Do you need a general contractor license in Maryland?
Yes, a registration. In Maryland, a person who builds new homes must be registered as a home builder with the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General. A home builder is a person that erects or constructs a new home, including a custom home builder and the installer or retailer of a mobile home or industrialized building for residential use. A person who builds new homes solely in Montgomery County is not a home builder under this title. Acting as a home builder without registering is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000 for a first conviction and up to $5,000 for a later one. Cities and counties can add their own licensing on top of the state’s. This is Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §§ 4.5-301, 4.5-101, 4.5-501.
| What | Maryland |
|---|---|
| General contractors | Home builder registration (Attorney General’s office) |
Source
Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §§ 4.5-301, 4.5-101, 4.5-501
Read the statute in the Maryland Code (Maryland General Assembly): mgaleg.maryland.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
A contractor on Seayora keeps each license with its issuing state, its expiry date and the last four digits of its number, and the business is warned before one lapses — on the website and both phone apps. A customer finding a pro on Seayora sees whether a license is on file.
Guides on this rule
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The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
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- Idaho