How to Check a Contractor's License in Alabama

Alabama has a two-board system for contractor licensing that catches people off guard. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors handles commercial and general construction work, while the Home Builders Licensure Board covers residential contractors. Depending on what kind of work you're hiring for, you may need to check one board, the other, or both.

This guide walks through exactly how to verify a contractor's license in Alabama, which board to check, what the different license categories mean, and what else to look at beyond the license itself.

How does contractor licensing work in Alabama?

Alabama requires a state license for general contractors on projects valued above $50,000 (labor and materials combined). The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors handles commercial and heavy construction; the Home Builders Licensure Board separately covers residential home building. Check the general contractor board for commercial projects; check the Home Builders board for residential work. Specialty trades — electrical, plumbing, HVAC — have their own separate boards.

Alabama requires a state license for general contractors working on projects valued at more than $50,000. This threshold includes both labor and materials. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors manages this process and issues licenses in several categories based on the type and monetary limit of work.

The license categories and their monetary limits are:

• Unlimited— No cap on project value. This is the highest tier and allows the contractor to take on projects of any size.
• $500,000 limit— Projects up to half a million dollars in total value.
• $100,000 limit— Projects up to $100,000. This is common for smaller general contractors.

Each license is also classified by the type of work the contractor is authorized to perform — building construction, highway construction, heavy construction, municipal and utility construction, or specialty work. A contractor licensed for highway construction cannot use that license to build a commercial office building. The scope matters as much as the dollar limit.

Projects under $50,000 do not require a general contractor's license at the state level, though local licensing or permits may still apply.

Do residential contractors need a different license in Alabama?

Yes. Residential home builders in Alabama are licensed through the Home Builders Licensure Board (hblb.alabama.gov) — a completely separate agency from the general contractor board. A contractor with a general contractor license is not automatically authorized to build or remodel homes, and vice versa. Always check the correct board for the type of work you are hiring for.

If you're hiring someone for residential construction — building a home, major renovation, or addition — you're dealing with a different licensing body entirely. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board regulates residential contractors and home builders. This is separate from the general contractor board.

Residential builders in Alabama need a license from this board to build or improve single-family homes, duplexes, and certain residential structures. The licensing requirements include passing an exam, demonstrating financial responsibility, and maintaining insurance. You can verify a residential builder's license through the Home Builders Licensure Board's website at hblb.alabama.gov.

The distinction matters because a contractor with a general contractor license from the Licensing Board for General Contractors is not automatically authorized to do residential home building, and vice versa. Check the right board for the right type of work.

How do I look up a general contractor's license in Alabama?

Go to genconbd.alabama.gov and use the online verification search. You can look up a contractor by name, license number, or business name. Alabama general contractors are required to include their license number on all bids and contracts, so any legitimate contractor should be able to provide it. Confirm the license status is "Active," the classification matches your project type, and the monetary limit covers your project's full value.

For general contractors (commercial, heavy, highway, municipal, and specialty work over $50,000), use the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors' online verification tool. Navigate to genconbd.alabama.gov to access the search.

You can search by the contractor's name, license number, or business name. Having the license number is the fastest way to pull up an exact result. Alabama general contractors are required to include their license number on bids and contracts, so you should be able to get it from any legitimate contractor.

When the results come back, here's what to look at:

• License status— You want to see "Active." Anything else — expired, revoked, suspended — means the contractor is not currently authorized to take on licensed work.
• License classification— This tells you what type of construction the contractor is authorized to do (building, highway, heavy, municipal/utility, or specialty). Make sure it matches your project type.
• Monetary limit— Confirm the contractor's dollar limit covers the value of your project. A contractor with a $100,000 limit cannot legally take on a $200,000 project.
• Expiration date— Alabama general contractor licenses must be renewed annually. Check that the license is current.
• Business entity information— Verify the business name and address match the company you're actually dealing with.

How do I verify a home builder's license in Alabama?

Use the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board's verification system at hblb.alabama.gov. Search by the builder's name, license number, or business name. Check that the status is active, the license type covers the scope of your project, and review any complaints or disciplinary actions on file. Alabama home builder licenses must be renewed regularly — confirm the expiration date before signing a contract.

For residential contractors and home builders, use the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board's verification system at hblb.alabama.gov. The search works similarly — you can look up a builder by name, license number, or business name.

Pay attention to the same core details: active status, license type, and expiration date. The Home Builders Licensure Board also maintains records of complaints and disciplinary actions, which are worth reviewing if they're available through the search results.

Are electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors licensed separately in Alabama?

Yes. Alabama licenses specialty trades through separate agencies: electricians through the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board (aecb.alabama.gov), plumbers and gas fitters through the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, and HVAC contractors through the State Board of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors. A general contractor license does not authorize any of these trades — verify each subcontractor separately.

