Quick answer: Washington, D.C. splits trade regulation between two systems, both run by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) (the agency that took over most licensing from the former DCRA in October 2022). Electricians, plumbers/gas fitters and refrigeration & air-conditioning (HVAC) mechanics must hold an individual occupational license (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master or Contractor) from the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades. Almost everyone else who does business in the District needs a Basic Business License (BBL): general contractors register under the General Contractor/Construction Manager category, while roofers, painters, carpenters and handymen doing residential work generally need the Home Improvement Contractor BBL, which requires a $25,000 surety bond. Landscapers and cleaners typically need only a General Business License.
The table below shows which of the common trades need an individual trade license, a Home Improvement Contractor license, or just a general Basic Business License in Washington, D.C.
Which trades need a license in Washington, D.C.?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | Individual trade license required from the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master or Contractor). Plumbers and gas fitters are licensed together under DLCP's Occupational & Professional Licensing. |
| Electrician | Yes | Individual trade license required from the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master or Contractor), issued through DLCP's Occupational & Professional Licensing. |
| HVAC | Yes | Individual trade license required as a Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Mechanic (Mechanic or Contractor) from the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades, issued through DLCP. |
| General Contractor | Yes | Basic Business License required under the General Contractor (A, B, C, G & H)/Construction Manager category from DLCP. No surety bond, but liability insurance and a Certificate of Occupancy are required. |
| Roofer | Yes | Roofing on residential property is home-improvement work: a Home Improvement Contractor BBL with a $25,000 surety bond is generally required. Commercial or new-construction roofing may instead fall under a General Contractor BBL. |
| Painter | Yes | Painting residential property for compensation is home-improvement work, so a Home Improvement Contractor BBL (with the $25,000 surety bond) is generally required. |
| Carpenter | Yes | Carpentry, remodeling and alteration of residential property is home-improvement work requiring a Home Improvement Contractor BBL (plus the $25,000 bond). Structural or new-build work may fall under a General Contractor BBL. |
| Landscaper | Maybe | No trade license and no home-improvement license for general landscaping or lawn care, but a General Business License (BBL) is required to operate. Pesticide application is separately regulated by DOEE. |
| Handyman | Yes | A handyman performing repairs, remodeling or alterations on residential property is a home-improvement business and generally needs a Home Improvement Contractor BBL (plus the $25,000 bond). Work reserved for a licensed trade still requires that trade license. |
| Cleaner | Maybe | No trade license and no home-improvement license for residential or commercial cleaning, but a General Business License (BBL) is required to do business in the District. |
"Yes" means D.C. requires either an individual trade license (Board of Industrial Trades) or a Home Improvement/General Contractor Basic Business License. "Maybe" means no trade or home-improvement license, but a General Business License is still required to operate in the District.
How Washington, D.C. licenses the trades
Washington, D.C. runs two parallel licensing systems, both administered by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). DLCP is the agency that inherited most business and occupational licensing from the former Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) when DCRA was split into two agencies on October 1, 2022 (the other being the Department of Buildings).
The first system is individual occupational licensing through the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades, part of DLCP's Occupational & Professional Licensing. It licenses the skilled trades: electricians, plumbers and gas fitters, and refrigeration & air-conditioning (HVAC) mechanics, along with asbestos workers, steam and operating engineers, and the elevator trades. The second system is the Basic Business License (BBL), which nearly every business operating in the District must maintain under D.C. Official Code § 47-2851.02. Contractors fall under specific BBL categories rather than an individual trade license.
The individual trade licenses: electrician, plumber, HVAC
Electricians, plumbers/gas fitters and refrigeration & air-conditioning mechanics are the trades D.C. licenses at the individual level. The Board of Industrial Trades issues these licenses in tiers that reflect experience and responsibility:
Electricians and plumbers/gas fitters are licensed as Apprentice, Journeyman, Master or Contractor. Refrigeration & air-conditioning (HVAC) mechanics are licensed as Mechanic or Contractor. These credentials are held by the individual tradesperson, not the company, and they renew on staggered cycles (for example, electrician licenses expire November 30 in odd years; plumber and gas fitter licenses March 31 in even years; refrigeration & air-conditioning licenses September 30 in even years). A person who performs this work for the public must hold the appropriate license.
General contractors and the Basic Business License
A person or company doing construction as a general contractor in D.C. does not hold a Board of Industrial Trades license; instead they register for a Basic Business License under the General Contractor (A, B, C, G & H)/Construction Manager category. DLCP describes this scope as the planning, acquiring, building, equipping, altering, repairing, improving, or demolishing of any structure or appurtenance. This category does not require a surety bond, but applicants must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance, a Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupation Permit, and satisfy tax-registration and Clean Hands requirements. Any specialized electrical, plumbing/gas or HVAC work within a project must still be performed by someone holding the relevant Board of Industrial Trades license.
