- No registration needed for home improvement contracts under $200.
Do you need a state license in Connecticut?
Connecticut licenses some handyman 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.
No registration needed for home improvement contracts under $200.
Work covered by a state trade license is not home improvement work and needs that trade license instead.
The Connecticut license for this work
There is one license to aim for here.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor | Permanent changes to homes, such as roofs, siding, flooring, painting, fences, doors and windows |
Steps to get licensed in Connecticut
- Check that your jobs are home improvement work and not work that needs a trade license.
- Register your business with the Secretary of State if it is an LLC or corporation.
- Get at least $20,000 of general liability insurance.
- Apply online with the Department of Consumer Protection and pay the $220 fee.
- Renew before your registration expires.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's pages do not list one.
The license to apply for. Home Improvement Contractor registration.
Connecticut handyman 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 Connecticut
The board lists one fee for this license. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor application | $220 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. General liability insurance of at least $20,000.
Bond. The board's pages do not list one.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Reciprocity. The board's pages do not list one.
Good to know in Connecticut
- LLCs and corporations must register with the Connecticut Secretary of State before applying.
- Property maintenance such as mowing, snowplowing or cleaning is not home improvement work.
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 handyman 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 Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, License Services Division and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how handyman businesses run on Koira.