- $25,000 home improvement surety bond.
- Two or four year terms. Six month terms are not offered for home improvement.
Do you need a state license in the District of Columbia?
the District of Columbia licenses handyman work at the state level through the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
The the District of Columbia license for this work
There is one license to aim for here.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor | Home improvement work; needs a $25,000 surety bond, a home improvement contract form and a police report |
Steps to get licensed in the District of Columbia
- Register your business and get DC tax registration and a Clean Hands certificate.
- Get a Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupation Permit.
- Buy liability insurance and a $25,000 surety bond.
- Get a police criminal history report and prepare your home improvement contract.
- Apply with DLCP for the Home Improvement Contractor license and designate a salesperson.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's pages do not list one.
The license to apply for. Home Improvement Contractor basic business license.
the District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia
The board lists 2 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 |
|---|---|
| License category fee, 2 years | $99 |
| License category fee, 4 years | $198 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. A certificate of liability insurance is required.
Bond. $25,000 home improvement surety bond.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Two or four year terms. Six month terms are not offered for home improvement.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in the District of Columbia
- A police criminal history report and a home improvement contract form are part of the application.
- You must keep at least one licensed Home Improvement Salesperson.
- Plumbing, electrical and refrigeration work are licensed separately by the Board of Industrial Trades.
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 DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) 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.