Does Alabama require a contractor license?

Yes, in most cases Alabama requires a state license for general contractors. A residential home builder license is required when the cost of the undertaking exceeds $10,000. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board issues it as the Residential Home Builder credential.

How do I look up a contractor license in Alabama?

The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board keeps the record for general contractors in Alabama. Use the official lookup linked in the Look up a license table, and treat the board's own record as final.

How do I look up an electrician license in Alabama?

The Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors keeps the record for electrical contractors in Alabama.

How do I look up a plumbing license in Alabama?

The Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board keeps the record for plumbing contractors in Alabama.

Does Alabama have an HVAC license?

The Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors keeps the record for HVAC contractors in Alabama.

Do roofers need a license in Alabama?

The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board keeps the record for roofing contractors in Alabama.

Alabama contractor license lookup

It issues state licenses for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC contractors and roofing contractors. file GenConLicenses.csv lists 8,743 active contractor licenses as of October 6, 2026.

Look up a license

Trade	Credential	Board	Official lookup
General contractor	State license	Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board	Search general contractor licenses We could not load this lookup when we checked, so confirm the link on the board site.
Electrical	State license	Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors	Search electrical licenses
Plumbing	State license	Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board	Search plumbing licenses
HVAC	State license	Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors	Search HVAC licenses
Roofing	State license	Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board	Search roofing licenses We could not load this lookup when we checked, so confirm the link on the board site.

Verify a contractor

For homeowners hiring in Alabama.

Open the official Alabama lookup run by Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board and search the contractor by name or number.
Open the official lookup
For electrical work, also check the electrical contractor lookup from Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors.
Open the lookup
For plumbing work, also check the plumbing contractor lookup from Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board.
Open the lookup
For HVAC work, also check the HVAC contractor lookup from Alabama Board of Heating.
Open the lookup
For roofing work, also check the roofing contractor lookup from Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board.
Open the lookup
The general contractor board lookup offers a downloadable list of current licensees. source Residential home builders and roofers are looked up on the Home Builders Licensure Board site. source Electrical contractors and journeymen are searchable on the electrical board's licensee search. source
Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (Residential Home Builder). The board's own record governs. A license is required for jobs above A residential home builder license is required when the cost of the undertaking exceeds $10,000. source
Residential construction complaints go to the Home Builders Licensure Board, not the general contractor board. source

Homeowner protections in Alabama

The Homeowners' Recovery Fund pays at most $90,000 in total for claims against any one licensed home builder. source
The Homeowners' Recovery Fund pays at most $30,000 for claims from the same transaction. source
Before work starts, a residential home builder must tell the homeowner in writing, signed by both, whether the builder carries liability insurance. source
Owners awarding a project of $100,000 or more must confirm the contractor is licensed before accepting a bid. source

Get licensed

For a general contractor working in Alabama.

Apply to Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board as a Residential Home Builder.
Board page
An exam testing experience and ability is required for the unlimited home builder license. source
Pay the annual license fee for an unlimited residential home builder license: $250. source
Home builder licenses are valid for one calendar year and must be renewed each year. source

Other trades

Electrical: state license, $150 fee. Requirements
Plumbing: state license, $50 fee. Requirements
HVAC: state license, $20,000 bond, $220 fee. Requirements
Roofing: state license, $10,000 bond, $100 fee. Requirements

Requirements by trade

General contractorSources checked October 6, 2026
Exam	An exam testing experience and ability is required for the unlimited home builder license. source
Experience	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Bond	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Insurance	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Renewal	Home builder licenses are valid for one calendar year and must be renewed each year. source
Reciprocity	Out of state home builders can skip the experience test only if the board finds the other state similar and it exempts Alabama licensees, and may still need the Alabama business and law exam. source
Fees	$250 (Annual license fee for an unlimited residential home builder license). source $100 (New license application processing fee, non-refundable). source

ElectricalSources checked October 6, 2026
Exam	Electrical contractors pass the electrical contractors examination. source
Experience	4 years (8,000 hours) of supervisory electrical construction experience to sit for the contractor exam; up to 2,000 hours may come from approved education. source
Bond	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Insurance	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Renewal	Electrical contractor licenses are renewed each year. source
Reciprocity	Reciprocity for electrical contractors licensed in Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Louisiana or Texas; applicants must still pass the Alabama business and law exam. source
Fees	$150 (Electrical contractor license fee). source $165 (Electrical contractor examination fee). source $315 (Reciprocal licensing fee, effective February 14, 2026). source $35 (Journeyman electrician license fee). source

