Handyman License Requirements by State

Performs minor home repairs and maintenance below the state contractor-license threshold. This page compares licensing requirements for handymen across all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. Every row links to the verified state page with statute citations, fees, exam scope, insurance, and renewal rules.

Published guides: 51
Exam pathways recorded: 6
Require surety bond: 7
No statewide license: 28
Avg published experience: 2.0 yr

Where a state handyman license is required

Each tile links to that state's guide. "No statewide license" means the state board does not license the trade; city, county, permit, and adjacent-trade rules can still apply.

State license (1)State registration (1)Depends on scope (21)No statewide license (28)

Comparison table — all 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.

28 of these published jurisdictions have no single statewide trade license; local and scope-specific rules may apply.

Sort table

State	License	Exam	Experience	Bond	Initial fee	Renewal	NASCLA	Time	Median pay
Alabama Depends on scope	Handyman / Minor-Work Exemption (Home Builders Licensure Board $10,000 residential threshold)	Required	—	—	—	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$43,630
Alaska Depends on scope	Handyman Contractor Registration (Construction Contractor — Handyman, projects $10,000 or less; AS 08.18.071(b)(4) / 12 AAC 21.700)	No statewide exam	—	$5,000	$250	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$60,270
Arizona No statewide license	Arizona Casual or Minor Work Exemption (A.R.S. §32-1121(A)(14))	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$47,620
Arkansas Depends on scope	Minor Work Exemption ($2,000 single-family rule, Ark. Code Ann. § 17-25-513) — above $2,000, a Home Improvement Specialty License or Residential Remodeler License is required	Depends on pathway	—	—	—	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$43,400
California No statewide license	California minor-work exemption — no separate handyman license	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$57,000
Colorado No statewide license	No State License — Local Municipal/County Contractor Licensing Controls (Electrical & Plumbing Licensed by the State)	Confirm with authority	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$51,280
Connecticut Depends on scope	Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration	No statewide exam	—	—	$220	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$57,620
Delaware Depends on scope	Delaware Business License (Contractor) — Division of Revenue; no minor-work dollar exemption	No statewide exam	—	—	$75	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$50,150
District of Columbia State license	Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) — Basic Business License endorsement	No statewide exam	—	$25,000	$99	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$60,310
Florida No statewide license	Florida Handyman — No State License; Chapter 489 Scope Rules	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$46,060
Georgia No statewide license	No Georgia handyman license; residential threshold and repair exemption apply	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$47,680
Hawaii No statewide license	Minor Work Exemption (HRS 444-2(4) $1,500 rule)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$57,960
Idaho No statewide license	Minor Work / Casual Exemption (Idaho Contractor Registration Act — under-$2,000 threshold, Idaho Code § 54-5205(2)(f))	No statewide exam	—	—	—	2 yr	—	Set locally	$48,190
Illinois No statewide license	No state handyman/general-contractor license (municipal regulation) — Home Repair and Remodeling Act consumer-protection rules apply (815 ILCS 513)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$56,720
Indiana No statewide license	No statewide handyman/contractor license — municipal regulation; statewide Home Improvement Contracts Act (IC 24-5-11) written-contract rule applies	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$49,890
Iowa State registration	Iowa Construction Contractor Registration (Iowa Code Chapter 91C)	No statewide exam	—	$25,000	$50	1 yr	—	Up to 30 days after DIAL receives a complete application (481 IAC 465.7)	$52,160
Kansas No statewide license	No state contractor/handyman license — municipal (city/county) licensing only	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$47,210
Kentucky No statewide license	No statewide contractor/handyman license (general home-repair regulated only locally)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$46,810
Louisiana Depends on scope	Minor-Work Exemption (under $7,500) / LSLBC Home Improvement Registration ($7,500 to under $50,000)	Depends on pathway	—	—	$50	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$43,960
Maine No statewide license	No state handyman or general-contractor license (Home Construction Contracts Act, 10 MRSA ch. 219-A, governs contract form only)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$49,430
Maryland Depends on scope	Maryland Home Improvement Contractor License (MHIC) — no minor-work dollar exemption	Required	2 yr	—	$403.75	2 yr	—	2 years experience + processing	$51,490
Massachusetts Depends on scope	Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration (with a MGL c.142A §14 minor-work exemption)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$58,320
Michigan Depends on scope	Minor Work Exemption — Residential Builder / Maintenance & Alteration Contractor "less than $600" rule (MCL 339.2403)	Required	—	—	—	3 yr	—	No published timeline	$47,580
Minnesota Depends on scope	Construction Contractor Registration (Minn. Stat. § 326B.701), combined with the Residential Building Contractor license exemptions — single-special-skill exemption and $15,000 gross-annual-receipts Certificate of Exemption (Minn. Stat. § 326B.805, subd. 6)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$59,200
Mississippi Depends on scope	Minor-Work Exemption (MSBOC Residential Remodeler $10,000 threshold)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	No published timeline	$44,350
Missouri No statewide license	No state license — general contracting and home repair regulated locally (municipal/county)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$48,370
Montana Depends on scope	Construction Contractor License — Minor Work Exemption ($2,500, MCA 37-45-104)	Confirm with authority	—	—	$70	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$46,870
Nebraska No statewide license	Nebraska Contractor Registration (Contractor Registration Act) — $5,000 annual-earnings exemption	No statewide exam	—	—	—	1 yr	—	Set locally	$50,700
Nevada Depends on scope	Handyman / Minor Work Exemption (NSCB $1,000 repair-and-maintenance rule, NRS 624.031(6))	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	No published timeline	$52,360
New Hampshire No statewide license	No state contractor or handyman license (trade-specific licenses only)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$52,830
New Jersey Depends on scope	Home Improvement Contractor (HIC/HICB) Registration	No statewide exam	—	$10,000	$110	1 yr	—	No published timeline	$54,810
New Mexico No statewide license	Casual/Minor-Work (Handyman) Exemption under CILA — $7,200/yr, NMSA 1978 § 60-13-3(D)(14)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	1 yr	—	Set locally	$45,760
New York No statewide license	Handyman / Home Improvement — No Statewide License (Local HIC Licensing)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$57,790
North Carolina No statewide license	Minor Work Exemption (NCLBGC $40,000 general-contractor threshold)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$47,910
North Dakota No statewide license	Minor-Work Exemption (North Dakota $4,000 contractor-license threshold, NDCC 43-07-02)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$49,840
Ohio No statewide license	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)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$53,420
Oklahoma No statewide license	No state handyman / general-contractor license (Construction Industries Board regulates only plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and roofing)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$42,750
Oregon Depends on scope	Oregon CCB Contractor License — Minor/Casual-Work Exemption (ORS 701.010(4))	Required	—	$25,000	—	2 yr	—	6–8 weeks for CCB to process a license application, per the CCB	$54,350
Pennsylvania No statewide license	Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration	No statewide exam	—	—	—	2 yr	—	Set locally	$49,290
Rhode Island Depends on scope	Minor / Casual / Inconsequential Work Exemption (RI Contractor Registration $500 rule, R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-65-2)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	No published timeline	$50,900
South Carolina Depends on scope	Minor Work Exemption (Residential Specialty Contractor $500 registration threshold, S.C. Code § 40-59-20(7))	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	No published timeline	$47,880
South Dakota No statewide license	No state contractor or handyman license (Contractor's Excise Tax License is the only statewide requirement, SDCL ch. 10-46A)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$48,100
Tennessee Depends on scope	Minor Work Exemption ($25,000 statewide contractor threshold; Home Improvement Contractor license required in 9 adopting counties for $3,000-$24,999 residential work)	No statewide exam	—	$10,000	—	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$47,240
Texas No statewide license	No Texas state handyman or general-contractor license	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$46,670
Utah Depends on scope	Handyman / Minor-Work Exemption (Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act), with a mandatory DOPL Affirmation of Exemption for work valued over $3,000 and under $7,000	No statewide exam	—	—	—	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$50,450
Vermont Depends on scope	Residential Contractor Registration ($10,000 minor-work exemption)	No statewide exam	—	—	$75	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$55,510
Virginia No statewide license	Minor-Work Exemption (Virginia DPOR $1,000 contractor-license threshold, Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100 / § 54.1-1103)	Confirm with authority	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$49,470
Washington Depends on scope	Minor Work Exemption (RCW 18.27.090(9) $500 rule) / Washington L&I Contractor Registration	No statewide exam	—	$30,000	—	2 yr	—	No published timeline	$59,160
West Virginia No statewide license	Minor Work Exemption under the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act (below $5,000 residential / $25,000 commercial threshold, W. Va. Code §30-42-3)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$38,890
Wisconsin No statewide license	No state handyman license — permit-linked Dwelling Contractor / Dwelling Contractor Qualifier credential (Wis. Stat. § 101.654)	No statewide exam	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$55,810
Wyoming No statewide license	No State Handyman/Contractor License (Wyoming has no statewide contractor licensing; local city/county registration only)	Confirm with authority	—	—	—	—	—	Set locally	$47,900

