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Connecticut home improvement license: home improvement contractor registration
Connecticut registers home improvement contractors; the agency pages read list no exam. An individual or business that contracts with a consumer to do work on residential property must register with DCP. Registering costs $220 up front for the smallest business and lasts one year.
- 1Who registers contracts of $200 or more
- 2To register $220
- 3Term 1 year
- 4Insurance $20,000
Who must register in Connecticut
An individual or business that contracts with a consumer to do work on residential property must register with DCP. Work where the contract is less than $200 is not home improvement for registration purposes.
The Connecticut source lists these as outside the registration requirement:
- Contracts under $200
- Work by homeowners on their own property
- Subcontracted work
- Work within the scope of a trade license
- Commercial property
- Property maintenance such as snowplowing, mowing, pruning or cleaning
- Tree and shrub cutting and grinding
- Building new homes or part of a new home (a separate New Home Construction Contractor license)
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Counted in "to register" |
|---|---|---|
| Initial application (non-refundable) | $220 | yes |
| Annual renewal | $220 | no |
"To register" adds the fees a new, smallest business pays on its first application. In Connecticut: $220.
Term and renewal
All registrations expire annually on March 31. Renewal notices go out about a month before; renewal is online only.
Insurance, exam and other conditions
Insurance: General liability insurance of no less than $20,000; the application asks for the insurer and policy number.
Exam: None is mentioned on the application pages. A registration records who the contractor is and that it carries what the law asks for; it is not a test of building skill. Electrical, plumbing and other licensed trade work still needs the trade license where the state issues one.
Salespeople: Anyone who negotiates or offers to negotiate a home improvement contract with a consumer registers as a home improvement salesperson ($160 non-refundable application fee). Corporate officers, members or partners of a registered entity may sell its contracts. Public Act 21-37 moved salesperson expiration from November 30 to March 31.
Legal entities must register with the Connecticut Secretary of State before applying.
Applicants with a felony conviction complete a Criminal Conviction Application Worksheet.
How Connecticut compares
Of the 4 registration states on this page family, Connecticut ranks 3 of 4 from lowest to highest cost to first register (Pennsylvania $100 or $50 (agency documents disagree), New Jersey $110, Connecticut $220 and Massachusetts $250). Where agency documents disagree, the ranking uses the higher figure.
Other registration states: Pennsylvania · Massachusetts · New Jersey. All of them side by side: home improvement contractor license by state. The Connecticut general contractor page covers the state's other building credentials on this site.
Questions
Does Connecticut require a home improvement contractor license?
Connecticut requires a registration, not a skills license. An individual or business that contracts with a consumer to do work on residential property must register with DCP. Work where the contract is less than $200 is not home improvement for registration purposes.
How much is a Connecticut home improvement registration?
Initial application (non-refundable): $220; Annual renewal: $220.
How long does a Connecticut home improvement registration last?
All registrations expire annually on March 31. Renewal notices go out about a month before; renewal is online only.
What insurance does a Connecticut home improvement contractor need?
General liability insurance of no less than $20,000; the application asks for the insurer and policy number.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Who registers, exclusions | CT DCP, Home Improvement Applications | 2026-10-25 |
| $220 application fee, $20,000 liability insurance, entity and conviction rules | CT DCP, Home Improvement Contractor Application | 2026-10-25 |
| March 31 expiry, $220 annual renewal | CT DCP, New Home Construction and Home Improvement Renewal | 2026-10-25 |
| Salesperson definition, $160 fee, P.A. 21-37 date change | CT DCP, Home Improvement Salesperson Registration | 2026-10-25 |
This page summarises what the Connecticut sources said on 2026-10-25. Fees and rules change; verify with Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), License Services Division before registering or hiring. General information, not legal advice.