Does a home improvement contractor need a license or registration in District of Columbia?
Yes, a license. In District of Columbia, no one may require or accept any payment for a home improvement contract before all the work is fully completed unless licensed as a home improvement contractor, or as a licensed salesperson employed by one. A home improvement contract is an agreement for home improvement work in the District for $300 or more, counting all of a contractor’s contracts with the same homeowner within 12 months. Home improvement work is the addition to, alteration, remodeling, repair or replacement of residential property or an adjacent structure such as a driveway, fence, garage, porch, deck or pool; it excludes building a new residential building and work by licensed electricians, plumbers and gasfitters, or refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics within their trades. A licensed General Contractor/Construction Manager does not need a separate home improvement contractor license. This is 16 DCMR §§ 800, 801, 899; 17 DCMR § 3900.
| What | District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Home improvement contractors | Home improvement contractor license (District rule) |
Source
16 DCMR §§ 800, 801, 899; 17 DCMR § 3900
Read the statute in the Code of the District of Columbia (DC Council): code.dccouncil.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
- Contractor License Requirements by State: Every Trade — Which states require a state license for electricians, plumbers, HVAC, general and home improvement contractors, with the statute for each.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee