Licensed Painter in Michigan: How to Verify Before You Hire

Michigan requires painting contractors to hold a Maintenance & Alteration (M&A) Contractor license through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) when they employ workers. This makes Michigan one of the more regulated states for painters. Here's what the license covers, how to verify it, and what else you need to check before hiring.

Does Michigan require a license for painters?

Michigan requires painting contractors who employ workers to hold a Maintenance & Alteration (M&A) Contractor license through LARA. This license is required for any residential painting business with employees — it is an employer license, not an individual trade license. A sole proprietor painting alone is not required to hold the M&A license, but any painting company with employees must be licensed.

The M&A Contractor license covers a broad range of residential work including painting, wallcovering, drywall, and insulation. Michigan takes contractor licensing seriously — operating without the required license is a civil infraction with fines up to $5,000, and LARA actively enforces this.

In addition to the employer-level M&A license, some municipalities in Michigan have additional local registration requirements. Always check with your city or township building department to confirm whether any local permits or contractor registrations are required for your project.

How do you verify a Michigan painter's license?

Use LARA's online license lookup at michigan.gov/lara. Search by business name or license number to confirm the contractor holds an active M&A Contractor license. The database shows license status, license number, expiration date, and any disciplinary actions on record. Look specifically for "Active" status — expired or suspended licenses mean the contractor is not authorized to operate.

Ask your painter for their M&A Contractor license number before you negotiate. If they have employees, this license is required. If they say they don't need one because they're a sole proprietor, confirm that they're genuinely working alone and not using day laborers or subcontractors who aren't covered by the company's license.

Verify that the license name matches the business name on your contract. A license in one business name doesn't automatically cover work done under a different trade name or DBA. Confirm the exact legal business entity on your contract matches what LARA shows.

What bond and insurance does a Michigan painter need?

Michigan M&A Contractor license holders are required to carry general liability insurance. The minimum coverage varies, but a reputable painting contractor should carry at least $300,000 in general liability. Workers' compensation is required for employers with three or more employees, and Michigan uses a specific BWC filing system.

Request a certificate of insurance showing both general liability and workers' comp coverage. Call the insurer directly to confirm the policy is active. Michigan LARA may require proof of insurance as a condition of licensing, but insurance policies can lapse after the license is issued — a current certificate is the only way to confirm ongoing coverage.

Michigan does not require a contractor bond for M&A license holders, but asking whether your painter has one is still worth doing. A voluntary bond signals an additional layer of financial accountability beyond the insurance requirement.

Does the EPA RRP Rule apply to Michigan painters?

Yes, the federal EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule applies in Michigan. Painters working in pre-1978 homes must hold EPA RRP certification if they disturb more than six square feet of painted surface. Michigan has a large stock of pre-1978 housing, particularly in Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and their surrounding communities.

Michigan has a documented history of lead paint exposure challenges, particularly in older urban areas. The EPA estimates that approximately 24 million U.S. homes contain significant lead paint hazards. If your Michigan home was built before 1978 — or if you are unsure of the build date — ask your painter for EPA RRP certification and verify it at cfpub.epa.gov/flpp.

Fines for EPA RRP non-compliance reach $37,500 per day per violation. Lead dust generated by painting or surface preparation poses irreversible risks to children and is completely invisible without specialized testing.

What are the risks of hiring an unlicensed painter in Michigan?

Hiring a painting company that should hold an M&A Contractor license but does not puts you in a difficult legal position. If something goes wrong — a worker injury, property damage, incomplete work — you have no path to LARA's complaint process, and the contractor has no required bond to compensate you. Michigan homeowners have limited recourse beyond small claims court in these situations.

An unlicensed painting contractor may also fail to pull required permits. Michigan home improvement work sometimes requires local building permits, particularly for exterior work on historic structures or work combined with other improvements. Unpermitted work can affect home resale, title insurance, and homeowner's insurance claims.

CheckLicensed.com searches LARA's database and all other state licensing boards for $0.99 per check. Before hiring any Michigan painting contractor with employees, run a quick verification to confirm their M&A Contractor license is active and in good standing.