Connecticut contractor license lookup
Connecticut requires state registration for general contractors and roofing contractors. It issues state licenses for electrical contractors, plumbing contractors and HVAC contractors. Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection lists 55,412 active contractor registrations and licenses as of October 6, 2026.
Look up a license
| Trade | Credential | Board | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|---|
| General contractor | State registration (no competency license) | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, License Services Division | Search general contractor licenses |
| Electrical | State license | Electrical Work Board, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection | Search electrical licenses |
| Plumbing | State license | Plumbing and Piping Work Board, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection | Search plumbing licenses |
| HVAC | State license | Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Board, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection | Search HVAC licenses |
| Roofing | State registration (no competency license) | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (home improvement contractor registration) | Search roofing licenses |
Verify a contractor
For homeowners hiring in Connecticut.
- Open the official Connecticut lookup run by Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and search the contractor by name or number.
- Check any Connecticut contractor or tradesperson on the DCP eLicense License Lookup, which the state calls a primary source of verification. source A home improvement contractor must show the registration on request and put the registration number in every advertisement. source
- Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (Home Improvement Contractor or Home Improvement Salesperson or New Home Construction Contractor). The board's own record governs. A registration is required for jobs above Home improvement registration does not cover contracts under $200. source
- Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: No bond for ordinary registration; DCP may require a $15,000 bond as a condition of issuing, renewing or reinstating a registration after a violation. source General liability insurance of at least $20,000. source
- File complaints about home improvement contractors and unlicensed tradespeople with the Department of Consumer Protection. source
Homeowner protections in Connecticut
- The Home Improvement Guaranty Fund pays at most $25,000 per claim by a homeowner. source
- Guaranty fund payment needs an arbitration decision, court judgment or restitution order against a registered contractor obtained within 2 years of the contract date. source
- A home improvement contract is not enforceable against the homeowner unless it is written and signed, dated, gives the contractor's registration number, a notice of cancellation rights, and start and completion dates. source
Get licensed
For a general contractor working in Connecticut.
- Register with Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection as a Home Improvement Contractor or Home Improvement Salesperson or New Home Construction Contractor.
- Post a no bond for ordinary registration; DCP may require a $15,000 bond as a condition of issuing, renewing or reinstating a registration after a violation. source
- Carry general liability insurance of at least $20,000. source
- Pay the home improvement contractor application fee of $220 (non-refundable): $220. source
- Registration renews every year and expires on March 31. source
Other trades
- Electrical: state license, $150 fee. Requirements
- Plumbing: state license, $150 fee. Requirements
- HVAC: state license, $150 fee. Requirements
- Roofing: state registration, $220 fee. Requirements
Requirements by trade
| Exam | Not found on an official source. On an official source (no exam requirement is stated for home improvement registration). |
|---|---|
| Experience | Not found on an official source. On an official source (no experience requirement is stated for home improvement registration). |
| Bond | No bond for ordinary registration; DCP may require a $15,000 bond as a condition of issuing, renewing or reinstating a registration after a violation. source |
| Insurance | General liability insurance of at least $20,000. source |
| Renewal | Registration renews every year and expires on March 31. source |
| Reciprocity | Not found on an official source. On an official source (registration is not a competency license; no reciprocity provision was found). |
| Fees |
|
| Exam | E-1 unlimited electrical contractor license exam required. source |
|---|---|
| Experience | 2 years as a licensed unlimited journeyperson, or at least 6 years of equivalent experience and training (E-1 unlimited contractor). source |
| Bond | Not found on an official source. On an official source (Chapter 393 sets no contractor bond). |
| Insurance | Proof of compliance with state workers' compensation and unemployment insurance requirements; no liability insurance minimum found on an official source. source |
| Renewal | Trade licenses expire every year. source |
| Reciprocity | License without exam possible for holders of a substantially similar license from a jurisdiction that grants the same to Connecticut licensee. source |
