Quick answer: New Jersey state-licenses just three construction trades — master plumbers, electrical contractors and HVACR contractors — through boards within the Division of Consumer Affairs. General contractors, roofers, painters, carpenters, landscapers and handymen need no state trade license, but any business doing residential home improvements must register as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC). Cleaners need no state credential.
New Jersey draws a sharp line between the handful of trades it licenses at the state level and the far larger group that only has to register before doing home-improvement work.
Which trades need a license in New Jersey?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | Plumbing is a state-licensed trade. Under the State Plumbing License Law of 1968 (N.J.S.A. 45:14C), plumbing may only be performed by a licensed master plumber, an authorized plumbing business, or their W-2 employees working under a master plumber's supervision. Licenses are issued by the State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers within the Division of Consumer Affairs, require passing an exam, and renew every two years. |
| Electrician | Yes | Electrical work is a state-licensed trade. Under the Electrical Contractors Licensing Act of 1962 (N.J.S.A. 45:5A), electrical contractors must hold a license AND a valid business permit issued by the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors within the Division of Consumer Affairs. The license and business permit renew every three years. The Board also registers qualified journeyman electricians, who work under a licensed electrical contractor. |
| HVAC / Refrigeration | Yes | HVAC and refrigeration is a state-licensed trade. Under P.L. 2007, c.211 (N.J.S.A. 45:16A), the Master HVACR Contractor License is required to engage in heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration contracting, and it is the only HVACR license the state issues. Licenses come from the State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors within the Division of Consumer Affairs and renew every two years. |
| General Contractor | Registration | New Jersey has no statewide general contractor license or exam. However, any contractor performing home improvements on residential property must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Contractors' Business Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 et seq.). Registration — not an exam-based license — is the operative requirement, and registrants must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. Individual trades within a job (electrical, plumbing, HVACR) still require their own state licenses. |
| Roofer | Registration | There is no separate state roofing license in New Jersey. Roofing is expressly a home improvement, so a roofing business working on residential property must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs and meet its insurance and security requirements. |
| Painter | Registration | New Jersey does not license painters. Painting is included in the statutory definition of home improvement, so a painting business working on residential property must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs. No trade exam is required for the registration itself. |
| Carpenter | Registration | Carpentry has no dedicated state license in New Jersey. As a home improvement trade, a carpentry business working on residential property must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs, carrying the required liability insurance and security. |
| Landscaper | Registration | New Jersey issues no general landscaping license. Landscaping and related outdoor improvements to residential property fall within the home-improvement definition, so the business must register as a Home Improvement Contractor. Note that specialized activities such as applying pesticides or installing certain irrigation systems can trigger separate state certifications. |
| Handyman | Registration | A handyman doing home-improvement work as a business must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs. There is no dollar threshold — the requirement applies regardless of job size. Any plumbing, electrical or HVACR portions of the work still require the appropriate state trade license. |
| Cleaner | No | House cleaning and janitorial services are not a home improvement and are not a state-licensed trade in New Jersey, so no Division of Consumer Affairs license or Home Improvement Contractor registration is required. General business obligations still apply, and some municipalities require a local business license. |
Only plumbing, electrical and HVACR are true state-licensed trades; most other residential work requires Home Improvement Contractor registration rather than a license.
How New Jersey regulates the trades
New Jersey uses two very different systems. A small set of trades — master plumbers, electrical contractors and HVACR contractors — are licensed through occupational boards within the Division of Consumer Affairs, which requires exams, experience and periodic renewal. Everyone else who performs residential home improvements is instead registered as a Home Improvement Contractor under the Contractors' Business Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 et seq.). Registration is a consumer-protection filing with insurance and bonding requirements, not a competency exam. New Jersey does not issue a general-contractor license at the state level.
The three state-licensed trades
Plumbing. The State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers licenses master plumbers under the State Plumbing License Law of 1968 (N.J.S.A. 45:14C); licenses renew every two years and only a master plumber, an authorized plumbing business or their W-2 employees may perform plumbing.
Electrical. The Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors licenses electrical contractors and issues the required business permit under the Electrical Contractors Licensing Act of 1962 (N.J.S.A. 45:5A); the license and permit renew every three years.
HVACR. The Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors issues the Master HVACR Contractor License under P.L. 2007, c.211 (N.J.S.A. 45:16A), renewable every two years.
Home Improvement Contractor registration
Any business that repairs, renovates, remodels, paints, roofs, or otherwise improves residential or non-commercial property must register as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) with the Division of Consumer Affairs. The Contractors' Business Registration Act imposes no minimum dollar threshold — it applies regardless of contract size. Following P.L. 2023, c.237 (signed January 8, 2024), registrants must maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation insurance (unless exempt), and additional security scaled from $10,000 to $50,000 based on contract value (N.J.S.A. 56:8-142).
A new licensing law is phasing in
P.L. 2023, c.237 also created the Home Improvement and Home Elevation Contractor Licensing Act (N.J.S.A. 45:5AAA-1 et seq.) and established the New Jersey State Board of Home Improvement and Home Elevation Contractors. This will eventually add a licensing layer on top of registration, but as of 2025 the operative day-to-day requirement for home improvement contractors remains registration with the Division of Consumer Affairs while the new board stands up and adopts rules.
Trades with no state license and local rules
Roofers, painters, carpenters, landscapers, handymen and general contractors need no state trade license — only HIC registration when the work is a residential home improvement. Cleaners need neither a state license nor HIC registration. Regardless of trade, municipalities may require a local business registration, mercantile license, or construction permits, and building permits pulled through local code officials are separate from any state licensing.
How to get licensed in New Jersey
- Identify your trade: plumbing, electrical and HVACR require a state license from the relevant Division of Consumer Affairs board; most other residential trades require Home Improvement Contractor registration.
- If you are a plumber, electrician or HVACR contractor, apply to the appropriate board, meet the experience/education requirements, pass the exam, and (for electricians) obtain the business permit.
- If you do residential home improvements, register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs' Regulated Business Section before advertising or contracting.
- Obtain the required coverage for HIC registration: at least $500,000 per-occurrence commercial general liability insurance, workers' compensation (unless exempt), and the applicable additional security based on your contract values.
- Check with the municipality where you work for any local business license, mercantile registration, or building permits, since those are separate from state requirements.
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Frequently asked questions
Does New Jersey have a general contractor license?
No. New Jersey does not issue a statewide general contractor license or exam. General contractors doing residential home improvements must instead register as Home Improvement Contractors with the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Contractors' Business Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 et seq.).
Which construction trades actually need a state license in New Jersey?
Three: master plumbers (N.J.S.A. 45:14C), electrical contractors (N.J.S.A. 45:5A), and HVACR contractors (N.J.S.A. 45:16A). Each is administered by a board within the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Is there a dollar threshold below which Home Improvement Contractor registration is not required?
No. The Contractors' Business Registration Act applies to home improvement work regardless of contract size. The amount of the required additional security does scale with contract value, but the registration duty itself has no minimum dollar threshold.
Do painters, roofers, carpenters and landscapers need a license?
Not a trade license. These are home-improvement trades, so a business performing them on residential property must register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Division of Consumer Affairs, but New Jersey does not license the trades individually.
Sources: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs - Home Improvement Contractors, NJ DCA - State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers, NJ DCA - Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, NJ DCA - State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors, 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.