The short version Pest Control is the trade most often licensed by the state: 46 of the 46 states checked for it require a state license.General Contractor is most often left to cities and counties: 11 of the 48 states checked have no state license for it."Local only" does not mean no rules. Cities and counties often require a license, a registration or permits. Check with the city where the work is. State licenses by trade For each trade, how many states and DC require a state license, license only part of the work, or leave it to local rules.
HVAC HVAC: 29 state license, 12 partly, 4 local only, 6 not checked yet 29 state Plumbing Plumbing: 43 state license, 2 partly, 4 local only, 2 not checked yet 43 state Electrical Electrical: 41 state license, 4 partly, 6 local only, 0 not checked yet 41 state Roofing Roofing: 10 state license, 29 partly, 6 local only, 6 not checked yet 10 state General Contractor General Contractor: 18 state license, 19 partly, 11 local only, 3 not checked yet 18 state Handyman Handyman: 2 state license, 35 partly, 10 local only, 4 not checked yet 2 state Pest Control Pest Control: 46 state license, 0 partly, 0 local only, 5 not checked yet 46 state Septic Installer Septic Installer: 27 state license, 3 partly, 4 local only, 17 not checked yet 27 state Landscaping and Irrigation Landscaping and Irrigation: 10 state license, 18 partly, 3 local only, 20 not checked yet 10 state Painting Contractor Painting Contractor: 8 state license, 19 partly, 8 local only, 16 not checked yet 8 state Locksmith Locksmith: 11 state license, 0 partly, 3 local only, 37 not checked yet 11 state "Partly" means a state license or registration covers only some of the work: residential only, commercial only, jobs above a dollar amount, or a registration without an exam.
Every state, every trade Does the state require a state-level license? Each answer links to the full guide with the board, exams, fees and renewal.
Download the CSV Every trade and state: the answer, license name, board, board website and the date checked. State license required, by state and trade State HVAC Plumbing Electrical Roofing General Contractor Handyman Pest Control Septic Installer Landscaping and Irrigation Painting Contractor Locksmith Alabama Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Yes Not checked yet Yes Alaska Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Partly Not checked yet Not checked yet Yes Yes Not checked yet Arizona Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Not checked yet Yes Partly Yes Not checked yet Arkansas Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Partly Yes Yes Not checked yet Partly Not checked yet California Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Colorado Not checked yet Yes Yes Not checked yet No, local only No, local only Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet No, local only Not checked yet Connecticut Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Yes Delaware Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Not checked yet District of Columbia Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Florida Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Partly No, local only Not checked yet Georgia Yes Yes Yes No, local only Yes Partly Yes Yes No, local only No, local only Not checked yet Hawaii Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Yes Yes Not checked yet Idaho Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Not checked yet Illinois No, local only Yes No, local only Yes No, local only No, local only Yes Yes Partly Not checked yet Yes Indiana No, local only Yes No, local only No, local only No, local only No, local only Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Iowa Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Partly Not checked yet Kansas No, local only No, local only No, local only Partly No, local only No, local only Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Kentucky Yes Yes Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Yes Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Louisiana Partly Yes Partly Partly Yes Partly Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Maine Partly Yes Yes No, local only No, local only No, local only Yes No, local only Not checked yet No, local only Not checked yet Maryland Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Not checked yet Massachusetts Partly Yes Yes Partly Yes Partly Yes No, local only Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Michigan Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Minnesota Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Not checked yet Partly No, local only Mississippi Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Yes Partly Not checked yet Missouri Not checked yet Not checked yet No, local only Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Yes Partly Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Montana Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Not checked yet Partly Partly Not checked yet Nebraska Partly No, local only Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Not checked yet Nevada Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Yes Yes No, local only New Hampshire Not checked yet Yes Yes Not checked yet No, local only No, local only Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet New Jersey Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Not checked yet Partly Partly Yes New Mexico Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Not checked yet Partly Not checked yet Not checked yet New York Not checked yet No, local only No, local only No, local only No, local only No, local only Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet No, local only Not checked yet North Carolina Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Yes Not checked yet Yes North Dakota Partly Yes Yes Partly Yes Partly Yes Not checked yet Partly Partly Not checked yet Ohio Partly Partly Partly Not checked yet No, local only No, local only Yes Partly Not checked yet No, local only Not checked yet Oklahoma Yes Yes Yes Partly No, local only No, local only Yes Not checked yet No, local only No, local only Yes Oregon Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Pennsylvania No, local only No, local only No, local only Partly Partly Partly Yes Not checked yet Partly Partly Not checked yet Rhode Island Yes Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Not checked yet South Carolina Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Partly Yes Yes Not checked yet Partly Not checked yet South Dakota Not checked yet Yes Yes No, local only No, local only No, local only Yes Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Tennessee Partly Partly Partly Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly No, local only Texas Yes Yes Yes No, local only No, local only Not checked yet Yes Yes Partly Not checked yet Yes Utah Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Not checked yet Yes Yes Not checked yet Vermont Partly Yes Partly Partly Partly Partly Yes No, local only Not checked yet Partly Not checked yet Virginia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Partly Yes Yes Washington Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes No, local only Partly Partly Not checked yet West Virginia Yes Yes Yes Partly Yes Partly Yes Yes No, local only No, local only Not checked yet Wisconsin Partly Yes Yes Partly Partly Partly Yes Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Wyoming Not checked yet Not checked yet Yes Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet Not checked yet
How this report is made Each answer is a row from Koira's license guides , researched from the state's own licensing board or statute and dated. A row counts here only when an official page confirmed whether a state license exists. Anything else reads "Not checked yet" and is never filled from memory or a third-party list.
Rules change. Before you bid work in a new state, open the board's own site from the guide and confirm. This report is not legal advice.
Built October 9, 2026 from State licensing boards. All reports .