How to check if a contractor is licensed in Montana
Edited by John Voll. Last verified .
In Montana, the state keeps license or registration records for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors and roofing contractors, and each has an official lookup or board listed below. For HVAC contractors, our survey found no state-level license, so check with the city or county where the work is done. Check the record before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, and treat the board's own record as final.
Which board covers which trade
| Trade | Who keeps the record | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|
| General contractor | Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program | Search general contractor licenses |
| Electrical | Montana State Electrical Board | Search electrical licenses |
| Plumbing | Montana Board of Plumbers | Search plumbing licenses |
| HVAC | City or county | Our survey of official Montana sources found no state-level HVAC contractor license. Check with the city or county where the work is done. |
| Roofing | Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program | Search roofing licenses |
Step by step
- Open the official Montana lookup run by CCL and search the contractor by name or number.
- Montana's Licensee Lookup System is the primary source for checking a contractor, electrician or plumber license, but some disciplinary actions may not be posted right away. source A free written license verification can be emailed or mailed if you have the license number. source Licensed electricians and plumbers working within their license do not also need the Construction Contractor License, so check their trade license instead. source Montana's DLI License Search lets anyone search Construction Contractor, electrical contractor and master plumber licenses by license number, name, business name or city, after answering a verification question. source
- Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (Construction Contractor). The board's own record governs. A license is required for jobs above Construction Contractor License not required for a casual, minor or inconsequential job with an aggregate contract price under $2,500, unless the work is part of a larger operation or split up to evade the law. source
- Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: Applicant must show proof of compliance with workers' compensation laws; no general liability insurance minimum was found. source
If the contractor is not licensed, or you have a complaint
- Complaints about unprofessional, incompetent or unlawful practice go to the Department of Labor and Industry through its online license complaint form. source
Homeowner protections in Montana
- Hiring a contractor licensed on the contract date means you are not liable as an employer for that contractor's or its subcontractors' workers' compensation, unemployment insurance or wages. source
- Jobs under $2,500 that are casual or minor may be done without a Construction Contractor License, but splitting a larger job to stay under that amount is not allowed. source
- Unprofessional conduct for a licensed construction contractor includes misappropriating client funds and fraud in advertising, contracts or client communications. source
Questions
- How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Montana?
- Search the contractor by name or license number on the official Montana lookup run by CCL, then confirm the record is active and covers the type of work. For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work, use that trade's lookup in the table on this page.
- What can I do if a contractor in Montana is not licensed?
- Complaints about unprofessional, incompetent or unlawful practice go to the Department of Labor and Industry through its online license complaint form.
All Montana licensing rules by trade
Sources
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/construction-contractor/
- https://ebizws.mt.gov/PUBLICPORTAL/searchform?mylist=licenses
- https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0450/part_0010/section_0040/0370-0450-0010-0040.html
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/
- https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0680/part_0030/section_0010/0370-0680-0030-0010.html
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/plumbers/
- https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0690/part_0030/section_0010/0370-0690-0030-0010.html
- https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0450/part_0020/section_0010/0370-0450-0020-0010.html
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/construction-contractor/License-Information/construction-contractor
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/license-information/exam-information
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/regulations/ELE-Laws-Rules-Booklet.pdf
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/license-information/electrical-contractor
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/license-information/renewal-process
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/ele/ec-checklist.pdf
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/plumbers/license-information/plumber-master
- https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0690/part_0030/section_0050/0370-0690-0030-0050.html
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/plumbers/license-information/index
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/plu/plu-checklist.pdf
- https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/construction-contractor/construction-contractor-program-FAQ.pdf
- https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/filing-complaint
- https://archive.legmt.gov/content/Sessions/69th/Contractor_index/CH0644.pdf
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.