PlumbingSources checked October 6, 2026
Exam	Master plumbers pass the master exam and, since January 1, 2026, an additional business law exam. source
Experience	1 year of current work experience to sit for the master exam (journeyman exam requires 2 years). source
Bond	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Insurance	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Renewal	Master plumber certificates are annual. source
Reciprocity	Reciprocity for a master plumber license only with the Mississippi Board of Contractor. source
Fees	$50 (Master certificate initial application processing fee). source $175 (Initial master certificate fee). source $25 (New company registration fee (also the annual company renewal fee)). source

HVACSources checked October 6, 2026
Exam	Contractors pass the heating and air conditioning or refrigeration contractors examination. source
Experience	2 years as a board-registered apprentice, or 3,000 hours of coursework or experience, or an approved HVAC curriculum, to sit for the exam. source
Bond	Active status requires a $20,000 performance bond. source
Insurance	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Renewal	Certification renews annually. source
Reciprocity	Reciprocity with Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and Louisiana boards for an equivalent exam passed with at least 70%. source
Fees	$220 (Active contractor certification fee, paid annually). source $175 (Examination fee). source $110 (Inactive certification fee, paid annually). source

RoofingSources checked October 6, 2026
Exam	No exam: the roofers license is exempt from the home builder examination requirement. source
Experience	Experience is shown by a city or county contractor business license held now or within the past year. source
Bond	A $10,000 license and permit bond naming the board, renewed each year with the license. source
Insurance	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Renewal	Licenses run for twelve months beginning January 1 each year. source
Reciprocity	Not found on an official source. On an official source.
Fees	$100 (New license application processing fee (non-refundable)). source $150 (Annual roofers license fee). source

Licenses on record

8,743 active records in Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Download License Verification List (CSV), file GenConLicenses.csv, as of October 6, 2026. 8,737 expire within the next year.

Active by trade
Trade	Active
General contractor (business)	5,379

Active by license type
License type	Active
Prime contractor (business)	5,379
Subcontractor (business)	3,364

Active by specialty
Specialty	Active
Bc: Building Construction	1,870
Mu: Municipal and Utility	577
H/Rr: Heavy and Railroad	386
Bcu4: Building Construction Under Four Stories	370
Hs: Highways and Streets	366
E: Electrical	351
Bc-S: Remodeling and Alteration	226
D: Demolition	214
Bc-S: Roofing and Sheet Metal	187
Sp: Swimming Pools	182
H/Rr-S: Industrial Projects	176
M-S: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning	136
Mu-S: Drainage and Culvert	134
Mu-S: Clearing and Grubbing	117
Mu-S: Paving and Asphalt	105

Show all specialties

Specialty	Active
Sc: Equipment and Machinery Installation	93
E-S: Low Voltage	92
Mu-S: Concrete	80
Mu-S: Water Projects	76
M-S: Plumbing	74
Mu-S: Sewer Projects	74
Mu-S: Sewer Lines	70
Bc-S: Structural and Miscellaneous Steel Erection	68
Mu-S: Water Lines	68
H/Rr-S: Industrial Maintenance	66
Mu-S: Excavation	65
Mu-S: Grading	65
Sc: Landscaping	65
Mu-S: Site Work	62
Mu-S: Site Work Grading	62

Prime contractor licenses by bid limit
Category	Active
Bid limit U, unlimited	4,471
Bid limit D, up to $1,000,000	370
Bid limit E, up to $3,000,000	264
Bid limit C, up to $500,000	126
Bid limit B, up to $250,000	96
Bid limit A, up to $100,000	52

Licenses in the file not counted as active
Category	Active
Marked inactive	76
Past expiration, extension date on file	98

Top cities
City	Active
Birmingham	361
Mobile	265
Montgomery	170
Huntsville	164
Tuscaloosa	112
Auburn	100
Decatur	87
Dothan	85
Northport	72
Florence	65
Pelham	65
Bessemer	55
Cullman	55
Fairhope	53
Opelika	52
Daphne	47
Athens	45
Hoover	45
Orange Beach	38
Prattville	38

