Does a home improvement contractor need a license or registration in Maryland?
Yes, a license. In Maryland, a contractor needs a license from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission to perform or offer to perform a home improvement for an owner, and a person who sells home improvements needs a salesperson or contractor license. A home improvement includes remodeling, repair, replacement or alteration of a residence or an adjacent structure, and improvements to the land around it, but not construction of a new home or work on apartment buildings with four or more units. Licensed electricians, plumbers, HVACR contractors and others licensed in a trade are exempt while working within that trade. This is Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §§ 8-301, 8-101.
| What | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Home improvement contractors | State license (Maryland Home Improvement Commission) |
Source
Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §§ 8-301, 8-101
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
- 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
- District of Columbia
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee