Trade licensing by state

Who licenses plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling work, checked on official state pages.

How to use this page

We checked each line below on the state's own licensing pages in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency before work starts. Where a state leaves licensing to cities and counties, ask your local building department. States we could not confirm on an official page are left out.

Alaska

Plumbing: Alaska requires plumbing contractors to hold a state Mechanical Contractor license plus a Mechanical Administrator license from the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
Electrical: Alaska requires electrical contractors to hold a state Specialty Contractor license with an assigned Electrical Administrator license from the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
Heating and air conditioning: Alaska requires heating and refrigeration contractors to hold a state Mechanical Contractor license plus a Mechanical Administrator license from the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.

Arizona

Plumbing: Arizona licenses plumbing contractors statewide through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, with residential plumbing under the R-37 classification.
Electrical: Arizona licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, with residential electrical under the R-11 classification.
Heating and air conditioning: Arizona licenses air conditioning and refrigeration contractors statewide through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, with residential work under the R-39 classification.

California

Plumbing: California licenses plumbing contractors statewide through the Contractors State License Board under the C-36 Plumbing classification.
Electrical: California licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Contractors State License Board under the C-10 Electrical classification.
Heating and air conditioning: California licenses heating and air conditioning contractors statewide through the Contractors State License Board under the C-20 HVAC classification.

Colorado

Plumbing: Colorado licenses plumbers and registers plumbing contractors statewide through the State Plumbing Board in the Division of Professions and Occupations.
Electrical: Colorado licenses electricians and registers electrical contractors statewide through the State Electrical Board in the Division of Professions and Occupations.

District of Columbia

Plumbing: Washington, DC licenses plumbers and gasfitters through the Board of Industrial Trades at the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.
Electrical: Washington, DC licenses electricians through the Board of Industrial Trades at the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.
Heating and air conditioning: Washington, DC licenses refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics through the Board of Industrial Trades at the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.

Florida

Plumbing: Florida licenses plumbing contractors through the Construction Industry Licensing Board at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Electrical: Florida licenses electrical contractors through the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Heating and air conditioning: Florida licenses air conditioning and mechanical contractors through the Construction Industry Licensing Board at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Georgia

Plumbing: Georgia licenses plumbers statewide through the Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Electrical: Georgia licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Division of Electrical Contractors of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Heating and air conditioning: Georgia licenses heating and air conditioning contractors statewide through the Division of Conditioned Air Contractors of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board.

Hawaii

Plumbing: Hawaii licenses plumbing contractors (C-37) through the Contractors License Board and individual plumbers through the Board of Electricians and Plumbers.
Electrical: Hawaii licenses electrical contractors (C-13) through the Contractors License Board and individual electricians through the Board of Electricians and Plumbers.
Heating and air conditioning: Hawaii licenses air conditioning contractors statewide through the Contractors License Board under the C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning classification.

Illinois

Plumbing: Illinois licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors statewide through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Electrical: Illinois has no statewide electrical license; cities and villages license electrical contractors.

Indiana

Plumbing: Indiana licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors statewide through the Indiana Plumbing Commission at the Professional Licensing Agency.

Kansas

Plumbing: Kansas has no statewide plumbing license; cities and counties license plumbers and plumbing contractors.
Electrical: Kansas has no statewide electrical license; cities and counties license electricians and electrical contractors.
Heating and air conditioning: Kansas has no statewide HVAC license; cities and counties license heating and air conditioning contractors.

Kentucky

Plumbing: Kentucky licenses master and journeyman plumbers statewide through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.
Electrical: Kentucky licenses electrical contractors and electricians statewide through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.
Heating and air conditioning: Kentucky licenses master HVAC contractors and journeyman HVAC mechanics statewide through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.

Louisiana

Plumbing: Louisiana licenses plumbers statewide through the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana; plumbing jobs over $10,000 also need a State Licensing Board for Contractors license.
Electrical: Louisiana requires a State Licensing Board for Contractors license for electrical jobs over $10,000; smaller jobs follow local parish or city licensing rules.
Heating and air conditioning: Louisiana requires a State Licensing Board for Contractors mechanical license for HVAC jobs over $10,000; smaller jobs follow local parish or city licensing rules.

Maryland

Plumbing: Maryland licenses plumbers through the State Board of Plumbing, except Baltimore County and the WSSC area (Montgomery and Prince George's), which issue their own licenses.
Electrical: Maryland requires all electrical work to be done by a Master, Journeyperson, or Apprentice Electrician licensed by the State Board of Electricians.
Heating and air conditioning: Maryland licenses HVACR contractors statewide through the Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors at the Department of Labor.

Massachusetts

Plumbing: Massachusetts requires plumbing to be done by a master or journeyman plumber licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters.
Electrical: Massachusetts licenses electricians statewide through the Board of State Examiners of Electricians in the Division of Occupational Licensure.
Heating and air conditioning: Massachusetts has no single HVAC license; gas heating work needs a state-licensed gas fitter, ductwork a licensed sheet metal worker, and large refrigeration a refrigeration technician.

Michigan

Plumbing: Michigan licenses plumbing contractors and plumbers statewide through the LARA Bureau of Construction Codes.
Electrical: Michigan licenses electrical contractors and electricians statewide through the LARA Bureau of Construction Codes.
Heating and air conditioning: Michigan licenses mechanical (heating and air conditioning) contractors statewide through the LARA Bureau of Construction Codes.