Home Improvement Contractor: roofers, painters, carpenters, handymen
Most residential trade work in D.C. falls under the Home Improvement Contractor Basic Business License. D.C. Official Code § 47-2883.01 defines a home-improvement business as the repair, remodeling, alteration, conversion, or modernization of, or addition to, residential property – which sweeps in roofing, painting, carpentry, remodeling and general handyman work on homes done for compensation.
The Home Improvement Contractor license carries stricter requirements than a general BBL. The contractor must post a $25,000 surety bond (or cash bond) for the two-year license period under D.C. Official Code § 47-2883.02, provide liability insurance and a police criminal-history report, submit the home-improvement contract form, and designate at least one licensed Home Improvement Salesperson. Salespersons who sell home-improvement contracts are licensed separately. The bond exists to protect homeowners, so anyone hiring for residential work should confirm the contractor holds an active Home Improvement Contractor BBL.
Landscapers, cleaners and the General Business License
Some trades need neither an individual trade license nor a home-improvement license, but they still cannot operate license-free. Under D.C. Official Code § 47-2851.02, anyone doing business in the District must maintain a Basic Business License for the activity they perform. Landscapers, lawn-care providers and cleaning/janitorial services generally register under the General Business License category rather than a trade or home-improvement category.
Watch for scope creep into regulated work. A landscaper who applies pesticides is separately regulated by the D.C. Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), and a landscaper who builds decks, retaining walls or other structures may cross into home-improvement or general-contractor territory. When in doubt, confirm the correct BBL category with DLCP before starting work.
How to get licensed in Washington, D.C.
- Identify which system applies to your work: an individual trade license from the Board of Industrial Trades (electrician, plumber/gas fitter, or refrigeration & air-conditioning mechanic) or a Basic Business License category (General Contractor/Construction Manager, Home Improvement Contractor, or General Business).
- For a trade license, meet the Board of Industrial Trades requirements for your tier (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Contractor, or Mechanic) - typically documented experience plus any required examination - and apply through DLCP's Occupational & Professional Licensing.
- For a Home Improvement Contractor license, obtain a $25,000 surety bond (or post a cash bond), a Certificate of Liability Insurance, a police criminal-history report, and designate at least one licensed Home Improvement Salesperson.
- Complete the core Basic Business License steps: register your business, obtain a Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupation Permit, register for taxes, and get a Clean Hands certificate before applying for your specific license category.
- Apply and pay the fees through DLCP's business licensing portal, then keep the license active by renewing on its cycle (trade licenses and BBLs renew on set two-year periods).
Ready to price your work? Build a quote with the free estimate generator, or invoice from your phone with BIG INVOICE.
Frequently asked questions
Which trades need an individual license from the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades?
Electricians, plumbers and gas fitters, and refrigeration & air-conditioning (HVAC) mechanics must hold an individual occupational license from the D.C. Board of Industrial Trades, issued through the DLCP. Electricians and plumbers/gas fitters are licensed as Apprentice, Journeyman, Master or Contractor; HVAC workers are licensed as Mechanic or Contractor. The Board also licenses asbestos workers, steam and operating engineers, and the elevator trades.
Does a handyman need a license in Washington, D.C.?
Usually yes. D.C. treats the repair, remodeling or alteration of residential property as a home-improvement business, so a handyman doing that work for compensation generally needs a Home Improvement Contractor Basic Business License, which requires a $25,000 surety bond. A handyman still cannot perform electrical, plumbing/gas or HVAC work reserved for a licensed trade without that trade license.
What is the difference between a General Contractor and a Home Improvement Contractor license in D.C.?
Both are Basic Business License categories from DLCP. The General Contractor/Construction Manager category covers building, altering, repairing or demolishing structures and does not require a surety bond. The Home Improvement Contractor category covers repair and remodeling of residential property and requires a $25,000 surety bond, a police criminal-history report, and a designated Home Improvement Salesperson.
Do landscapers and cleaners need a license in D.C.?
They do not need a trade license or a home-improvement license, but they do need a Basic Business License to operate in the District – typically under the General Business category. A landscaper who applies pesticides is separately regulated by the D.C. Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), and structural work like decks or retaining walls can cross into home-improvement licensing.
Sources: DLCP - Board of Industrial Trades, DLCP - Occupational and Professional License Categories, DLCP - Business Licensing Division (Basic Business License), DLCP - General Business License category, D.C. Official Code § 47-2851.02 - Basic business license required, D.C. Official Code § 47-2883.01 - Home improvement definitions, 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.