Vermont Contractor Licensing
Trade-by-trade licensing requirements for Vermont, sourced directly from the state regulatory board and maintained by Gabriel Giner, editor. We currently publish 18 published trade guides, with direct links to each underlying board, statute, or exam-provider resource.
Choose your trade
General Contractor
Vermont Residential Contractor Registration
Verified 2026-09-04
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Electrician
Vermont Master Electrician License
Verified 2026-09-04
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Plumber
Vermont Master and Journeyman Plumber License
Verified 2026-09-04
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HVAC Technician
Vermont HVAC Requirements (No General State HVAC License)
Verified 2026-09-04
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Roofing Contractor
Vermont Residential Roofing Contractor Registration — OPR
Verified 2026-09-04
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Painting Contractor
Vermont Residential Contractor Registration + Lead-Safe RRPM Licensing When Applicable
Verified 2026-09-04
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Landscaping Contractor
Vermont Landscaping Contractor Requirements — Local Rules, Pesticides, and Shoreland Work
Verified 2026-09-04
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Masonry Contractor
Vermont Residential Contractor Registration (Masonry Work)
Verified 2026-09-04
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Concrete Contractor
Vermont Residential Concrete Contractor Registration — No Separate Concrete License
Verified 2026-09-08
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Carpentry Contractor
Vermont Residential Contractor Registration (Carpentry Work)
Verified 2026-09-04
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Solar Installer
Vermont Solar Electrical and Heating License Guide
Verified 2026-09-04
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Low-Voltage Technician
Vermont Low-Voltage Electrical Work: Type-S, Journeyman, Master, and Fire-Alarm TQP Scope
Verified 2026-09-04
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Fire Sprinkler Contractor
Vermont Fire Sprinkler Trade Qualification Professional (T3 / I3-4) Certification
Verified 2026-09-04
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Home Inspector
Property Inspector license
Verified 2026-09-30
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Pool Contractor
No state swimming pool/spa contractor license; general Residential Contractor Registration (OPR) applies to residential work over $10,000
Verified 2026-07-10
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Handyman
Residential Contractor Registration ($10,000 minor-work exemption)
Verified 2026-07-17
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Pest Control
Pesticide Company License
Verified 2026-07-28
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Septic Contractor
Wastewater permits and applicable residential contractor registration
Verified 2026-09-30
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- Published guides
- 18
- Exam-backed
- 6
- Bond-backed
- 0
- Local / municipal
- 12
- Avg initial fee
- $113
How licensing works in Vermont
Vermont is not a one-size-fits-all licensing market. Across the 18 guides currently live on this state hub, 6 require a formal trade examination and 0 require a surety bond before the credential can issue. 12 of the published entries rely on city, county, or municipal registration rather than a single statewide credential, so contractors need to confirm the local building department or business-license office before bidding work.
The point of this state page is to give you a fast read on the regulatory model before you dive into a specific trade. Start with the trades grid below if you already know your specialty. If you are comparing jurisdictions, use the cost calculator for first-year cost and the reciprocity matrix for license portability.
Main boards and agencies
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation
The Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, housed within the Secretary of State, administers the Residential Contractor Registration program and supports the Electricians' Licensing Board and the Plumbers' Licensing Board, which set examination, experience, and discipline rules for the licensed trades.
Open agency siteVermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety
The Electricians’ Licensing Board, created within the Department of Public Safety, licenses electricians. The Division of Fire Safety administers trade licensing, electrical safety rules, work notices, and state inspection functions.
Open agency siteVermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety, Plumber’s Examining Board
Licenses Vermont plumbers and specialists, administers examinations and renewals, and enforces plumbing work-notice/inspection requirements.
Open agency siteVermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety; Vermont Office of Professional Regulation
DFS administers fire-safety Certificates of Fitness for regulated gas/oil activities and code enforcement; OPR administers the separate residential-contractor registration program.
Open agency siteVermont Department of Public Safety, Electricians’ Licensing Board, and Plumbing Board
The Electricians’ Licensing Board licenses electrical work and oversees complex-structure work notices/inspection. The Plumbing Board licenses plumbers and heating-system specialists. Municipalities may administer additional approvals and inspections.
Open agency siteVermont landscaping requirements — local authorities, pesticide certification, and shoreland permitting
Vermont does not issue a statewide landscape-contractor trade credential. State requirements attach to particular pesticide, shoreland, water, building, or other regulated work, while local authorities can set business, land-use, permit, and inspection requirements.
Open agency siteVermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety
DFS administers electrical licensing and fire-safety trade qualifications. Electrical inspectors and the authority having jurisdiction control applicable permits, inspections, and energizing approvals.
Open agency siteVermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets — Plant Industry Division, Pesticide Programs
State Department of Agriculture pesticide program that certifies commercial pesticide applicators (including structural pest control) and licenses pesticide companies under the EPA/FIFRA state certification plan. VAAFM sets certification categories and fees under 6 V.S.A. §1112 and administers exams, reciprocity, and recertification.
Open agency siteVermont Office of Professional Regulation (Vermont Secretary of State)
Administers Vermont's mandatory residential contractor registration under 26 V.S.A. Chapter 106. Registration is required only for residential construction contracted with a homeowner for consideration of more than $10,000, including labor and materials (26 V.S.A. § 5501(a)); handyman and minor-repair work at or below $10,000 requires no state registration. OPR does not license general handyman work and imposes no exam or qualification standard.
Open agency siteVermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation
OPR's Director licenses property (home) inspectors, sets standards by rule, and enforces professional-conduct law. Property inspection is a Director-regulated (advisor) profession rather than a board profession, and 26 V.S.A. § 1052 prohibits practicing or offering to practice property inspecting without a license.
Open agency siteVermont statutes — residential contractors
Use this official state or local authority to confirm the concrete route, scope, and current filing requirements for the project.
Open agency siteVermont DEC / Office of Professional Regulation
Use the cited agency guidance for the named installer pathway and the authority responsible for each project.
Open agency site
Compare Vermont against other states
Every trade above also has a national comparison hub showing how Vermont's exam, bond, fee, and experience requirements stack up against the other 50 jurisdictions.
- GC by state
- Electrician by state
- Plumber by state
- HVAC by state
- Roofing by state
- Painting by state
- Landscaping by state
- Masonry by state
- Concrete by state
- Carpentry by state
- Solar by state
- Low-Voltage by state
- Fire Sprinkler by state
- Home Inspector by state
- Pool by state
- Handyman by state
- Pest Control by state
- Septic by state
States bordering Vermont
Licensing rules change at the state line. Contractors bidding work across the border should review the neighboring hub before assuming Vermont's requirements carry over.
Best starting points in Vermont
Budget
Estimate first-year cost
Compare filing fees, bond premiums, insurance assumptions, and renewal cost before you apply.
Mobility
Check reciprocity pathways
See whether this state accepts NASCLA or uses bilateral reciprocity for the trade you hold now.
Research
Search related guides
Jump directly to linked state and trade pages if you are comparing multiple jurisdictions side by side.
Related reading
Original analyses drawn from our national dataset that put Vermont's rules in context — how its requirements compare, what a record means for eligibility, and how to carry a license across state lines.
Can you get a contractor license with a criminal record?
A 50-state breakdown of background checks, which offenses actually disqualify, and how long a conviction counts.
Contractor license difficulty index
Where each state ranks on exam, experience, and bond burden — hardest to easiest.
License costs ranked by state
Cheapest to most expensive states once fees, bond, and first-year insurance are counted.
How to transfer a license to another state
Which states accept NASCLA or bilateral reciprocity, and what re-testing each requires.
