Two things confuse this subject more than anything else. There is no such thing as a national handyman licence, and in most states there is no licence called "handyman" at all — there is a contractor licence, and a threshold below which you do not need one.
The three regimes
1. A state board licenses contractors, with a dollar threshold
The most common arrangement. The state licenses general and specialty contractors, and work below a stated value per job is exempt. That exemption is what people mean by "handyman work". The threshold varies enormously between states — from a few hundred dollars to several thousand — and it is usually per project rather than per year, which is the detail people get wrong.
2. No state-level general contractor licence, with local rules underneath
Several states do not license general contractors at the state level at all. That does not mean there are no rules: cities and counties frequently register or license contractors, and specialty trades are handled separately regardless.
3. Trade licences that exist everywhere, no matter the regime
This is the part that matters most and gets skipped. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas work require a trade licence in essentially every state, whatever the general contractor rules are, and no dollar threshold exempts them. A handyman exemption does not cover running a new circuit or moving a gas line. If somebody offers to, that is the answer to whether to hire them.
The most expensive misunderstanding in this whole area: a low-value job exemption is about the size of the work, not the type. It never converts unlicensed electrical or plumbing work into legal work.
How to check any state in two minutes
- Search the state name plus "contractor licence board" or "contractors state license board". Use the .gov result. Third-party licence-lookup sites are frequently stale and several are lead generators.
- Find the licence lookup tool. Nearly every board has one, and it is public. You need a name or a licence number.
- Check three things, not one: that the licence exists, that it is currently active rather than expired or suspended, and that the classification actually covers your work. A licence in one trade is not a licence in another.
- Look for the exemption threshold on the same site, usually in an FAQ. That tells you whether your particular job needs a licensed contractor at all.
Insurance is a separate question, and often the more important one
A licence says somebody met a state requirement. It says nothing about what happens if they damage your house or get hurt in it. Those are general liability and workers' compensation, and they are separate.
The practical version: ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurer or their agent, rather than a photograph of one. A photographed certificate is trivially easy to alter or to be out of date, and this is a two-minute check on a job of any size.
What this means if you do the work
Find your own state's threshold and stay clearly inside it, or get licensed. Working above the line unlicensed is not a paperwork problem — in most states it makes a contract unenforceable, which means you may have no legal route to get paid for work you have already done. That is a much bigger risk to you than to the customer.
And be straightforwardly honest about scope. "I do not do electrical, but I can put you on to somebody who does" is a better answer than the alternative, and it is the one that produces repeat work.
Where we stand
We do not verify licences or insurance on this platform, and we do not display a badge implying we have. Anything a local says about their own credentials is their statement. The two minutes it takes to look up a licence number on a state board is worth spending, and nothing on any platform replaces it.
We cover three states in detail, chosen because they are where most of our own activity is:
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a licence to be a handyman?
It depends on the state and on the value of the job. Most states license contractors and exempt work below a stated dollar amount per project, and that exemption is what people mean by handyman work. Several states have no general contractor licence at all, though cities and counties may still register contractors.
Does a handyman exemption cover electrical or plumbing work?
No. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas work require a trade licence in essentially every state regardless of the general contractor rules, and no dollar threshold exempts them. A low-value exemption is about the size of the job, not the type of work.
How do I check if a contractor licence is real?
Search the state name plus "contractor licence board", use the .gov result, and find the public lookup tool. Check three things: that the licence exists, that it is currently active rather than expired or suspended, and that its classification covers your work. Avoid third-party lookup sites, which are often stale.
Is licensed the same as insured?
No, and insurance is often the more important of the two. A licence means a state requirement was met; general liability and workers’ compensation are what cover damage to your home or injury on your property. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly by the insurer or agent rather than a photograph of one.
What happens if I work above my state threshold without a licence?
In many states it makes the contract unenforceable, which means you may have no legal way to recover payment for work you have already completed. That is a larger risk to the person doing the work than to the person who hired them.