Carpentry Contractor License Requirements by State
Builds and installs wood structures and fixtures. This page currently compares 49 of 51 jurisdictions published jurisdictions for carpentry contractor while the remaining states are still being researched and drafted. Every row links to the verified state page with statute citations, fees, exam scope, insurance, and renewal rules.
- Published guides
- 49
- Require trade exam
- 35
- Require surety bond
- 19
- Local / municipal
- 17
- Avg published experience
- 2.7 yr
Comparison table — 49 of 51 jurisdictions
Scroll horizontally on smaller screens. Use the sort control to compare low-fee states, high-bond states, or the jurisdictions with the heaviest published experience requirements. Click any state to open the verified license page.
17 of these published jurisdictions rely on local or municipal licensing instead of a single statewide credential.
| State | License | Exam | Experience | Bond | Initial fee | Renewal | NASCLA | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Local / municipal | Alabama Carpentry (under General Contractor or Home Builder) | Yes | 3 yr | $10,000 | $300 | 1 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to license card |
| Alaska | Alaska Specialty Contractor (Carpentry) — Construction Contractor Endorsement | No | — | $10,000 | $250 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 60 days from application to license number |
| Arizona | Arizona Specialty Residential / Commercial Contractor (Carpentry trades) | Yes | 4 yr | $9,000 | $580 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to license number |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Residential Builder or Commercial Contractor (Carpentry under Building) | Yes | — | $10,000 | $100 | 1 yr | Accepted | 45 – 90 days from application to license card |
| California | California C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry / C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry | Yes | 4 yr | $25,000 | $200 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 150 days from application to license issuance |
| Colorado Local / municipal | Colorado Carpentry (no statewide license; municipal contractor registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $15,000 | $350 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration | No | — | — | $250 | 1 yr | — | 15 – 45 days from application to registration certificate |
| Delaware | Delaware Contractor Business License (Carpentry) | No | — | — | $75 | 1 yr | — | 7 – 21 days for the Division of Revenue to issue the license |
| District of Columbia | DC Home Improvement Contractor and General Contractor / Construction Manager Endorsement | No | — | $25,000 | $410 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to license issuance |
| Florida Local / municipal | Florida Carpentry (under Certified or Registered Building / Residential Contractor) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $249 | 2 yr | — | 90 – 180 days from application to license card |
| Georgia | Georgia Residential or General Contractor (Carpentry under Building classification) | Yes | 2 yr | — | $200 | 2 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to license number |
| Hawaii | Hawaii C-5 Cabinet, Millwork and Carpentry Remodeling Contractor / C-5a Carpentry Framing | Yes | 4 yr | $5,000 | $535 | 2 yr | — | 90 – 180 days from application to CLB issuance |
| Idaho | Idaho Contractor Registration (Carpentry) | No | — | — | $190 | 1 yr | — | 14 – 30 days from application to registration certificate |
| Indiana Local / municipal | Indiana Carpentry (no state license; Indianapolis Class C contractor registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $10,000 | $200 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Iowa | Iowa Construction Contractor Registration (Carpentry) | No | — | $25,000 | $50 | 1 yr | — | 7 – 21 days for the Division to issue the registration number |
| Kansas Local / municipal | Kansas Carpentry (no state license; municipal contractor registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $15,000 | $200 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Kentucky Local / municipal | Kentucky Carpentry (no state license; local jurisdiction registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $5,000 | $150 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Specialty Contractor — Carpentry (LSLBC) | Yes | — | — | $100 | 1 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to LSLBC issuance |
| Maine Local / municipal | Maine Carpentry (no state license; written contract law and local permits) | No | — | — | $0 | 1 yr | — | Immediate — no state credential required |
| Maryland | Maryland Home Improvement Contractor (MHIC) | Yes | 2 yr | — | $370 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to MHIC issuance |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration and Construction Supervisor License (CSL) | Yes | 3 yr | — | $250 | 2 yr | — | 45 – 90 days for both credentials |
| Michigan | Michigan Residential Builder License (Carpentry) | Yes | — | — | $195 | 3 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to license number |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Residential Building Contractor / Residential Remodeler (Carpentry) | Yes | — | — | $400 | 2 yr | — | 45 – 90 days from application to license number |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Residential Builder or Commercial Contractor (Carpentry) | Yes | — | — | $200 | 1 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to certificate issuance |
| Missouri Local / municipal | Missouri Carpentry (no state license; St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield contractor registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $10,000 | $200 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Montana | Montana Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate or Construction Contractor Registration | No | — | — | $70 | 2 yr | — | 14 – 30 days from application to credential |
| Nebraska Local / municipal | Nebraska Contractor Registration (Carpentry) | No | — | — | $25 | 1 yr | — | 7 – 14 days from application to registration certificate |
