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Michigan builders license and the handyman question
Michigan has two residential contractor licenses under Article 24 of the Occupational Code: the residential builder license and the residential maintenance and alteration (M&A) contractor license, which is issued for named trades. There is no separate handyman license; whether a job needs one of the two depends on the work and its price.
- 1RB · Residential Builder Construction of a residential structure
- 2M&A · Residential Maintenance and Alteration Contractor Repair
The classes
| Class | What it covers |
|---|---|
| RB Residential Builder | Construction of a residential structure for pay (other than wages for personal labor only): erection, construction, replacement, repair, alteration, addition, improvement, wrecking or demolition of a residential structure; also manufacturing or dealing in prefabricated or shell housing (MCL 339.2401(a)). |
| M&A Residential Maintenance and Alteration Contractor | Repair, alteration, addition, improvement, wrecking or demolition of a residential structure, building a garage or laying concrete on residential property, limited to the trades named on the license (MCL 339.2401(b), 339.2404(3)). Work in another trade is allowed only when it is incidental and supplemental to the licensed one. |
Trades a maintenance and alteration license can name
- Carpentry
- Concrete
- Swimming pool installation
- Basement waterproofing
- Excavation
- Insulation work
- Masonry work
- Roofing
- Siding and gutters
- Screen or storm sash installation
- Tile and marble work
- House wrecking
When no license is needed
- A single job whose total contract price for labor, materials and everything else is less than $600, unless it is part of a larger operation or split up to avoid the act (MCL 339.2403(f)).
- Owners working on a structure they own and use or occupy, and owners maintaining or altering their own rental property.
- People working only under contract to a licensed residential builder or M&A contractor (salespeople excluded).
- Licensed electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors working within their trade.
How to qualify
Both licenses need 60 hours of approved prelicensure education (at least 6 hours in each of seven subjects) and a PSI examination, as listed on the Michigan general contractor page of this site.
Renewal
LARA issues both licenses for three years (MCL 339.2404(5)). At renewal the licensee states that it holds a current copy of the Michigan Residential Code and meets the continuing competency rules, and keeps documentation of continuing competency for at least five years (MCL 339.2404(7)). Licensees first licensed on or after January 1, 2009 complete at least 21 hours each three-year cycle, with at least 3 hours each calendar year during the first six years and at least 3 hours on codes, safety and law; those licensed earlier, or licensed for more than two cycles without discipline, complete at least 3 hours per cycle (1 hour each on codes, safety and legal issues).
House Bill 4912, introduced September 11, 2025, would amend MCL 339.2403; the Legislature lists its subject as eliminating licensing of floor sanders, and the introduced text keeps the $600 figure. The bill page shows no action since it was referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform on September 11, 2025 (checked 2026-10-25), so the law quoted here is the current MCL 339.2403 (last amended by 2016 Act 412).
The trades a contractor is qualified for are printed on the M&A license itself.
LARA's license information page lists the same trades but splits siding and gutters into two lines, giving 13 entries.
The rest of the Michigan path
Maintenance and Alteration Contractor: the source states no minimum time, plus an exam. The Michigan general contractor license requirements page has the levels, exam and reciprocity as read from the board.
Questions
Does Michigan have a handyman license?
Not under that name. Paid residential repair or alteration work in the listed trades needs a residential maintenance and alteration contractor license, unless a single job's total price is under $600 and is not part of a larger operation (MCL 339.2403(f)).
What trades does a Michigan maintenance and alteration license cover?
Carpentry; concrete; swimming pool installation; basement waterproofing; excavation; insulation; masonry; roofing; siding and gutters; screen or storm sash; tile and marble; and house wrecking. The license names the trades the holder qualified for.
How long is a Michigan residential builder license good for?
Three years (MCL 339.2404(5)). Renewal requires the continuing competency hours in MCL 339.2404b and a current copy of the Michigan Residential Code.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential builder and M&A contractor definitions | MCL 339.2401, definitions (Michigan Legislature) | 2026-10-25 |
| $600 exemption and other exemptions | MCL 339.2403, exemptions (Michigan Legislature) | 2026-10-25 |
| Crafts list, incidental work, three-year term, renewal statement | MCL 339.2404, license crafts and term (Michigan Legislature) | 2026-10-25 |
| 21-hour and 3-hour rules | MCL 339.2404b, continuing competency (Michigan Legislature) | 2026-10-25 |
| Trades listed on the license | LARA, Maintenance and alteration contractor license information | 2026-10-25 |
| Text of the pending amendment to MCL 339.2403 | Michigan House Bill 4912 (2025), as introduced | 2026-10-25 |
| Status: referred to Committee on Regulatory Reform 9/11/2025, no later action | Michigan Legislature, House Bill 4912 of 2025 (bill status) | 2026-10-25 |
This page summarises the Michigan sources as read on 2026-10-25. Classes, fees and rules change; verify with Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes before applying. General information, not legal advice.