Does a Handyman in New Jersey Need to be Licensed?
Should a handyman in New Jersey have a contractor license?
The answer is Yes. A person who performs home improvement work on residential properties in New Jersey must hold a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs. There is no threshold of contract value that would require a license - all home improvement work must be performed by a person or entity that holds a valid HIC license. Contractors are also required to display their license number (NJHIC#) on contracts, vans, yard signs, etc.
Why should I hire a licensed handyman contractor for home improvement and home repair projects?
First of all, it is required by New Jersey law for contractors performing home improvement work on residential properties to be licensed. As a homeowner, you could choose to work with an unlicensed contractor, but with that comes the knowledge that the contractor is not following NJ law and may not have insurance or bonding.
When a contractor holds an active HIC license, that means they have met all state requirements. Contractors must renew their license on an annual basis. The state requirements are all in place to protect consumers in case of work-place accidents, event of default of the contractor or damage to your property when the work was being completed. The main protections in place include:
Business general liability insurance
Surety bond - amount is based on the maximum value of contracts (New requirement as of 3/31/2025)
Worker’s compensation insurance (if the company has employees) (New requirement as of 3/31/2025)
Your home is not worth the risk of hiring an unlicensed contractor. You deserve peace of mind that the person or company you hire is authorized to do the work. When you hire a licensed contractor, you are hiring a company that stands behind their work, has insurance to cover workplace injuries and has the protections for homeowners in place if anything goes wrong with the project.
As stated in New Jersey Administrative Code, Title 13 Law and Public Safety, Chapter 45A Administrative Rules of the Division of Consumer Affairs, Subchapter 17 Home Improvement Contractor Registration 13:45A-17.3:
Unless exempt under N.J.A.C. 13:45A-17.4:
1) No person shall engage in the business of making or selling home improvements in this
State unless registered with the Division in accordance with this subchapter; and
2) No person shall advertise indicating that the person is a contractor in this State unless
the person is registered with the Division in accordance with this subchapter.
The exemptions mentioned under N.J.A.C 13:45A-17.4 for residential home improvement mostly relate to not needing a license for performing work on your own property, the property of friends and family and for charities (refer to the code for the full list).
Home improvement includes any alteration painting, repairing, and renovating to a residential property as further defined in N.J.A.C. 13:45A Subchapter 17:
…the remodeling, altering, painting, repairing, renovating, restoring, moving, demolishing, or modernizing of residential or non-commercial property or the making of additions thereto, and includes, but is not limited to, the construction, installation, replacement, improvement, or repair of driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools, terraces, patios, landscaping, fences, porches, windows, doors, cabinets, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, basements and basement waterproofing, water softeners, heaters, and purifiers, solar heating or water systems, insulation installation, home elevation, siding, wall-to-wall carpeting or attached or inlaid floor coverings, and other changes, repairs, or improvements made in or on, attached to or forming a part of the residential or non-commercial property, but does not include the construction of a new residence. The term extends to the conversion of existing commercial structures into residential or non-commercial property and includes any of the above activities performed under emergency conditions. The term does not apply to any work required to be performed by a licensed master plumber, licensed master heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractor, or licensed electrical contractor.
It easy to check if a contractor is licensed by visiting this website and verifying the contractor holds an active license online:
https://newjersey.mylicense.com/verification/
You can also directly contact N.J. Division of Consumer Affairs to check if consumers have filed any complaints against the contractor.
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At Home Titan Handyman Services, we aim to be our clients trusted partner in home improvements and home repairs. To us, maintaining the required license, insurance and bonding is one part of being an honest and high quality handyman company.
Disclaimer: This blog post is based on Home Titan’s interpretation of the April 2017 version of N.J.A.C. 13:45A. The most recent version of the code and legal counsel should always be consulted to ensure contractor compliance with the law.
