Massachusetts contractor license requirements

Licenses and registrations

Construction Supervisor License (CSL) - Unrestricted

Anyone who directly supervises construction, alteration, repair, removal or demolition work regulated by the state building code (780 CMR) on covered buildings.

• When it applies: Covers buildings of any use group with less than 35,000 cubic feet of enclosed space, plus one- and two-family dwellings and their accessory buildings regardless of size.
• Good to know: Unrestricted exam: 75 questions, 240 minutes, open book. Initial license expires three years after issuance; renewals are two years.

Construction Supervisor License (CSL) - Restricted

Supervisors of work on one- and two-family dwellings and their accessory buildings only.

• Good to know: Restricted exam: 60 questions, 240 minutes, open book.

Construction Supervisor License (CSL) - Specialty

Supervisors limited to one trade scope: Masonry, Roof Covering, Window and Siding, Solid Fuel Burning Appliance, Demolition, or Insulation.

• Good to know: Specialty exams are 30 to 50 questions. The Masonry specialty is not sufficient for masonry buildings.

Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration

Contractors, subcontractors, partnerships and corporations that solicit, bid on or perform work on existing, owner-occupied residential properties with one to four units.

• Good to know: HIC registration is separate from the CSL and the two are not interchangeable. Not covered: new construction, buildings over four units, investment, vacation or secondary properties. The state lists exclusions such as central heating and air conditioning installers, interior painting, wall and floor coverings, fencing, driveways, and some part-time and small jobs under $500.

What you need to qualify

• Exams: CSL applicants must pass an open-book, multiple-choice exam on the state building code (10th Edition from January 1, 2025). A score of 70 percent is required to pass. No exam is listed for HIC registration.
• Experience: CSL: at least three years (36 months full-time) of experience in building construction or design within the past ten years. Education can count for up to two years. Applicants must be 18 at the time of the exam.
• Business registration: HIC applicants register as an individual, proprietorship, partnership or corporation. Trade names (DBAs) need a business certificate filed with the city or town clerk. Out-of-state corporations and LLCs must first register with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
• Also required: HIC registration and payment must be done online through the MA Contractor Hub; paper applications are no longer accepted. Address and contact changes must be made in the Hub within 30 days.

Fees, renewal and continuing education

• Fees: CSL: $23 application fee; exam fee $75 for Restricted and Unrestricted, $65 for specialty exams; renewal $100. HIC: $150 registration fee plus a Guaranty Fund payment of $100 (0-3 employees), $200 (4-10), $300 (11-30) or $500 (more than 30); renewal $100; supplemental cards $10 each.
• Renewal: CSL: initial license expires three years after issuance, then renews every two years. HIC: registration renews every two years.
• Continuing education: CSL, per two-year renewal cycle: Unrestricted 12 hours, Restricted 10 hours, Specialty 6 hours. Unrestricted and Restricted holders must include 1 hour each of Code Review, Workplace Safety, Business Practices/Workers' Compensation and Energy, plus 1 hour of Lead Safe Practices in the first renewal cycle. No CE is listed for HIC registration.

Contracts and homeowner protections

Home improvement contracts over $1,000 must be in writing (M.G.L. c. 142A, s. 2) and must include start and completion dates, a detailed description of work and materials, the total price, a payment schedule, the contractor's registration number, the owner's three-day cancellation rights and a bold 'Do not sign this contract if there are any blank spaces' notice. The deposit may not exceed the greater of one-third of the contract price or the cost of special-order materials. Homeowners can use state arbitration and may recover up to $25,000 of actual losses from the Guaranty Fund if a registered contractor does not pay an award or judgment. Homeowners who pull their own permit may lose Guaranty Fund eligibility.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work

Electricians, plumbers and gas fitters, and sheet metal workers are licensed by occupational boards within the Division of Occupational Licensure. Pipefitters and refrigeration technicians are licensed by the Office of Public Safety and Inspections.

City and county rules

Building permits are issued by local building departments. The state notes that a lapsed HIC registration can delay municipal permits.

Working without a license

Operating as a home improvement contractor without the required registration, or after suspension, revocation or non-renewal, carries a fine of up to $5,000, up to two years in prison, or both (M.G.L. c. 142A, s. 19). Other knowing violations carry up to $2,000 and up to one year. The state can also fine registered contractors up to $2,000 per violation and suspend or revoke registrations.

What to confirm with the state

We couldn't confirm these on an official page when we checked. Ask the licensing office before you rely on them:

• Initial CSL license fee amount (only the $100 renewal fee and exam/application fees were found)
• Whether any bond or liability insurance is required for CSL or HIC (none is listed on the pages we checked)
• Penalty for supervising work without a CSL

Sources

1. Home improvement contractor registration and renewal (Mass.gov)
2. HIC Homeowner Resources (Mass.gov)
3. Apply for a Construction Supervisor License (Mass.gov)
4. 780 CMR R5 Construction Supervisors
5. CSL Candidate Handbook
6. Renew your Construction Supervisor License (Mass.gov)
7. M.G.L. c. 142A, Section 2 (written contracts)
8. M.G.L. c. 142A, Section 19 (penalties)
9. Division of Occupational Licensure: Check a license