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Painting Contractor
Painting contractor licensing is state-regulated, with requirements varying significantly across the country. Some states require specific painting contractor licenses, others include painting under general or home improvement contractor licenses, and some have no state-level requirement. Compare requirements across all 50 states.
51
Total States
28
States Requiring License
16
States Requiring Exam
11
States Requiring Bond
Painting contractor licensing is regulated at the state level, with requirements varying from comprehensive licensing to simple business registration. Here are the three key areas.
About 30 states require some form of contractor license for painting work. This can be a specific painting contractor license (like California's C-33 or Nevada's C-4), a general contractor license, or a home improvement contractor registration. License thresholds range from all work (any value) to projects over $50,000.
States with licensing often require 2-4 years of trade experience and passing a trade exam and/or business and law exam. Some states accept equivalent education or apprenticeship completion in lieu of experience. EPA RRP certification is required federally for work on pre-1978 homes.
Most states require general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage for employers. Approximately 12 states require a surety bond for painting contractors, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Insurance protects both the contractor and their clients.
Click any column header to sort. Click a state to view full requirements.
| State | License Req. | License Type | Exam | Experience | Bond | Total Fees | Renewal | Confidence | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama(AL) | Yes | General Contractor License | Yes | — | Yes | $450-$1,100 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Alaska(AK) | Yes | General Contractor License | No | — | No | $400-$750 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Arizona(AZ) | Yes | Specialty Contractor License (C-4R Painting & Decorating Residential / C-4 Commercial) | Yes | 2 yrs | No | $425-$900 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Arkansas(AR) | Yes | General Contractor License | Yes | — | No | $350-$850 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| California(CA) | Yes | C-33 Painting and Decorating Specialty License | Yes | 4 yrs | Yes | $680-$1,410 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Colorado(CO) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$100 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Connecticut(CT) | Yes | Home Improvement Contractor Registration (HIC) | No | — | No | $340-$695 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Delaware(DE) | No | — | No | — | No | $75-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| District of Columbia(DC) | Yes | Basic Business License — Home Improvement Contractor Endorsement | No | — | Yes | $510-$835 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Florida(FL) | Yes | Certified or Registered Contractor (painting included) | Yes | 4 yrs | No | $549-$1,199 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Georgia(GA) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$300 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Hawaii(HI) | Yes | C-33 Painting and Decorating Specialty License | Yes | 4 yrs | No | $270-$550 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Idaho(ID) | No | — | No | — | No | $100-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Illinois(IL) | No | — | No | — | No | $150-$500 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Indiana(IN) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Iowa(IA) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$100 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Kansas(KS) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$165 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Kentucky(KY) | No | — | No | — | No | $40-$100 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Louisiana(LA) | Yes | Contractor License (painting included as specialty) | Yes | 3 yrs | No | $350-$825 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Maine(ME) | No | — | No | — | No | $125-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Maryland(MD) | Yes | Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) Registration | No | — | Yes | $700-$402 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Massachusetts(MA) | Yes | Home Improvement Contractor Registration | No | — | No | $700-$1,102 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Michigan(MI) | Yes | Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor License | Yes | 3 yrs | No | $258-$436 | Triennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Minnesota(MN) | No | — | No | — | No | $155-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Mississippi(MS) | Yes | General Contractor License (painting included) | Yes | — | No | $300-$750 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Missouri(MO) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$150 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Montana(MT) | No | — | No | — | No | $70-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Nebraska(NE) | No | — | No | — | No | $100-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Nevada(NV) | Yes | State Contractors Board — Painting and Decorating (C-4) | Yes | 4 yrs | Yes | $675-$1,875 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| New Hampshire(NH) | No | — | No | — | No | $100-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| New Jersey(NJ) | Yes | Home Improvement Contractor Registration | No | — | No | $305-$842 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| New Mexico(NM) | Yes | Construction Industries Division — General Building (GB-2) or Specialty | Yes | 2 yrs | Yes | $250-$700 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| New York(NY) | Yes | Home Improvement Contractor Registration (NYC and certain counties) | No | — | No | $400-$1,100 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| North Carolina(NC) | Yes | General Contractor License | Yes | 4 yrs | No | $480-$985 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| North Dakota(ND) | No | — | No | — | No | $100-$150 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Ohio(OH) | No | — | No | — | No | $99-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Oklahoma(OK) | No | — | No | — | No | $50-$100 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Oregon(OR) | Yes | Construction Contractors Board (CCB) License | No | — | Yes | $620-$925 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Pennsylvania(PA) | Yes | Home Improvement Contractor Registration | No | — | No | $225-$400 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Rhode Island(RI) | Yes | Contractor Registration | No | — | No | $350-$800 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| South Carolina(SC) | Yes | Specialty Contractor License — Painting | Yes | 3 yrs | No | $385-$950 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| South Dakota(SD) | No | — | No | — | No | $150-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Tennessee(TN) | Yes | Home Improvement Contractor License (HIC) or Contractor License | Yes | — | No | $370-$840 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Texas(TX) | No | — | No | — | No | $300-$750 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Utah(UT) | Yes | Contractor License (S200 General Building Contractor or specialty) | Yes | 2 yrs | Yes | $275-$580 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Vermont(VT) | No | — | No | — | No | $125-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Virginia(VA) | Yes | DPOR Contractor License (Class A: $120,000+, Class B: $10,000-$120,000, Class C: up to $10,000) | Yes | 2 yrs | Yes | $430-$960 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Washington(WA) | Yes | Contractor Registration | No | — | Yes | $420-$820 | Biennial | medium | Mar 2026 |
| West Virginia(WV) | Yes | Contractor License | No | — | Yes | $180-$430 | Annual | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Wisconsin(WI) | No | — | No | — | No | $130-$250 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
| Wyoming(WY) | No | — | No | — | No | $100-$200 | N/A — no state license | medium | Mar 2026 |
Painting contractors often work alongside other licensed construction professionals. Explore related licensing requirements.
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See the full comparison table above for all 51 states.