New York Contractor License Requirements
There is no state licence to describe, so what follows is the absence itself and what stands in its place — each confirmed on an official source, quoted at the bottom of this page.
What the state requires
- Licence
- None at state level
- Issued by
- No state licensing board for general contractors. The NY Department of State's Division of Licensing Services licenses 35 occupations, none of which is a contractor licence; general contractors are registered or licensed locally (e.g. NYC Department of Buildings registration, NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection home improvement contractor licence, and county consumer affairs departments on Long Island and in Westchester/Rockland).
- NASCLA exam
- Not acceptedNot applicable — New York issues no state general contractor licence, so there is nothing for the NASCLA accredited exam to replace.
What people get wrong
New York State licenses no general or building contractor. The Department of State's licensed-occupation list (35 occupations) contains no contractor category. Licensing is municipal: in New York City a general contractor must register with the Department of Buildings (proof of $25,000 bank balance, $1M general liability, workers' comp and disability) and a home improvement contractor must hold a separate DCWP licence, which does carry a 30-question exam (21 correct to pass), a 2-year licence term and either Trust Fund enrollment or a $20,000 bond. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties run their own home improvement licensing; those county rules were not fetched for this record. dos.ny.gov pages were read through a text-extraction proxy because this network's egress is blocked by several state CDNs.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a contractor licence in New York?
- Not from the state. New York does not licence general contractors at the state level. There is no state exam, no state bond and no state licence to hold — the requirement is local, so which permit or registration you need depends on the city or county you are building in. New York State licenses no general or building contractor. The Department of State's licensed-occupation list (35 occupations) contains no contractor category. Licensing is municipal: in New York City a general contractor must register with the Department of Buildings (proof of $25,000 bank balance, $1M general liability, workers' comp and disability) and a home improvement contractor must hold a separate DCWP licence, which does carry a 30-question exam (21 correct to pass), a 2-year licence term and either Trust Fund enrollment or a $20,000 bond. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties run their own home improvement licensing; those county rules were not fetched for this record. dos.ny.gov pages were read through a text-extraction proxy because this network's egress is blocked by several state CDNs.
- Does New York accept the NASCLA exam?
- No. Not applicable — New York issues no state general contractor licence, so there is nothing for the NASCLA accredited exam to replace.
Sources
“New York Department of State's Division of Licensing Services (DLS), oversees the licensure, registration, and regulation of 35 occupations throughout the state.”
https://dos.ny.gov/division-licensing-services“36 results found”
https://dos.ny.gov/licensing-types“The last three (3) consecutive business bank statements for your company, each showing an ending balance of $25,000 or a notarized bank stamped letter confirming the company has maintained a minimum end balance of at least $25,000 for the past three (3) months”
https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/industry/obtain-a-general-contractor-registration.page“Your original general liability insurance certificate (you must have a $1 million minimum policy), Workers' Compensation certificate and disability insurance certificate”
https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/industry/obtain-a-general-contractor-registration.page“The exam consists of 30 questions. You must answer a minimum of 21 questions correctly to pass.”
https://www.nyc.gov/site/dca/businesses/license-checklist-home-improvement-contractor.page“If you do not enroll your business in the Trust Fund, you must submit a copy of a $20,000 Surety Bond (or Third Party Bond), properly signed.”
https://www.nyc.gov/site/dca/businesses/license-checklist-home-improvement-contractor.page