Show more cities

City	Active
Trussville	37
Anniston	36
Foley	34
Madison	34
Theodore	34
Alabaster	31
Semmes	31
Gulf Shores	29
Gadsden	28
Muscle Shoals	27
Albertville	25
Andalusia	25
Irondale	25
Pell City	25
Helena	24
Gardendale	23
Selma	23
Clanton	21
Pike Road	21
Rainbow City	21
Bay Minette	20
Jasper	20
Phenix City	20
Saraland	19
Leeds	18
Enterprise	17
Robertsdale	17
Spanish Fort	17
Sylacauga	17
Wetumpka	17

A snapshot of the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Download License Verification List (CSV), file GenConLicenses.csv as of October 6, 2026. The board's live lookup may differ.
Counts come from the license list the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors offers as a free download on its license search page. The board covers commercial and subcontract work; home builders, roofers, electricians, plumbers and heating and air contractors are licensed by other Alabama boards that publish no download, so they are not in these counts.
The list has no status column. A license is counted as active when the board has not marked it inactive and its expiration date is on or after the snapshot date. 76 records marked inactive and 98 licenses past their expiration date that carry a board extension date are left out.
Prime contractor and subcontractor licenses are counted separately; each license is one of the two. Classifications are counted only for prime contractor licenses, and one license can hold several.
Cities come from the address on file, not where the contractor works. 4,658 active licenses with an address outside Alabama are left out of the city table.
The general trade count is prime contractor licenses only. Electrical, plumbing, heating and air, and roofing classifications on these licenses are not counted as those trades, because separate state boards license those trades.
The board sets each company's renewal month by the first letter of its name, and 8,737 of the 8,743 active licenses expire within a year of the snapshot, so the expiring count mostly reflects the renewal cycle.
The board builds the file on request; the counts are a snapshot as of October 6, 2026.

How these counts are defined

Prime contractor licenses by bid limit: Active prime contractor licenses by the bid limit the board recorded on the license. Limits with fewer than 10 licenses are not shown.
Licenses in the file not counted as active: Records the board marked inactive, and licenses whose expiration date has passed but that carry a board extension date.
Rows Total: Every row in the board's license list, including records marked inactive.
Active: The list has no status column. A license counts as active when the board has not marked it inactive and its expiration date is on or after the snapshot date.
Active by license type: Active licenses by license type as the board names them: prime contractor or subcontractor. Each license is one type.
Active by specialty: Active prime contractor licenses by each classification on the license, as the board writes it. A license can hold several classifications, so these overlap. Shows the largest 30 with at least 10 licenses.
Active by trade: General contractors: active prime contractor licenses. Other trades are licensed by separate Alabama boards that publish no download.
Cities: Active licenses by the city on file, Alabama addresses only. Shows the largest 50 cities with at least 10 licenses.
Active Out Of State: Active licenses with an address outside Alabama. They are left out of the city table.
Expiring within the next year: Active licenses whose expiration date falls on or before October 6, 2027.
As Of: The date the list was downloaded; the board builds it on request.

Counts only, no personal data. Small groups are left out. Rows marked business, individual or mixed count different holders and are never added together.

Source: Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Download License Verification List (CSV), file GenConLicenses.csv, as of October 6, 2026. Data license: no reuse terms stated. Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.

Questions

Does Alabama require a contractor license?: Yes, in most cases Alabama requires a state license for general contractors. A residential home builder license is required when the cost of the undertaking exceeds $10,000. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board issues it as the Residential Home Builder credential.
How do I look up a contractor license in Alabama?: The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board keeps the record for general contractors in Alabama. Use the official lookup linked in the Look up a license table, and treat the board's own record as final.
How do I look up an electrician license in Alabama?: The Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors keeps the record for electrical contractors in Alabama.
How do I look up a plumbing license in Alabama?: The Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board keeps the record for plumbing contractors in Alabama.
Does Alabama have an HVAC license?: The Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors keeps the record for HVAC contractors in Alabama.
Do roofers need a license in Alabama?: The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board keeps the record for roofing contractors in Alabama.
How many contractors are registered or licensed in Alabama?: The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Download License Verification List (CSV), file GenConLicenses.csv lists 8,743 active records as of October 6, 2026.

Sources

This is not a government site. The licensing board's own record governs; always confirm on the official lookup. Information as of October 6, 2026.