- Home Improvement Contractors need a $25,000 surety bond.
- Licenses run for 2 or 4 years. A 6 month term is open to general contractors only, not home improvement contractors.
Do you need a state license in the District of Columbia?
the District of Columbia licenses some roofing 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.
the District of Columbia license types for roofing work
the District of Columbia splits the work into 3 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 |
|---|---|
| General Contractor/Construction Manager | Building, altering, repairing, improving or demolishing structures |
| Home Improvement Contractor | Home improvement work for homeowners, with a $25,000 surety bond |
| Home Improvement Salesperson | At least one must be designated by every home improvement contractor |
Steps to get licensed in the District of Columbia
- Register your company with DLCP Corporations Division if it is a corporation, partnership or LLC.
- Register for taxes with the Office of Tax and Revenue and confirm Clean Hands status.
- Get a Certificate of Occupancy, or a Home Occupation Permit if you work from home in DC.
- Get a certificate of liability insurance, and for home improvement work a $25,000 surety bond.
- Apply online in BOSS for the Home Improvement Contractor or General Contractor license and pay the fee for a 2 or 4 year term.
- Designate a licensed Home Improvement Salesperson if you do residential work.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Home Improvement Contractor or General Contractor Basic Business License.
the District of Columbia roofing 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 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 6 month license, general contractor only | $49 |
| 2 year license | $99 |
| 4 year license | $198 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. A certificate of liability insurance is required for both license types. The amount is not stated on the DLCP page.
Bond. Home Improvement Contractors need a $25,000 surety bond.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Licenses run for 2 or 4 years. A 6 month term is open to general contractors only, not home improvement contractors.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in the District of Columbia
- Home improvement contractors, and general contractors doing residential work, must keep a licensed Home Improvement Salesperson designated.
- Subcontractors need their own Basic Business License. The license of the contractor you work for does not cover you.
- A 2024 DC law to create a separate general contractor license is not funded, so it has not taken effect.
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 roofer 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, Business Licensing 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 roofing companies run on Koira.