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Massachusetts home improvement license: home improvement contractor registration
Massachusetts registers home improvement contractors; the agency pages read list no exam. Contractors, subcontractors, partnerships and corporations doing contracting work on existing, owner-occupied residential property with one to four units must register. Registering costs $250 up front for the smallest business and lasts 2 years.
- 1Who registers owner-occupied 1-4 unit homes
- 2To register $250
- 3Term 2 years
- 4Insurance not printed
Who must register in Massachusetts
Contractors, subcontractors, partnerships and corporations doing contracting work on existing, owner-occupied residential property with one to four units must register. The page sets the scope by property, not by dollar amount: existing, owner-occupied homes of one to four units.
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Counted in "to register" |
|---|---|---|
| New registration | $150 | yes |
| Renewal | $100 | no |
| Guaranty Fund, 0 to 3 employees | $100 | yes |
| Guaranty Fund, 4 to 10 employees | $200 | no |
| Guaranty Fund, 11 to 30 employees | $300 | no |
| Guaranty Fund, more than 30 employees | $500 | no |
"To register" adds the fees a new, smallest business pays on its first application. In Massachusetts: $250.
Term and renewal
Registration must be renewed every two years; the page suggests starting 30 to 60 days before expiration. A late renewal means applying again with the $150 fee plus the Guaranty Fund payment.
Insurance, exam and other conditions
Insurance: The Massachusetts registration page read prints no insurance minimum.
Exam: None is mentioned on the registration page. 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.
The page says an HIC registration is different from a Construction Supervisor License (CSL) and the two are not interchangeable; CSL questions go to the Office of Public Safety and Inspections.
How Massachusetts compares
Of the 4 registration states on this page family, Massachusetts ranks 4 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: Connecticut · Pennsylvania · New Jersey. All of them side by side: home improvement contractor license by state. The Massachusetts general contractor page covers the state's other building credentials on this site.
Questions
Does Massachusetts require a home improvement contractor license?
Massachusetts requires a registration, not a skills license. Contractors, subcontractors, partnerships and corporations doing contracting work on existing, owner-occupied residential property with one to four units must register. The page sets the scope by property, not by dollar amount: existing, owner-occupied homes of one to four units.
How much is a Massachusetts home improvement registration?
New registration: $150; Renewal: $100; Guaranty Fund, 0 to 3 employees: $100; Guaranty Fund, 4 to 10 employees: $200; Guaranty Fund, 11 to 30 employees: $300; Guaranty Fund, more than 30 employees: $500.
How long does a Massachusetts home improvement registration last?
Registration must be renewed every two years; the page suggests starting 30 to 60 days before expiration. A late renewal means applying again with the $150 fee plus the Guaranty Fund payment.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Scope, fees, Guaranty Fund tiers, two-year term, CSL distinction | Mass.gov, Home improvement contractor registration and renewal | 2026-10-25 |
This page summarises what the Massachusetts sources said on 2026-10-25. Fees and rules change; verify with Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, Home Improvement Contractor Program before registering or hiring. General information, not legal advice.