Contractor licensing by state
How to Get a Contractor License in Vermont
Vermont requires a state license for every trade we track except landscape irrigation and drainage and detention work. It has no state license for landscape irrigation, so cities and counties set any rules for that work. The official sources do not settle the state rule for drainage and detention work. The main contractor license is the Residential Contractor registration, which costs $75 to start. Of the 5 trades we could rate, foundation repair is the easiest to get licensed for and electrical work the hardest.
The Vermont contractor license
| License | Residential Contractor registration (Office of Professional Regulation), for contracts with a homeowner over $10,000 |
|---|---|
| Covers | Foundation repair, general contracting, roofing, concrete flatwork, drainage and detention work, and demolition |
| Fee | $75 (individual registration at application and each two year renewal; a business organization pays $250) |
| Insurance | Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. Source |
| Renewal | Biennial, same fee. |
How to apply
- Get liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.
- Register with the Office of Professional Regulation ($75 individual or $250 business).
- Use a written contract before taking a deposit or starting any job over $10,000.
- Renew every two years.
Residential construction means building, demolishing or altering a dwelling or a building with four or fewer units. Exemptions include landscaping and work by individuals licensed in their trade, such as electricians and plumbers. A subcontractor hired by another contractor rather than the homeowner generally does not register.
State license requirements for each trade in Vermont
| Foundation repair | Residential Contractor registration | $75 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General contracting | Residential Contractor registration | $75 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
| Roofing | Residential Contractor registration | $75 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
| Plumbing | Master Plumber license | $120 | Master Plumber exam | 1 years | Easy · 22 |
| Electrical | Master Electrician license | $150 | Master Electrician exam | 2 years | Moderate · 28 |
| HVAC | Gas certification or oil burner installer certification for fuel burning heating | None listed | None listed | Not rated | |
| Irrigation | No state license | Not rated | |||
| Concrete flatwork | Residential Contractor registration | $75 | None listed | None listed | Not rated |
| Drainage and detention | Not settled | Not rated | |||
| Demolition | Residential Contractor registration | $75 | None listed | None listed | Not rated |
Tap a column to sort. Difficulty covers the state license only. Checked October 18, 2026.
Trades ranked from easiest to hardest in Vermont
- Foundation repair, easy (7)
- General contracting, easy (7)
- Roofing, easy (7)
- Plumbing, easy (22)
- Electrical, moderate (28)
HVAC work, landscape irrigation, concrete flatwork, drainage and detention work, and demolition are not rated because their rules are not fully published.
Details for each trade
Foundation repair
| License | Residential Contractor registration (homeowner contracts over $10,000) |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation |
Altering a dwelling is residential construction under the statute. There is no exam or structural category.
Ask the town whether it issues building permits; where it does, it decides whether engineered drawings are needed.
- Register with OPR if the contract is over $10,000.
- Check the town's permit rules.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against 26 V.S.A. chapter 106.
General contracting (residential remodels, additions and home improvement)
| License | Residential Contractor registration (homeowner contracts over $10,000) |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation |
Registration, not a competency license; no exam.
Permits come from the town where it has a building program.
- Register with OPR.
- Use written contracts over $10,000.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against Vermont OPR, residential contractor FAQs.
Roofing
| License | Residential Contractor registration (homeowner contracts over $10,000) |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation |
No roofing specific license.
Ask the town about reroof permits.
Register with OPR for jobs over $10,000.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against 26 V.S.A. chapter 106.
Plumbing
| License | Master Plumber license |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Plumbers' Examining Board (Division of Fire Safety) |
| Fee | $120 (master application fee) |
| Exam | Master Plumber exam. |
| Experience | A Vermont journeyman plumber license held at least 12 months (or one year licensed out of state at an equivalent level). |
Licensed plumbers are exempt from residential contractor registration for work in their trade.
Plumbing permits and inspections come through the Division of Fire Safety or the local program.
- Hold the journeyman license 12 months.
- Apply ($120) and pass the master exam.
Difficulty 22, easy (exams 15, experience 5, fees 2).
Checked October 18, 2026 against Vermont DFS, plumbing license application.
Electrical
| License | Master Electrician license |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Electricians' Licensing Board (Division of Fire Safety) |
| Fee | $150 per 3 year master license (exam fee separate) |
| Exam | Master Electrician exam. |
| Experience | A Vermont journeyman electrician license held two years, or a qualifying course plus 12,000 hours of experience. |
Electrical work is filed with the Division of Fire Safety where the state inspects.
- Hold the journeyman license two years.
- Apply ($150 for three years) and pass the master exam.
Difficulty 28, moderate (exams 15, experience 10, fees 3).
Checked October 18, 2026 against Vermont DFS, electrical license application.
HVAC
| License | Gas certification or oil burner installer certification for fuel burning heating work |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Division of Fire Safety |
Vermont licenses fuel gas and oil burner installers rather than HVAC as a whole. Requirements and fees were not checked in detail.
Fuel burning equipment installs follow Division of Fire Safety rules.
Get the gas or oil certification that fits the equipment.
Checked October 18, 2026 against Vermont DFS, trade licensing.
Irrigation
Landscaping is exempt from residential contractor registration. No state irrigation license was found.
Ask the town and water system about backflow requirements.
Ask the water system about backflow rules.
Checked October 18, 2026 against 26 V.S.A. chapter 106.
Concrete flatwork (driveways, sidewalks and work in the public right-of-way)
| License | Residential Contractor registration (homeowner contracts over $10,000) |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation |
Applies when the flatwork alters a residential property under a homeowner contract over $10,000.
Ask the town or road owner what permit work at the street needs.
Register with OPR for jobs over $10,000.
Checked October 18, 2026 against 26 V.S.A. chapter 106.
Drainage and detention (grading, drainage, stormwater and detention ponds)
We could not confirm from official sources whether Vermont requires a state license for drainage and detention work.
Stormwater and grading rules come from the town and the state environmental agency; they are not covered here.
Ask the town and Vermont DEC which permits apply.
Checked October 18, 2026 against 26 V.S.A. chapter 106.
Demolition
| License | Residential Contractor registration (residential demolition over $10,000) |
|---|---|
| Board | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation |
The statute defines residential construction to include demolishing a dwelling. Asbestos rules are not covered here.
Ask the town about demolition permits and the state about asbestos rules.
- Register with OPR.
- Check asbestos and town rules.
Checked October 18, 2026 against 26 V.S.A. chapter 106.
Exams for a Vermont license
| Vermont Master Plumber | Prov, for the Division of Fire Safety | $80 | $80; two more attempts within the eligibility period, no waiting period | 70% | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont Master Electrician | Prov, for the Division of Fire Safety | $80 | $80; two more attempts within the eligibility period, no waiting period | 70% |
Tap a column to sort. Each exam name opens the provider's bulletin or exam page. A blank cell is a fact not confirmed from the provider, and the linked bulletin has the full rules.
Checked October 18, 2026 against Vermont Division of Fire Safety Prov Candidate Information Bulletin, 2026.
Official sources
- 26 V.S.A. chapter 106, residential contractors
- Vermont OPR, residential contractor FAQs
- Vermont Division of Fire Safety, trade licensing
- Vermont DFS, electrical license application
- Vermont DFS, plumbing license application
Licensing pages for nearby states cover Massachusetts.
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the licensing board before you apply or bid.