Quick answer: Alabama does not have a single contractor agency. Instead, separate state boards license each skilled trade: the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors (commercial/industrial jobs of $100,000 or more), the Home Builders Licensure Board (residential work over $10,000 and residential roofing over $2,500), the Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, the Board of Electrical Contractors, and the Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. Painters, carpenters, landscapers, handymen and cleaners are not licensed by the state, though they may need a local business license and cannot cross into a licensed trade.
The table below shows which of the common trades need an Alabama state license and which do not.
Which trades need a license in Alabama?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | State license required – Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Anyone performing plumbing or gas-fitting work must be licensed (Journeyman or Master); there is no dollar threshold. |
| Electrician | Yes | State license required – Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors. Electrical Contractors and Journeyman Electricians are licensed statewide; some municipalities also license locally. |
| HVAC | Yes | State license required – Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. A Heating/Air Conditioning or Refrigeration Contractor license is required to do the work. |
| General Contractor | Yes | State license required – Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors for commercial/industrial jobs costing $100,000 or more ($5,000+ for swimming pools). Residential work is licensed separately by the Home Builders Licensure Board. |
| Roofer | Yes | State license required – residential roofing over $2,500 is licensed by the Home Builders Licensure Board; large commercial roofing ($100,000+) falls under the Licensing Board for General Contractors. |
| Painter | No | No state license for painting. Painters may need a local business license and cannot perform work reserved for a licensed trade. |
| Carpenter | No | No state license for general carpentry or finish work – unless it is part of a residential build over $10,000 (Home Builders Licensure Board) or a commercial job over $100,000 (General Contractors board). |
| Landscaper | No | No state contractor license for general landscaping or lawn care. Separate rules apply to commercial pesticide/herbicide application, licensed by the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries. |
| Handyman | No | No state handyman license. However, residential repair or improvement work exceeding $10,000 requires a Home Builders Licensure Board license, and licensed trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) are always off-limits. |
| Cleaner | No | No state occupational or contractor license required for residential or commercial cleaning. |
"Yes" means a state board license is required; unlicensed trades may still need a local business license and, if hired, must not perform work reserved for a licensed trade.
How Alabama licenses its trades
Unlike states with a single contractor agency, Alabama spreads licensing across several independent state boards, each governing one trade. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors handles larger commercial and industrial construction; the Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB) handles residential construction and residential roofing; and three trade-specific boards handle plumbing/gas, electrical, and HVAC/refrigeration work. There is no umbrella "handyman" or "general trades" license.
Because responsibility is split by both trade and dollar value, the same job can fall under different boards depending on whether it is residential or commercial and how much it costs. Always confirm which board applies before bidding a job.
General contractors and home builders
The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors defines a general contractor as one who constructs or superintends a building, highway, structure, site work or improvement where the cost of the undertaking, including labor and materials, is $100,000 or more. This applies to both public and private commercial/industrial work, and subcontractors on those jobs must also be licensed. Swimming-pool construction carries a much lower $5,000 threshold.
Residential work is regulated separately by the Home Builders Licensure Board. A residential home builder license is required for construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of a residence where the cost exceeds $10,000. The HBLB also issues a residential roofer license for roofing jobs exceeding $2,500.
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC trades
These three trades are licensed regardless of job size. The Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board requires anyone performing plumbing or gas-fitting work to hold a license (Apprentice, Journeyman or Master), with no dollar threshold. The Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors licenses Electrical Contractors and Journeyman Electricians statewide, though some cities maintain their own local electrical licensing on top of the state credential.
The Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors requires a Heating/Air Conditioning Contractor or Refrigeration Contractor license to install, service or repair those systems; applicants must post a $20,000 performance bond. Hiring an unlicensed person for any of these reserved trades is illegal and can void permits and insurance.
Trades with no Alabama state license
Several common home-service trades have no state license at all: general painting, carpentry, landscaping and lawn care, handyman work, and cleaning. Alabama does not maintain a board for these occupations. That does not mean they are unregulated – businesses still typically need a local business license, must carry appropriate insurance, and cannot cross into a licensed scope such as electrical, plumbing or HVAC work.
Two important limits apply. First, a handyman or carpenter doing residential repair or improvement work over $10,000 needs a Home Builders Licensure Board license. Second, landscapers who apply pesticides or herbicides commercially must be licensed by the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries.
Local business licenses
Even for unlicensed trades, Alabama cities and counties generally require a local business license (privilege license) to operate, and building permits are required for many projects regardless of who performs the work. For electrical and some other trades, a municipality may add its own licensing on top of the state board credential. Because thresholds and permit rules vary from town to town, always confirm requirements with your city or county before starting a job.
How to get licensed in Alabama
- Identify which board governs your trade and job: the Licensing Board for General Contractors (commercial jobs $100,000+), the Home Builders Licensure Board (residential over $10,000, roofing over $2,500), or the Plumbers & Gas Fitters, Electrical Contractors, or HVAC/Refrigeration boards.
- Meet that board's eligibility requirements – typically documented trade experience and/or education (for example, 8,000 hours for an electrical contractor) plus proof of financial responsibility such as a credit report or bond.
- Apply to sit for the required state examination covering business/law and the trade, and pass the exam(s) administered for that board.
- Submit your license application with fees, exam results, and any required bond or insurance (for example, a $20,000 HVAC performance bond or a $10,000 roofer bond) to the appropriate board.
- Once licensed, renew on the board's cycle and complete any required continuing education (for example, plumbers/gas fitters must complete at least 4 hours of continuing education each renewal year).
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Frequently asked questions
Does a handyman need a license in Alabama?
There is no statewide handyman license in Alabama. However, residential repair or improvement work where the cost exceeds $10,000 requires a Home Builders Licensure Board license, and a handyman may still need a local business license. A handyman can never perform work reserved for a licensed trade such as electrical, plumbing or HVAC.
What is the dollar threshold for a general contractor license in Alabama?
For commercial and industrial work, the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors requires a license when the cost of the undertaking, including labor and materials, is $100,000 or more (swimming pools require a license at $5,000 or more). Residential construction is licensed separately by the Home Builders Licensure Board when the cost exceeds $10,000.
Do painters and carpenters need a state license in Alabama?
No. Painting and general carpentry are not state-licensed trades in Alabama, and there is no state board for them. The exception is when the work is part of a larger regulated project – a residential build over $10,000 (Home Builders Licensure Board) or a commercial job over $100,000 (Licensing Board for General Contractors) – or when it crosses into a licensed trade.
Which boards license electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors in Alabama?
Electricians are licensed by the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors, plumbers and gas fitters by the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, and heating/cooling and refrigeration contractors by the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. Each is a separate state board with its own exams and requirements.
Sources: Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB), Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors, Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors, HBLB – Unlicensed Builders (cost thresholds), 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.