- Home jobs with an estimated value of $10,000 or more, labor and materials included.
Do you need a state license in Vermont?
Vermont licenses some painting 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.
Home jobs with an estimated value of $10,000 or more, labor and materials included.
Vermont license types for painting work
Vermont splits the work into 2 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Individual registration | Self-employed contractors with no employees |
| Business registration | Contractors with employees |
Steps to get licensed in Vermont
- Register your business name with the Secretary of State Corporations division.
- Get liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.
- Apply online with the Office of Professional Regulation and attest that you use written contracts.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Residential contractor registration.
Vermont painting contractor 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 Vermont
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 |
|---|---|
| Individual registration | $75 |
| Business registration | $250 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
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 painter 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 Vermont Office of Professional Regulation and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how painting companies run on Koira.