- Nonresident contractors must post a bond of 6% of the contract price on contracts of $20,000 or more.
- The registration lasts one year. After two straight years with no labor law violations you can register for two years. Renew in the 90 days before it expires; if it lapses you must apply again as new. The Division of Revenue business license renews every year.
Do you need a state license in Delaware?
Delaware licenses some general contractor work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
Delaware license types for general contractor work
Delaware splits the work into 2 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Private work registration | Construction or maintenance work owned or commissioned by private parties, including homeowners |
| Public works registration | Projects under the Delaware prevailing wage law, such as public buildings and roads |
Steps to get licensed in Delaware
- Complete the resident or nonresident contractor package and get your Delaware business license from the Division of Revenue ($75).
- Get Delaware workers compensation coverage and write an OSHA compliant safety plan.
- Apply for a Contractor Registration Certificate on Delaware One Stop before starting work ($200 for private work).
- If you are based out of state, file the nonresident contractor bond, 6 percent on contracts of $20,000 or more.
- Pay the gross receipts license fee each month.
- Renew the registration in the 90 days before it expires, and the business license every year.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's pages do not list one.
The license to apply for. Contractor Registration Certificate (Department of Labor) plus a Division of Revenue contractor business license.
Delaware general contractor exams
Trade exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Delaware
The board lists 6 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contractor registration, private work, one year | $200 |
| Contractor registration, private work, two years (after two straight years with no violations) | $300 |
| Contractor registration, public work, one year | $300 |
| Contractor registration, public and private work, one year | $500 |
| Division of Revenue contractor business license | $75 per year |
| Gross receipts tax | 0.6472% of gross receipts, after a $100,000 monthly deduction |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. You need Delaware workers compensation coverage. The registration application asks for your policy, and the Division of Revenue license needs a workers compensation certificate, or proof you are an approved self-insurer, plus a Department of Labor notice certificate.
Bond. Nonresident contractors must post a bond of 6% of the contract price on contracts of $20,000 or more.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The registration lasts one year. After two straight years with no labor law violations you can register for two years. Renew in the 90 days before it expires; if it lapses you must apply again as new. The Division of Revenue business license renews every year.
Reciprocity. The board's pages do not list one.
Good to know in Delaware
- Out of state contractors use the nonresident contractor package and file a bond with the state.
- Plumbing and HVACR work need a separate state license from the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners.
- The registration application asks for your Delaware business license number, workers compensation policy, unemployment insurance number and an OSHA compliant safety plan.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a contractor near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Delaware Department of Labor, Office of Contractor Registration (with the Division of Revenue business license) and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
- Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs (contractor registration)
- Delaware One Stop, contractor registration
- 19 Del. C. Chapter 36, Delaware Contractor Registration Act
- Division of Revenue, contractors
- 30 Del. C. Chapter 25 (contractor license)
- 30 Del. C. Chapter 3, nonresident contractor bond
- HVACR board FAQs