How to Check a Contractor's License in Maryland

Maryland doesn't have a single statewide general contractor license. Instead, the state requires home improvement contractors to register with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC), which operates under the Department of Labor. If someone is doing work on your existing home — remodeling a kitchen, replacing a roof, finishing a basement — they need an MHIC registration number.

The system is searchable online and the lookup takes about two minutes. But Maryland's approach has some nuances worth understanding: specialty trades are licensed separately, the state runs a consumer guaranty fund tied to MHIC registration, and local jurisdictions may add their own requirements on top of everything.

Here's how to check a contractor's credentials in Maryland and what to look for once you find them.

Does Maryland require a contractor license?

Yes. Maryland requires home improvement contractors to register with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) before performing any work on an existing residential property under a contract of $500 or more. MHIC registration requires passing a written exam, demonstrating two years of experience, providing proof of general liability insurance, and paying into the state's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund. Specialty trades — electrical, plumbing, and HVAC — have separate licensing requirements on top of MHIC.

Maryland uses the term "registration" rather than "license" for home improvement contractors, but the distinction is mostly semantic. MHIC registration is legally required for any contractor who performs work on an existing residential property under a contract of $500 or more (including labor and materials).

To obtain MHIC registration, contractors must meet several requirements:

• Experience— At least two years of experience in home improvement work, construction, or related education.
• Examination— Pass a written exam administered by PSI with a minimum score of 70%.
• Financial solvency— Demonstrate financial stability through assets, liabilities, and credit history. If the contractor doesn't meet solvency standards, they can purchase a surety bond instead.
• Insurance— Provide a certificate of general liability insurance.
• Guaranty Fund assessment— Pay into the Maryland Home Improvement Guaranty Fund (more on this below).

MHIC registrations are valid for two years and cost $250 to apply. Contractors must also register any trade names they use with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation before applying.

How do I check a contractor's license in Maryland?

Go to the Maryland Professional Licensing Query page maintained by the Maryland Department of Labor. Search by MHIC registration number, contractor name, trade name, or location. The lookup is free and takes about two minutes. If you prefer to verify by phone, call the MHIC directly at (410) 230-6309. Always confirm the registration status shows "Active" with a current expiration date before signing a contract.

The Maryland Department of Labor maintains an online lookup tool for all professional licenses and registrations, including MHIC. Head to the Maryland Professional Licensing Query page to start your search.

You can search by several different fields:

• MHIC registration number— The fastest and most reliable method. Contractors are required to display this number on contracts, proposals, and advertising.
• Contractor personal name— Search by the individual's name who holds the registration.
• Contractor trade name— The business name or "doing business as" name.
• Location— Filter by city or county if you need to narrow results.
• Salesperson name— MHIC also registers salespersons who work for home improvement contractors.

When you pull up a result, pay attention to the license status. You want to see an active status with a current expiration date. An expired, revoked, or suspended status means the contractor is not authorized to perform home improvement work. Also note any complaint history or disciplinary actions tied to the registration.

If you prefer to verify by phone, you can call the MHIC directly at (410) 230-6309.

What does Maryland's MHIC registration cover?

MHIC registration covers work on existing residential properties: renovations, remodeling, additions, roofing, siding, window replacement, and similar projects. It does not cover new home construction (regulated separately by the Maryland Attorney General's Home Builder Registration program), commercial work, or contracts under $500. The critical word is "existing" — if the work involves building a new home rather than improving one, MHIC registration is not the right credential to check.

MHIC registration applies specifically to work on existing residential properties. This includes renovations, remodeling, additions, roofing, siding, window replacement, and similar projects. The key word is "existing" — new home construction is a separate category under Maryland law and falls under different oversight.

MHIC registration does not cover:

• New home construction— New home builders are regulated by the Maryland Attorney General's office through the Home Builder Registration program, which has its own separate registration and guaranty fund.
• Commercial work— MHIC only covers residential properties. Commercial construction has different requirements that vary by jurisdiction.
• Projects under $500— Contracts below $500 for labor and materials combined are exempt from the MHIC registration requirement, though that threshold is low enough to exclude most meaningful projects.

What is Maryland's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund?

The Maryland Home Improvement Guaranty Fund reimburses homeowners up to $20,000 per claim when an MHIC-registered contractor performs substandard work, fails to complete a job, or abandons a project. The fund is supported by assessments paid by all registered contractors. You must file within three years of discovering the loss. Critically, the fund is only available if you hired an MHIC-registered contractor — hiring an unregistered contractor eliminates this protection entirely.

One of the practical benefits of hiring an MHIC-registered contractor is access to the Maryland Home Improvement Guaranty Fund. This state-administered fund exists to reimburse homeowners who suffer actual losses from a registered contractor who performed work in an unworkmanlike manner, failed to complete a job, or abandoned a project entirely.

Key details about the fund:

• Coverage limit— Up to $20,000 per claim.
• Funding source— The fund is supported by assessments paid by registered contractors when they obtain and renew their MHIC registration.
• Filing deadline— You must file a claim within three years from the time you discovered the loss or damage.
• Eligibility— You must either live in the home where the work was performed, or own no more than three residential properties.
• Hearing process— Claims under $7,500 can be decided without a hearing. Larger claims go through mediation and, if needed, a formal hearing at the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Here's the critical part: if you hire an unlicensed contractor or one whose registration has expired, you cannot file a Guaranty Fund claim. This is one of the strongest practical reasons to verify MHIC status before signing a contract. The fund is real consumer protection, but it only works if your contractor is properly registered.

How are specialty trades licensed separately in Maryland?