| Nevada Local / municipal | Nevada C-3 Carpentry / C-3a Maintenance and Minor Repair Contractor (NSCB) | Yes | 4 yr | $1,000 | $600 | 2 yr | — | 90 – 150 days from application to NSCB issuance |
| New Hampshire Local / municipal | New Hampshire Carpentry (no state license; mandatory written contract law) | No | — | — | $0 | 1 yr | — | Immediate — no state credential required |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration | No | — | — | $110 | 1 yr | — | 14 – 30 days from application to registration certificate |
| New Mexico | New Mexico GB-2 General Building Contractor or GS-3 Carpentry Specialty | Yes | 4 yr | $10,000 | $360 | 3 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to license number |
| New York Local / municipal | New York Home Improvement Contractor (NYC DCWP, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester) | Yes | — | $20,000 | $100 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to NYC HIC license |
| North Carolina | North Carolina General Contractor — Building Classification (Carpentry) | Yes | — | — | $75 | 1 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to license number |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Contractor License (Carpentry) | No | — | — | $100 | 1 yr | — | 14 – 30 days from application to license certificate |
| Ohio Local / municipal | Ohio Carpentry (no state license; municipal contractor registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $25,000 | $200 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Oklahoma Local / municipal | Oklahoma Carpentry (no state license; municipal contractor registration) | Yes | 2 yr | $5,000 | $200 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to municipal registration |
| Oregon | Oregon Construction Contractors Board License (Carpentry) | Yes | — | $20,000 | $325 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 60 days from application to CCB number |
| Pennsylvania Local / municipal | Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration | No | — | — | $50 | 2 yr | — | 14 – 30 days from application to HIC number |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Contractors Registration Board (CRB) Registration | No | — | — | $200 | 2 yr | — | 21 – 45 days from application to registration number |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Residential Specialty Contractor — Carpentry / Residential Builder | Yes | — | — | $110 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| South Dakota Local / municipal | South Dakota Carpentry (no state license; excise tax license + municipal) | Yes | — | — | $0 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Contractor License — BC-A Residential or Home Improvement (carpentry) | Yes | — | — | $250 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Texas Local / municipal | Texas Carpentry (no state license; municipal registration) | Yes | — | — | $0 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Utah | Utah S330 Carpentry Contractor | Yes | 2 yr | — | $270 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Vermont | Vermont Residential Contractor Registration | Yes | — | — | $250 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Virginia | Virginia Class A/B/C Contractor with CIC Commercial Improvement Contracting or Carpentry/Interior designation | Yes | 2 yr | — | $385 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Washington | Washington General or Specialty Contractor Registration (carpentry is a specialty) | Yes | — | — | $124 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Contractor License — General Building or Specialty | Yes | — | — | $90 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Certification (carpentry under dwelling contractor) | Yes | — | — | $100 | 4 yr | — | 30 – 120 days from application to issuance |
National picture for carpentry contractor
Of the 49 jurisdictions currently published in this dataset, 35 require a trade examination administered by PSI, Prometric, NASCLA, Pearson VUE, ICC, or the state board directly. 19 require an explicit surety bond filed with the regulator before the license issues, and 6 accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination as a path toward reciprocal licensure for this line of work. Where the regulator publishes a numeric threshold, the average documented experience requirement is 2.7 years.
The comparison above is generated at build time directly from the state license entries on this site. Every value is traceable to the regulator's published rule. If you spot a discrepancy, the state page is the source of truth and will be re-verified against the official source set.
Choosing where to license first
- Lowest barrier to entry: sort by initial fee and look closely at rows where Exam = No or the state is marked Local / municipal.
- Strongest reciprocity downstream: states marked NASCLA Accepted, because the same exam can unlock multiple jurisdictions later.
- Lowest upfront cost: focus on combinations with the smallest initial fee and no bond requirement.
- Fastest path to wallet card: compare the Time column, but remember that municipal programs can still involve multiple city registrations.
Related reading
Original cross-state analyses from our dataset that add context to the carpentry contractor table above — who runs the exams, where the burden is heaviest, and what a criminal record means for eligibility.
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The Contractor Licensing Atlas
What mapping 586 licenses revealed about exam providers, bonds, and where a trade needs no state license at all.
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Contractor license difficulty index
Where each state ranks on exam, experience, and bond burden — hardest to easiest.
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License costs ranked by state
Cheapest to most expensive states once fees, bond, and first-year insurance are counted.
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Licensing with a criminal record
A 50-state look at background checks and which convictions actually block a license.
All data verified from the issuing state board's published rules. Last full pass: 2026-Q2.