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New Jersey home improvement license: home improvement contractor registration
New Jersey registers home improvement contractors; the agency pages read list no exam. Any contractor engaged in the business of making or selling home improvements registers each year, whether it is an individual or an entity such as a corporation, LLC or partnership, unless an exemption applies. Registering costs $110 up front for the smallest business and lasts one year.
- 1Who registers anyone selling home improvements
- 2To register $110
- 3Term 1 year
- 4Insurance $500,000
Who must register in New Jersey
Any contractor engaged in the business of making or selling home improvements registers each year, whether it is an individual or an entity such as a corporation, LLC or partnership, unless an exemption applies. The FAQ in the application packet names no dollar threshold.
The New Jersey source lists these as outside the registration requirement:
- Work on a home owned by the contractor or a family member
- Work on property owned by a bona fide charity or nonprofit
- Work only on commercial property that is not being converted to residential use
- Landscapers who only mow lawns and trim shrubs
- Licensees (such as electricians and master plumbers) acting within their licensed profession; a new home builder only when building a new home
- Employees of a registered contractor working for that contractor
- Community association or cooperative maintenance staff
- Employees of a retailer with a net worth over $50 million, and retailers under that size that charge nothing for installation
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Counted in "to register" |
|---|---|---|
| Initial registration (non-refundable) | $110 | yes |
| Annual renewal | $90 | no |
| Late fee | $25 | no |
| Reinstatement | $50 | no |
| Replacement or duplicate certificate | $20 | no |
"To register" adds the fees a new, smallest business pays on its first application. In New Jersey: $110.
Term and renewal
Registrations must be renewed before March 31 each year; renewal reminders go out in January.
Insurance, exam and other conditions
Insurance: Commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence, and workers' compensation insurance unless exempt (a requirement for obtaining, renewing or reinstating a registration under the law signed January 8, 2024).
Exam: None is mentioned in the application packet. 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 fees are set by regulation, N.J.A.C. 13:45A-17.14(a), last amended effective January 20, 2015 (47 N.J.R. 274(a)). The regulation was read on Cornell LII and Justia (Justia's copy is current through the June 16, 2025 New Jersey Register), not on the state's own site, which refused the fetcher. The Division's current initial-application form (rev. 3/1/22) prints the same $110 fee.
How New Jersey compares
Of the 4 registration states on this page family, New Jersey ranks 2 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 · Massachusetts. All of them side by side: home improvement contractor license by state.
Questions
Does New Jersey require a home improvement contractor license?
New Jersey requires a registration, not a skills license. Any contractor engaged in the business of making or selling home improvements registers each year, whether it is an individual or an entity such as a corporation, LLC or partnership, unless an exemption applies. The FAQ in the application packet names no dollar threshold.
How much is a New Jersey home improvement registration?
Initial registration (non-refundable): $110; Annual renewal: $90; Late fee: $25; Reinstatement: $50; Replacement or duplicate certificate: $20.
How long does a New Jersey home improvement registration last?
Registrations must be renewed before March 31 each year; renewal reminders go out in January.
What insurance does a New Jersey home improvement contractor need?
Commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence, and workers' compensation insurance unless exempt (a requirement for obtaining, renewing or reinstating a registration under the law signed January 8, 2024).
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| $110 initial, $90 renewal, $25 late, $50 reinstatement, $20 duplicate | N.J.A.C. 13:45A-17.14, Fees (Cornell LII copy; amended effective 1/20/2015) | 2026-10-25 |
| Same fee schedule, second reading | N.J.A.C. 13:45A-17.14 (Justia copy, current through 57 N.J.R. No. 12, June 16, 2025) | 2026-10-25 |
| Who registers, exemptions, $110 fee on the form, $500,000 insurance, March 31 renewal | NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Home Improvement Contractor application for initial registration (form rev. 3/1/22, FAQ rev. 2/29/16) | 2026-10-25 |
| Workers' compensation and $500,000 liability requirement for renewal (P.L. 2023, c. 237) | NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, HICB renewal notice | 2026-10-25 |
This page summarises what the New Jersey sources said on 2026-10-25. Fees and rules change; verify with New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Home Improvement Contractor Section before registering or hiring. General information, not legal advice.