Does a home improvement contractor need a license or registration in New Jersey?
Yes, a registration. In New Jersey, a contractor business may not offer, sell or perform home improvements unless it is registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs, and it must renew the registration every year. An amended registration is due within 20 days of any change. A 2023 amendment will also require a registered business to employ a licensed home improvement contractor, but that part takes effect only six months after the new State Board of Home Improvement and Home Elevation Contractors adopts its rules. This is N.J.S.A. 56:8-138.
| What | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Home improvement contractors | Annual registration with the Division of Consumer Affairs |
Source
N.J.S.A. 56:8-138
Read the statute in the New Jersey Statutes (New Jersey Legislature): njleg.state.nj.us.
The linked sections open Justia’s free copy of the code, because the state’s own site has no stable address for each section.
Checked against the statute on November 12, 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.
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