Do you need a state license in New York?
New York does not issue a statewide general contractor license. Any license you need comes from the city or county where the job is, so the rules can change from one town to the next.
Home improvement contractors must be licensed in New York City and Buffalo, and in Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties. In NYC the DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license runs two years, requires a 30 question exam, a $50 to $250 license fee, and either a $200 Trust Fund payment or a $20,000 surety bond, plus workers compensation coverage.
How to get set up in New York, step by step
- Find out whether your city or county requires a contractor or home improvement license.
- In NYC, apply to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and pass the home improvement exam.
- In NYC, show workers compensation coverage or a state exemption certificate.
- In NYC, join the Trust Fund for $200 or post a $20,000 surety bond.
- Pull permits through the local building department.
What it costs in New York
There is no state license fee for general contractor work in New York. Ask the city or county where you work about any local fees.
Good to know in New York
- NYC licenses expire February 28 of odd numbered years.
- Customers have three days to cancel a home improvement contract, in writing.
Once you are cleared to work
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 official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with your city or county before you file.