- No contractor license for jobs under $7,000 including labor, materials and changes. If a job is over $3,000, you must first file the handyman affirmation showing liability insurance and workers comp if you have employees.
- Renews with a $45 fee. No continuing education is required for the handyman exemption.
Do you need a state license in Utah?
Utah 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 contractor license for jobs under $7,000 including labor, materials and changes. If a job is over $3,000, you must first file the handyman affirmation showing liability insurance and workers comp if you have employees.
The Utah license for this work
There is one license to aim for here.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Handyman exemption | Alteration, repair, remodeling or additions under $7,000 total, labor and materials, including change orders |
Steps to get licensed in Utah
- Register your business and any DBA with the Utah Division of Corporations.
- Buy general liability insurance of $1M per incident and $2M aggregate, naming DOPL as certificate holder.
- Get workers comp if you have employees, or a waiver from the Utah Labor Commission if you do not.
- Fill out the handyman affirmation form and mail or deliver it with the $45 fee.
- Keep each job under $7,000 total and refer out HVAC, electrical and plumbing system work.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's pages do not list one.
The license to apply for. Handyman exemption registration (Affirmation of Exemption from Contractor Licensure).
Utah handyman exams
Trade exam. No trade exam.
Business and law exam. No business and law exam.
What it costs in Utah
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 |
|---|---|
| Handyman exemption registration | $45 |
| Handyman exemption renewal | $45 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. General liability of at least $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 aggregate, with DOPL listed as certificate holder. Workers comp if you have employees, or a Labor Commission waiver if you do not.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Renews with a $45 fee. No continuing education is required for the handyman exemption.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Utah
- Even under $7,000, electrical and plumbing system work must be done by licensed electrical or plumbing contractors. Journeymen can swap parts like faucets, toilets, outlets and switches.
- HVAC installs, repairs and replacements must be done by a DOPL licensed HVAC contractor.
- Gas appliance work, fire sprinklers, alarms and radon systems also need the right license or certification.
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 Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) 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.