| Fees |
|
| Exam | Licensing exam required (assumes the standard route; reciprocity can waive it). source |
|---|---|
| Experience | At least 2 years as a journeyman in the trade, or equivalent education and experience plus an exam (unlimited contractor). source |
| Bond | Not found on an official source. On an official source (Chapter 393 sets no contractor bond). |
| Insurance | Proof of compliance with state workers' compensation and unemployment insurance requirements; no liability insurance minimum found on an official source. source |
| Renewal | Trade licenses expire every year. source |
| Reciprocity | License without exam possible for holders of a substantially similar license from a jurisdiction that grants the same to Connecticut licensee. source |
| Fees |
|
| Exam | S-1 unlimited heating, piping and cooling contractor license exam required. source |
|---|---|
| Experience | 2 years as a licensed journeyperson, or equivalent experience and training (S-1 unlimited contractor). source |
| Bond | Not found on an official source. On an official source (Chapter 393 sets no contractor bond). |
| Insurance | Proof of compliance with state workers' compensation and unemployment insurance requirements; no liability insurance minimum found on an official source. source |
| Renewal | Trade licenses expire every year. source |
| Reciprocity | License without exam possible for holders of a substantially similar license from a jurisdiction that grants the same to Connecticut licensee. source |
| Fees |
|
| Exam | Not found on an official source. On an official source (no exam requirement is stated for home improvement registration). |
|---|---|
| Experience | Not found on an official source. On an official source (no experience requirement is stated for home improvement registration). |
| Bond | No bond for ordinary registration; DCP may require a $15,000 bond as a condition of issuing, renewing or reinstating a registration after a violation (roofing on residential property falls under home improvement registration). source |
| Insurance | General liability insurance of at least $20,000 (roofing on residential property falls under home improvement registration). source |
| Renewal | Registration renews every year and expires on March 31 (roofing on residential property falls under home improvement registration). source |
| Reciprocity | Not found on an official source. On an official source (registration is not a competency license; no reciprocity provision was found). |
| Fees |
|
Licenses on record
55,412 active records in State Licenses and Credentials, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, as of October 6, 2026. 53,070 expire within the next year.
| Trade | Active |
|---|---|
| General contractor (mixed) | 26,820 |
| Electrical (individual) | 12,531 |
| Plumbing (individual) | 6,051 |
| HVAC (individual) | 10,010 |
| License type | Active |
|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor (mixed) | 23,833 |
| New Home Construction Contractor (mixed) | 2,987 |
| Electrical Unlimited Journeyperson (individual) | 5,806 |
| Electrical Unlimited Contractor (individual) | 5,096 |
| Heating, Piping & Cooling Limited Journeyperson (individual) | 3,699 |
| Heating, Piping & Cooling Unlimited Journeyperson (individual) | 2,643 |
| Plumbing & Piping Unlimited Contractor (individual) | 2,368 |
| Heating, Piping & Cooling Unlimited Contractor (individual) | 2,056 |
| Plumbing & Piping Unlimited Journeyperson (individual) | 1,979 |
| Heating, Piping & Cooling Limited Contractor (individual) | 1,612 |
| Plumbing & Piping Limited Contractor (individual) | 1,064 |
| Electrical Limited Journeyperson (individual) | 989 |
| Plumbing & Piping Limited Journeyperson (individual) | 640 |
| Electrical Limited Contractor (individual) | 614 |
| Electrical Limited Solar Journeyperson (individual) | 16 |
| Electrical Limited Solar Contractor (individual) | 10 |
| Category | Active |
|---|---|
| Registrations (home improvement, new home construction) | 26,820 |
| Occupational licenses (electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling) | 28,592 |
| City | Active |
|---|---|
| Stamford | 1,516 |
| Danbury | 1,252 |
| Norwalk | 1,220 |
| Waterbury | 1,210 |
| Bridgeport | 1,131 |
| Bristol | 979 |
| Milford | 914 |
| Shelton | 859 |
| Meriden | 849 |
| Wallingford | 766 |
| Stratford | 751 |
| Southington | 660 |
| Trumbull | 633 |
| New Haven | 613 |
| Torrington | 605 |
| New Milford | 599 |
| New Britain | 562 |
| Manchester | 553 |
| Hartford | 551 |
| Fairfield | 532 |
Show more cities
| City | Active |
|---|---|
| North Haven | 527 |
| Hamden | 517 |
| West Haven | 513 |
| Newington | 504 |
| Naugatuck | 501 |
| Wolcott | 495 |
| Middletown | 492 |
| East Haven | 482 |
| Enfield | 482 |
| East Hartford | 459 |
| West Hartford | 441 |
| Monroe | 424 |
| Branford | 422 |
| Plainville | 411 |
| Seymour | 387 |
| Bethel | 380 |
| Cheshire | 375 |
| Oxford | 372 |
| Watertown | 369 |
| Wethersfield | 368 |
| Glastonbury | 349 |
| Southbury | 345 |
| Greenwich | 343 |
| Colchester | 340 |
| Coventry | 334 |
| Berlin | 327 |
| Newtown | 324 |
| Norwich | 322 |
| Brookfield | 320 |
| Guilford | 319 |
- A snapshot of the State Licenses and Credentials, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection as of October 6, 2026. The board's live lookup may differ.