National picture for handymen

Of the 51 jurisdictions currently published in this dataset, 6 record required or conditional examination pathways, 7 record a positive license-bond amount, and 0 record NASCLA acceptance. Among entries with a positive numeric experience threshold, the average recorded value is 2 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.

Handyman pay by state

The national median wage for general maintenance and repair workers is $49,590. Across the 51 jurisdictions with published BLS estimates, the median runs from $38,890 in West Virginia to $60,310 in District of Columbia. Pay differences mostly follow each state's overall wage level; our licensing and wages analysis found no consistent premium in states that require a trade exam.

Highest median pay

District of Columbia$60,310 · State license
Alaska$60,270 · Depends on scope
Minnesota$59,200 · Depends on scope
Washington$59,160 · Depends on scope
Massachusetts$58,320 · Depends on scope

Lowest median pay

West Virginia$38,890 · No statewide license
Oklahoma$42,750 · No statewide license
Arkansas$43,400 · Depends on scope
Alabama$43,630 · Depends on scope
Louisiana$43,960 · Depends on scope

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 49-9071 (Maintenance and Repair Workers, General). Wage and salary employees only. BLS counts general maintenance and repair workers, the closest occupation to handyman work; most are employed by property owners rather than self-employed.

Choosing where to license first

Lowest barrier to entry: compare the recorded fee and examination pathway, then read the guide for local obligations and missing costs. A local-only label does not mean the work is unregulated.
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 trades

Scope of work overlaps at the edges of every classification. Contractors researching licensing for handymen often also need the comparison hub for these adjacent trades:

Local requirements and practical guides

NYC Home Improvement Contractor License: Documents, Exam, and Costs
Prepare the NYC DCWP home-improvement application: address evidence, workers’ compensation, EPA documents, trust fund or bond, fingerprints, and exam.