Minnesota

Plumbing: Minnesota licenses master and journeyworker plumbers statewide through the Department of Labor and Industry.
Electrical: Minnesota licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide through the Department of Labor and Industry.
Heating and air conditioning: Minnesota has no state HVAC license, but HVAC contractors must file a $25,000 mechanical contractor bond with the state; cities may require their own license.

Missouri

Plumbing: Missouri has no statewide plumbing license; cities and counties license plumbers.
Electrical: Missouri offers an optional statewide electrical contractor license that localities must honor; otherwise cities and counties license electrical contractors.

Nebraska

Plumbing: Nebraska has no statewide plumbing license; cities and villages, such as Lincoln, license plumbers.
Electrical: Nebraska licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide through the Nebraska State Electrical Division.

Nevada

Plumbing: Nevada licenses plumbing contractors statewide through the Nevada State Contractors Board under the C-1 Plumbing and Heating classification.
Electrical: Nevada licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Nevada State Contractors Board under the C-2 Electrical classification.
Heating and air conditioning: Nevada licenses heating and air conditioning contractors statewide through the Nevada State Contractors Board under the C-21 Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning classification.

New Jersey

Plumbing: New Jersey licenses master plumbers statewide through the State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers in the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Electrical: New Jersey licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors in the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Heating and air conditioning: New Jersey licenses HVACR contractors statewide through the State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors.

New Mexico

Plumbing: New Mexico licenses plumbing contractors and journeyman plumbers statewide through the Construction Industries Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department.
Electrical: New Mexico licenses electrical contractors and journeyman electricians statewide through the Construction Industries Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department.
Heating and air conditioning: New Mexico licenses mechanical (heating and air conditioning) contractors statewide through the Construction Industries Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department.

North Carolina

Plumbing: North Carolina licenses plumbing contractors statewide through the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors.
Electrical: North Carolina licenses electrical contractors statewide through the State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors.
Heating and air conditioning: North Carolina licenses heating and air conditioning contractors statewide through the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors.

Ohio

Plumbing: Ohio licenses commercial plumbing contractors through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board; local building and health departments regulate residential plumbers.
Electrical: Ohio licenses commercial electrical contractors through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board; local building departments regulate residential electricians.
Heating and air conditioning: Ohio licenses commercial HVAC contractors through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board; local building departments regulate residential HVAC contractors.

Oklahoma

Plumbing: Oklahoma licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors statewide through the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board.
Electrical: Oklahoma licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide through the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board.
Heating and air conditioning: Oklahoma licenses mechanical (heating and air conditioning) contractors statewide through the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board.

Oregon

Plumbing: Oregon licenses plumbing contractors through the Building Codes Division, and contractors also need a Construction Contractors Board license.
Electrical: Oregon licenses electrical contractors through the Building Codes Division, and contractors also need a Construction Contractors Board license.
Heating and air conditioning: Oregon requires HVAC contractors, like all construction contractors, to hold a Construction Contractors Board license.

Pennsylvania

Plumbing: Pennsylvania has no statewide plumbing license; municipalities license plumbers, and most home improvement contractors register with the state Attorney General.
Electrical: Pennsylvania has no statewide electrical license; municipalities license electricians, and most home improvement contractors register with the state Attorney General.
Heating and air conditioning: Pennsylvania has no statewide HVAC license; some municipalities license HVAC contractors, and most home improvement contractors register with the state Attorney General.

Tennessee

Plumbing: Tennessee requires a Board for Licensing Contractors license for plumbing jobs of $25,000 or more; smaller jobs need a state Limited Licensed Plumber or local license.
Electrical: Tennessee requires a Board for Licensing Contractors license for electrical jobs of $25,000 or more; smaller jobs need a state Limited Licensed Electrician or local license.
Heating and air conditioning: Tennessee requires a Board for Licensing Contractors license for HVAC jobs of $25,000 or more; smaller HVAC jobs are mostly regulated by local governments.

Texas

Plumbing: Texas licenses plumbers statewide through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.
Electrical: Texas licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Heating and air conditioning: Texas licenses air conditioning and refrigeration contractors statewide through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Virginia

Plumbing: Virginia licenses plumbing contractors and plumbers statewide through the Board for Contractors at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Electrical: Virginia licenses electrical contractors and electricians statewide through the Board for Contractors at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Heating and air conditioning: Virginia licenses HVAC contractors and HVAC tradesmen statewide through the Board for Contractors at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

Washington

Plumbing: Washington certifies plumbers statewide through the Department of Labor & Industries, and only L&I-certified plumbers may do plumbing on someone else's property.
Electrical: Washington licenses electrical contractors and certifies electricians statewide through the Department of Labor & Industries.
Heating and air conditioning: Washington HVAC contractors register with the Department of Labor & Industries, and HVAC electrical work requires an L&I HVAC/refrigeration (06A) electrical specialty license.

Wisconsin

Plumbing: Wisconsin licenses master and journeyman plumbers statewide through the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Electrical: Wisconsin licenses electrical contractors and electricians statewide through the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Heating and air conditioning: Wisconsin credentials HVAC contractors statewide through the Department of Safety and Professional Services.