An MHIC registration does not authorize electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work. Electricians are licensed by the Maryland State Board of Electricians under the Department of Labor. Plumbers and HVAC contractors are also licensed separately through the Department of Labor with their own master and journeyman tiers. All specialty trade licenses can be verified through the same Maryland Professional Licensing Query portal by selecting the appropriate license type.

Maryland maintains separate licensing tracks for several specialty trades. An MHIC registration does not authorize a contractor to perform electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work. Each of these trades requires its own state-issued license through different regulatory bodies:

• Electrical— Licensed through the Maryland Department of Labor under separate electrical contractor regulations (COMAR 09.20.01). Electricians hold journeyman or master electrician licenses issued by the Maryland State Board of Electricians.
• Plumbing— Licensed through the Maryland Department of Labor with master and journeyman tiers. A separate license from MHIC registration.
• HVAC— Also licensed through the Department of Labor with its own master license and journeyman/apprentice structure.

When a general home improvement contractor hires subcontractors for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work, those subcontractors need their own trade-specific licenses. You can verify specialty trade licenses through the same Maryland Professional Licensing Query portal — just select the appropriate license type from the search options.

If a contractor with only an MHIC registration tells you they'll handle the electrical or plumbing work themselves, that's a problem. They need the separate specialty license, or they need to bring in a licensed subcontractor.

Are there local contractor licensing requirements in Maryland counties?

Yes. Several Maryland counties add requirements beyond MHIC registration. Montgomery County requires separate contractor licensing through the Department of Permitting Services, including trade-specific licenses for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work. Baltimore City has its own permitting and registration requirements. For any significant home improvement project, ask the contractor whether they have met your specific jurisdiction's local requirements in addition to the state MHIC registration.

MHIC registration is a state-level requirement, but many Maryland counties and municipalities add their own layers:

• Montgomery County— Requires separate contractor licensing through the Department of Permitting Services, including specific licenses for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work beyond the state-level requirements.
• Baltimore City— Has its own permitting and registration requirements for contractors working within city limits.
• Building permits— Regardless of jurisdiction, most significant home improvement projects require building permits. A properly registered contractor should be pulling permits for work that requires them.

A contractor with valid MHIC registration but no local business license or permits may still run into trouble when inspectors come through. Always ask whether they've met the local requirements for the specific jurisdiction where your project is located.

What should I verify beyond a Maryland contractor's MHIC registration?

MHIC registration is the starting point, not the full picture. Verify that the general liability insurance on file hasn't lapsed by calling the insurer directly. Confirm workers' compensation coverage if the contractor has employees — Maryland requires it for businesses with one or more employees, and an injury on your property without coverage can create liability for you. Check the MHIC complaint history in the lookup results, and confirm the written contract includes the MHIC number and all required elements under Maryland law.

MHIC registration confirms that a contractor has met the state's minimum requirements. But a valid registration is the starting point, not the whole picture. Here's what else to verify:

• Insurance— MHIC requires a certificate of liability insurance as part of the registration process, but policies can lapse. Ask for a current certificate of insurance and verify it directly with the insurance company.
• Workers' compensation— Maryland requires workers' comp insurance for businesses with one or more employees. If a contractor has workers on your job site and no workers' comp coverage, you could face liability for injuries that occur on your property.
• Complaint history— The MHIC tracks complaints filed against registered contractors. When you look up a contractor, check whether there are any complaints, disciplinary actions, or Guaranty Fund claims on their record.
• Contract requirements— Maryland law requires home improvement contracts to include specific elements: the contractor's MHIC number, a description of the work, the total price, start and completion dates, and notice of the homeowner's right to cancel within three business days. If a contractor skips these, it suggests they may not take the legal requirements seriously.
• BBB and review platforms — Check the Better Business Bureau and online reviews for additional context, though these are supplements to — not substitutes for — verifying registration status.

What if I can't find a contractor in Maryland's MHIC database?

Try searching by MHIC registration number instead of name, or check for name variations — the registration may be under the individual's legal name rather than the trade name they advertise under. Electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors appear under their own specialty license types, not under MHIC. New home builders are registered through the Attorney General's office, not MHIC. If the contractor should have an MHIC registration and genuinely doesn't, hiring them means forfeiting your Guaranty Fund rights and potentially any legal recourse under Maryland law. Call the MHIC at (410) 230-6309 to confirm.

If your search comes up empty, don't panic immediately. There are a few common explanations:

• Name mismatch— The registration might be under a different business name or the individual's legal name rather than the trade name they market under. Try searching by MHIC number if you have it, or try variations of the name.
• Specialty trade— If they're an electrician, plumber, or HVAC contractor, they won't show up under MHIC. Search under the appropriate specialty trade license type instead.
• New home builder— If the work involves new construction rather than improvements to an existing home, the contractor would be registered through the Attorney General's Home Builder Registration, not MHIC.
• They're actually unregistered— If the project requires MHIC registration and the contractor doesn't have it, walk away. Hiring an unregistered contractor means you lose access to the Guaranty Fund, and any contract you sign may be unenforceable under Maryland law.

When in doubt, call the MHIC directly at (410) 230-6309. They can confirm whether a contractor is registered and flag any issues with their record.

The bottom line

Maryland's MHIC registration system is straightforward to use. Go to the Maryland Professional Licensing Query page, search by name or MHIC number, and confirm the registration is active with a current expiration date. Check for complaints or disciplinary actions while you're there.

Then go further: verify insurance is current, confirm workers' comp coverage if they have employees, and check that any subcontractors doing electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work hold their own specialty licenses. Make sure the contract includes the MHIC number and all the elements Maryland law requires.

The two minutes it takes to run this check buys you access to the Guaranty Fund, legal protections under the Home Improvement Law, and the confidence that you're working with someone who met the state's bar for experience, financial solvency, and professional accountability. Skip it, and you're on your own.