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Licensing

Handyman license requirements, state by state

No state issues a “handyman license.” What they set is a dollar threshold and a list of regulated trades — and you have to clear both. Here is where your state draws those lines.

All 50 states

Two tests, and you must pass both

Test 1

The dollar threshold

Most states exempt small jobs — typically $500 to $10,000, counting labor and materials together. Go over it and you need a contractor license. A few states, like Texas, set no threshold at all.

Test 2

The regulated trades

Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing and structural work almost always need a trade license — regardless of price. A $50 water heater swap can be illegal where a $2,000 paint job is fine.

Even where no state license applies, most cities and counties require a local business license or tax receipt — usually $25–$200 a year.

In-depth state guides

Full breakdowns with statute citations, city-by-city rules and penalties.

California

$1,000 threshold

B&P §7048, raised from $500 by AB 2622

Texas

No state license

No dollar threshold at all; trades licensed separately

Florida

$2,500 threshold

Void if you advertise as a contractor (Fla. Stat. §489.103(9)(b))

Arizona

$1,000 exemption

A.R.S. §32-1121, plus a required ad disclosure

Colorado

City by city

No statewide license; electrical & plumbing via DORA

Other states worth knowing

  • Georgia — Repair work exempt at any amount — O.C.G.A. §43-41-17(g), if you disclose you are unlicensed and do not affect structural integrity
  • Washington — $500 — register with L&I; bond required
  • Maryland — $500 — MHIC registration
  • Louisiana — $7,500 — home improvement registration
  • North Carolina — $30,000 — one of the most generous thresholds

See the complete 50-state breakdown

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