How do you check a contractor's license in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC?

Each jurisdiction keeps a public record you can search online, and you check the one where the house stands. In Maryland that is the Maryland Home Improvement Commission for work on an existing home and the Attorney General's Home Builder Registration Unit for a new one. In Virginia it is the License Lookup run by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, and in the District it is the Scout system run by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.

Who licenses contractors in Maryland, and where do you look one up?

Maryland splits the job in two: the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) licenses contractors who work on existing homes, and the Home Builder Registration Unit in the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division registers builders of new homes.

Work on an existing home

The MHIC licenses and regulates home improvement contractors and salespersons. Home improvement means altering, remodeling, repairing or replacing a building used as a residence, including an individual condominium unit. Only an MHIC-licensed contractor may sign a home improvement contract with a homeowner, although subcontractors working for that contractor do not need their own MHIC license. Search by contractor name, trade name or location in the state's Home Improvement Public Query, then match the license number to the one on your contract.

A new home

The Home Builder Registration Unit registers and regulates home builders who do business in Maryland and publishes a list of registered builders. One exception matters in the Washington suburbs. A company that builds new homes solely in Montgomery County is exempt from state registration, and the County requires new home builders to register with its Office of Consumer Protection. For a new house in Montgomery County, confirm the builder's registration with that office.

The guaranty funds

The MHIC Guaranty Fund compensates homeowners for actual losses from a licensed contractor's unworkmanlike, inadequate, incomplete or abandoned work. Recovery is capped at $30,000 per claimant, or the amount paid to the contractor if that is less, and the fund pays at most $250,000 for all claims against one contractor. A claim must be brought within three years of when the loss was discovered or should have been. The fund is not available to homeowners who hire unlicensed contractors.

New homes are covered by a separate Home Builder Guaranty Fund, which can pay up to $50,000 per claim and no more than $500,000 on all claims against the same registered builder.

Who licenses contractors in Virginia, and what do Class A, B and C mean?

The Board for Contractors at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) licenses contractors in Virginia, and the class letter sets how large a job the business may take. According to the Board for Contractors, a license has two parts: the class, which sets the monetary value of contracts the firm may perform, and the classification or specialty, which sets the type of work allowed.

The classes are defined in Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100, last amended in 2025.

• Class C covers single contracts over $1,000 but under $30,000, with total work under $250,000 in any 12-month period.
• Class B covers single contracts of $30,000 or more but under $150,000, or total work of $250,000 or more but under $1 million in any 12-month period.
• Class A covers single contracts of $150,000 or more, or total work of $1 million or more in any 12-month period.

Older guides may still show lower thresholds. Use DPOR's License Lookup to confirm the license is current, then check that the class covers your contract price and the classification matches the work.

Virginia's Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund works differently from Maryland's funds. It is available only after a homeowner obtains a Virginia court judgment against a licensed contractor based on improper or dishonest conduct, and a plain breach of contract does not qualify. A single claim is limited to $30,000, claims against one contractor are limited to $100,000 per biennium, and the claim form must be filed within 12 months after the judgment is final.

Who licenses contractors in Washington, DC, and where do you look one up?

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) issues the business licenses that contractors need in the District. Its Contractor and Construction Services category lists two activities: General Contractor/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor. A home improvement contractor's application must include a certificate of liability insurance, a home improvement contract and a $25,000 surety bond, among other items. DLCP also states that home improvement contractors must have a licensed or designated home improvement salesperson.

DLCP's online resources page sends the public to Scout to verify a business license. Individual trades may also need a license from an occupational and professional board, which DLCP says to check in its occupational and professional license search.

The law is changing. D.C. Law 25-244, effective December 17, 2024, creates a Board of Construction Managers and General Contractors and sets licensing criteria for residential and commercial contractors, but it applies only after its cost is included in an approved budget. Ask DLCP which requirements are in force when you hire.

What else should you ask a contractor for?

Ask for four things before you sign: a certificate of insurance, proof of workers' compensation coverage, permits in the contractor's name and a written contract.

• Certificate of insurance. Maryland requires home improvement contractors to carry at least $500,000 of general liability insurance. DLCP cautions that a certificate does not automatically mean every issue is covered, so check that the insured name matches the licensed business and that the policy is current.
• Workers' compensation. Virginia generally requires coverage for a business with more than two employees, and a contractor's subcontractors' employees count toward that total. Maryland's Workers' Compensation Commission links to an employer coverage verification search.
• Permits in the contractor's name. Montgomery County strongly suggests listing the contractor on the permit as the party responsible for the work, and Fairfax County recommends that a properly licensed contractor pull the permits.
• A written contract. In Maryland the contract must be in writing, show the contractor's name, address and MHIC license number, and give approximate start and completion dates. A Maryland contractor cannot accept more than one-third of the contract price as a deposit. Virginia's regulations require residential contractors to use a legible written contract, signed by both parties before work starts or payment is accepted, that states the start and estimated completion dates, the total cost and the contractor's license number and class.

Noble's Crest Construction & Development LLC designs, builds and develops custom homes, renovations and commercial space in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, and the same checks apply to us. To confirm: the licenses and registrations Noble's Crest holds in Maryland, Virginia and DC, with their numbers, so readers can look them up.

Do licensing rules and dollar limits change?

Yes. Legislatures and agencies revise thresholds, fund limits and license categories, so treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm the current rule with MHIC, the Home Builder Registration Unit, DPOR or DLCP at the links above. This guide is general information, not legal advice.