So you’re ready to get some work done on your home and are wondering what contractors need to be licensed in MD. Great!
Before you start getting bids for contractors, you’ll want to make sure you have a qualified person working for you. While being licensed doesn’t guarantee workmanship, it does protect you.
Why bother hiring a licensed contractor? (I have someone who can do it for cheaper!)
It’s actually more for your protection than theirs. All licensed contractors have their licensing fee go towards a Guaranty Fund which can compensate homeowners up to $20,000 in actual losses due to poor workmanship or nonperformance of duties. From the DLLR website:
The Commission has a Guaranty Fund (The Fund) supported by licensed contractors, who pay a Guaranty Fund assessment when they obtain their Home Improvement license and each time they renew their license. This Fund compensates homeowners for actual monetary losses due to poor workmanship or failure to perform a home improvement contract. The Fund applies only to work done by licensed contractors. The maximum amount that a homeowner may recover through the Fund is the amount paid to the contractor, up to $20,000. If the total amount of all claims against a contractor equals more than $100,000, then each homeowner’s award is pro-rated based upon the total amount awarded to each claimant.
Source: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/
So what contractors need to be licensed?
Your contractor will need to be licensed if you need someone to work on …
- Painting (interior/exterior/decorative)
- Patios
- Retaining walls
- Permanently attached playground equipment
- Permanently installed sheds
- Solar panels
- Install/fix gravel driveway
- Install a central vacuum
- Building/reinforcing the chimney
- Installing a chimney cap
- Tree work (trimming, pruning, thinning, cabling, shaping, removing, or reducing tree 20’+ in height). Landscape contractors are licensed differently than the above.
However, your contractor does not need to be licensed for …
- Carpet cleaning
- Carpets install
- Interior window treatments (curtains & blinds)
- Demolition & clean-up
- Chimney cleaning
- Wall-mounting a TV
- Shed (on ground or on top of a non-permanent foundation)
SCAM! –> Driveway sealcoating
Source: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/mhicfaq.shtml
How do I know whether or not a contractor is licensed?
The easiest way is to ask them for their license number. Write it down.
If you only have a name, company name, or their company zip code, you can search for them here: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/cgi-bin/ElectronicLicensing/OP_search/OP_search.cgi?calling_app=HIC::HIC_qselect
For more home improvement tips, visit our Home Keeping Blog!