-specific | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Painting Alabama Painting Contractor — HBLB, AGCB, Local and Lead-Renovation Guide | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $200 | Local or credential-specific | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Pest Control Structural Professional Services License (business), paired with an individual Commercial Applicator certification as Certified Operator | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $175 | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-07-28 |
| Alabama — Plumber Alabama Master Plumber Certification and Company Registration | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $175 | Requirement specified | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Pool Contractor General Contractor License - Swimming Pools (SP) classification (Commercial Swimming Pool Contractor) | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $200 | No statewide requirement stated | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-07-10 |
| Alabama — Roofing Alabama Residential Roofer and Commercial Contractor License Guide | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $150 | Local or credential-specific | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alabama — Septic Contractor Basic / Advanced Level I / Advanced Level II installer | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | Not established in record | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-30 |
| Alabama — Solar Alabama Solar Contractor Licensing Guide | Annual Fixed cycle recorded | $150 | Requirement specified | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alaska — Carpentry Alaska Specialty Contractor (Carpentry) — Construction Contractor Endorsement | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | $250 | Local or credential-specific | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alaska — Concrete Contractor Alaska Concrete Contractor — Specialty Contractor Registration — Concrete and Paving Contractor | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | $250 | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-08 |
| Alaska — Electrician Alaska Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness and Electrical Administrator License | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | $200 | Requirement specified | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alaska — Fire Sprinkler Alaska Fire Sprinkler Contractor Requirements — Mechanical Contractor and Fire-System Class Guide | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | Not established in record | Confirm current requirement | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alaska — General Contractor Alaska General Contractor Registration with Residential Endorsement | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | $350 | No statewide requirement stated | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
| Alaska — Handyman Handyman Contractor Registration (Construction Contractor — Handyman, projects $10,000 or less; AS 08.18.071(b)(4) / 12 AAC 21.700) | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | $250 | No statewide requirement stated | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-07-17 |
| Alaska — Home Inspector Registered Home Inspector (certificate of registration; Registered Associate Home Inspector available) | Every 2 years Fixed cycle recorded | $250 | Requirement specified | Read the complete renewal record Education, late renewal, and maintenance requirements in the full guide. | Full guide Guide sources Issuing authority Checked 2026-09-04 |
Methodology and limitations
We start with the renewal section of every published state-and-trade guide. Each record retains the fee, cycle, continuing-education statement, late-renewal text, maintenance notes, completed source-check date, detailed guide, source set and issuing authority. The comparison does not substitute a generic state fee for a trade credential or apply one city’s rule statewide.
A positive fee appears only when the record contains a positive government renewal amount for the summarized pathway. Zero is displayed as “not established” unless the narrative expressly establishes that there is no credential to renew. Likewise, a numeric cycle appears only when the record supports one fixed interval. This prevents missing data from masquerading as a free, permanent license.
The continuing-education badge is a conservative navigation aid, not a legal conclusion. “Requirement specified” means the narrative states a numeric education or training obligation. Mixed statewide/local rules remain “local or credential-specific.” The complete statement controls because requirements can attach to an individual rather than the company, change by classification, or include mandatory subjects that an hour count alone cannot show.
One row represents the pathway described by one detailed guide—not every license class a board may issue. When a project can fall under several credentials, use the scope discussion in the full guide to identify the actual license before relying on its renewal terms.
Frequently asked questions
Does every contractor license renew on the same schedule?
No. Renewal can be annual, biennial, triennial, tied to a birth month or fixed board date, or controlled locally. A business license, individual trade credential and qualifying-party credential can also have different expiration dates. This comparison reports the cycle recorded for the pathway described in each detailed guide.
Does a zero renewal fee mean renewal is free?
No. This page never converts a zero data field into “free.” If a positive fee was not established from the reviewed source set, the table says “Not established in record.” A credential may also have separate portal, education, local, entity, recovery-fund or reinstatement charges.
Does “cycle not established” mean the license never expires?
No. It means the reviewed record does not support one fixed interval for the summarized pathway. Open the renewal details and current authority instructions before acting. Local-only systems and entries that cover several possible credentials often cannot be represented by one statewide number.
Can a contractor keep working during a late-renewal or grace period?
Do not assume so. A board may accept a late application without authorizing contracting during the lapse. The right to work depends on the statute, license status and any express continuation rule. Confirm active status in the official licensing system before bidding, contracting, advertising or pulling permits.
Who completes continuing education—the company, qualifier or individual licensee?
It depends on the credential. Some boards assign education to the individual qualifier or trade licensee even though a company holds the contractor license. Other programs impose education on a designated license class, or none at all. Read the complete CE statement rather than applying the table badge to every person connected with the business.
What should be checked in addition to the renewal fee and CE hours?
Check the expiration date, active qualifier, entity registration, bond, insurance, workers’ compensation, financial statement, disciplinary disclosures, local registrations and any required tax or recovery-fund filings. A payment alone does not necessarily restore or preserve authority to contract.
Found a changed renewal rule or a more direct primary source? Send a correction with the official source.