Alabama licenses certain specialty trades through separate boards and agencies, not through either the general contractor or home builders boards. The most common ones:

• Electrical— Licensed through the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board. Electricians and electrical contractors need a separate state license. Verify at aecb.alabama.gov.
• Plumbing and gas fitting— Licensed through the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Separate license required for plumbing work.
• HVAC— Alabama requires HVAC contractors to hold a license from the State Board of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors.
• Roofing— Roofing contractors in Alabama are generally covered under the general contractor or home builder licensing, depending on project type and value, though some municipalities have additional local requirements.

A general contractor with an active license cannot legally perform electrical or plumbing work themselves unless they also hold the appropriate specialty license. They can subcontract to licensed specialists, which is standard practice. If your project involves electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work, verify those subcontractors' licenses separately.

Do cities in Alabama have additional contractor licensing requirements?

Yes. Alabama's state license is the minimum baseline, but major cities add their own requirements. Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and Montgomery all require local business licenses for contractors, and each has its own permitting process. Always confirm your contractor has the required local registrations for the specific city or county where the work will occur — a valid state license alone is not always sufficient to pull a local building permit.

Alabama's state license is the baseline, but many cities and counties add their own requirements on top. This typically means a local business license, a separate registration, or additional permit requirements.

• Birmingham— Requires a city business license for contractors operating within city limits. Separate building permits are required for construction projects.
• Huntsville— Has local contractor licensing requirements and its own building inspection process.
• Mobile— Requires local business licenses and has specific permitting requirements for construction work.
• Montgomery— Contractors need a local business license and must comply with city-level permitting and inspection rules.

Always ask your contractor whether they've obtained the necessary local licenses and permits for the specific municipality where your project is located. A valid state license without the proper local registrations can cause problems when pulling building permits.

What else should I check before hiring a contractor in Alabama?

Beyond the license, verify general liability insurance (Alabama does not mandate specific coverage amounts as a licensing condition, so levels vary — confirm it is adequate for your project), a surety bond (required for licensed general contractors), and workers' compensation for crews of five or more employees. Also check disciplinary history with the relevant board and the BBB for complaint patterns.

A valid license confirms the contractor has met Alabama's minimum requirements to operate. But it doesn't tell you everything you need to know. Here's what else to verify:

• Insurance— Ask for a certificate of general liability insurance and verify it directly with the insurance company. Alabama does not mandate specific liability insurance amounts as a licensing condition, so coverage levels vary. Make sure the coverage is adequate for the size of your project.
• Bonding— General contractors in Alabama are required to maintain a surety bond. The bond amount is tied to their license classification and monetary limit. This bond protects you if the contractor fails to fulfill their obligations.
• Workers' compensation— Alabama requires workers' comp insurance for businesses with five or more employees. If your contractor has a crew on site and no workers' comp coverage, you could be exposed to liability for injuries that happen on your property.
• Complaints and disciplinary history— Check with the relevant licensing board for any formal complaints, disciplinary actions, or license suspensions. You can also search the Better Business Bureau and review sites for additional background, though online reviews should supplement — not replace — a proper license check.

What if I can't find a contractor in Alabama's licensing system?

The most common issue in Alabama is checking the wrong board — residential builders will not appear in the general contractor database, and vice versa. Also try searching by license number instead of name, or check the appropriate specialty board if the contractor is an electrician, plumber, or HVAC tech. If the project exceeds $50,000 and they genuinely have no license, do not hire them — unlicensed contracting limits your legal recourse and may void insurance claims.

If a search turns up nothing, there are a few possible explanations before you assume the worst:

• Wrong board— This is the most common issue in Alabama. If you searched the general contractor board for a residential builder (or vice versa), you're looking in the wrong place. Try the other board.
• Name mismatch— The license might be under a different business entity name or the contractor's legal name rather than their trade name. Search by license number if you have it.
• Specialty trade— If they're an electrician, plumber, or HVAC contractor, they won't appear in either the general contractor or home builders databases. Search the appropriate specialty board instead.
• Under the threshold— Projects under $50,000 don't require a general contractor license at the state level. The contractor may be legitimate but not required to hold a state license for the work they do.
• They're unlicensed— If the project requires a license and they don't have one, do not hire them. Working with an unlicensed contractor in Alabama limits your legal recourse and may void insurance claims if something goes wrong.

If you're unsure, call the appropriate board directly. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors and the Home Builders Licensure Board both have staff who can confirm license status over the phone.

The bottom line

Alabama's two-board system makes license verification slightly more involved than most states, but the process itself is straightforward. For commercial or general construction work over $50,000, check the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors. For residential home building, check the Home Builders Licensure Board. For specialty trades, check the relevant trade-specific board.

Confirm the license is active, verify the classification and monetary limit match your project, and check the expiration date. Then go further — ask for proof of insurance, confirm bonding, and check for any disciplinary history. The few minutes it takes to run these checks is nothing compared to the cost of hiring someone who isn't qualified or authorized to do the work.