Do you need a state license in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire does not issue a statewide handyman 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.
How to get set up in New Hampshire, step by step
- Stay out of plumbing and gas fitting work unless you hold that state license.
- Hire a licensed electrician for electrical work.
- Watch for news from the 2026 study committee on builder and contractor registration.
What it costs in New Hampshire
There is no state license fee for handyman work in New Hampshire. Ask the city or county where you work about any local fees.
Good to know in New Hampshire
- Plumbing and gas fitting need state licenses from the Mechanical Licensing Board.
- Electricians and plumbers are licensed by the state, so hire licensed trades for that work.
- A 2026 law (SB 523, Chapter 258) set up a legislative committee to study a statewide registration system for residential builders and contractors. Nothing is required yet.
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 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 official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with your city or county before you file.
More for your trade: how handyman businesses run on Koira.