- Counts are active credentials, not people or companies. One person or business can hold several credentials, so the 55,412 active credentials here overlap.
- Home improvement and new home construction contractors are registrations held by a business or a sole proprietor (26,820 active). Electrical, plumbing and heating-cooling credentials are individual occupational licenses at contractor and journeyperson level (28,592 active). The two groups are listed separately.
- Active means status ACTIVE, ACTIVE IN RENEWAL or ACTIVE UNDER REVIEW. Lapsed, retired, qualified and approved records are left out even though the state's own active flag marks them active.
- Heating, piping and cooling licenses (10,010 active) are counted as HVAC. Connecticut has no roofing-specific credential in this dataset, so roofing is not shown.
- Cities come from the address on file, not where the work is done. 6,203 active credentials with an out-of-state address are left out of the city table.
- This dataset has no discipline field, so discipline actions are not shown.
- Data is a snapshot of the Department of Consumer Protection eLicense records as of October 6, 2026; the state updates it daily.
How these counts are defined
- Active credentials by level
- Active credentials split into registrations, held by a business or a sole proprietor, and individual occupational licenses at contractor and journeyperson level. The two add up to the active total and should be shown as separate groups.
- Rows Total
- Records of the included construction credentials in any status. The source covers every credential the department issues; only these are counted.
- Active
- A credential counts as active when its status is active, active in renewal or active under review. Every other status is left out.
- Active Total
- All active included credentials. One person or business can hold several, so this is not a count of people or companies.
- Active by license type
- Active credentials by the state's credential name. Home improvement and new home construction are registrations held by a business or a sole proprietor; the rest are individual occupational licenses. Names with fewer than 10 active are not shown.
- Active by trade
- General means home improvement and new home construction registrations. Electrical, plumbing and heating and cooling are occupational licenses at contractor and journeyperson level. No roofing credential exists in this data.
- Cities
- City of the address on file for active credentials in Connecticut, spelled as filed; top 50 with 10 or more.
- Expiring within the next year
- Active credentials whose expiration date falls after October 6, 2026 and on or before October 6, 2027.
- Active Out Of State
- Active credentials with an address outside Connecticut; left out of the city table.
- Discipline
- Not shown: this dataset has no discipline information.
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: State Licenses and Credentials (ngch-56tr), Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, as of October 6, 2026. Data license: Public Domain. Department of Administrative Services & Department of Consumer Protection.
Questions
- Does Connecticut require a contractor license?
- Yes, in most cases Connecticut requires a state registration for general contractors. Home improvement registration does not cover contracts under $200. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, License Services Division issues it as the Home Improvement Contractor, Home Improvement Salesperson or New Home Construction Contractor credential. Registration is not a test of skill.
- How do I look up a contractor license in Connecticut?
- The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, License Services Division keeps the record for general contractors in Connecticut. 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 Connecticut?
- The Electrical Work Board, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection keeps the record for electrical contractors in Connecticut.
- How do I look up a plumbing license in Connecticut?
- The Plumbing and Piping Work Board, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection keeps the record for plumbing contractors in Connecticut.
- Does Connecticut have an HVAC license?
- The Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Board, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection keeps the record for HVAC contractors in Connecticut.
- Do roofers need a license in Connecticut?
- The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (home improvement contractor registration) keeps the record for roofing contractors in Connecticut.
- How many contractors are registered or licensed in Connecticut?
- The State Licenses and Credentials, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection lists 55,412 active records as of October 6, 2026.
Sources
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/home-improvement-applications
- https://www.elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/occupational-and-professional-division/occupational--profess/electrical-license-types-and-scope-of-work
- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_393.htm
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/occupational-and-professional-division/occupational--profess/heating-piping-and-cooling-license-types-and-scope-of-work
- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_400.htm
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/home-improvement-contractor-application
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/new-home-construction-and-home-improvement-renewal
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/-/media/dcp/licensing/occupational/contractor-paper-application.pdf
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/file-a-complaint
- https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/electrical-contractor---equivalent-out-of-state-license
- https://data.ct.gov/d/ngch-56tr
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.