General contractor · State license
How to become a general contractor in Washington, DC
State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026
The District of Columbia has no exam-based license for general contractors or construction workers. Instead, a business that does general contracting or construction management needs a Basic Business License with a General Contractor/Construction Manager endorsement from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), and home improvement businesses need a Home Improvement Contractor license. A 2024 law that would create real contractor licenses with eligibility rules has not been funded, so it isn't in effect. [1][2][3][4]
New to the trade?
Starting from zero in District of Columbia
You don't need a District license to start working in general construction: get hired by a contractor or join an apprenticeship such as the carpenters' union program or ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) of Metro Washington's CraftMasters. DC's apprenticeship office at the Department of Employment Services (DOES) runs information sessions about apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship. If you'll do electrical, plumbing or HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) work, register as an apprentice in that trade with DLCP first. [1][7][8][12][13][15]
High school diploma or GED
No District rule for construction workers, who need no license. DOES says a diploma or GED (General Educational Development test) is required for most apprenticeship programs. ABC of Metro Washington's application asks your highest grade completed and whether you have a diploma or GED. [8][14][15]
Minimum age
No District age rule for unlicensed construction workers was found. DOES says apprenticeships generally take people from age 16 unless a higher minimum is set by law. Anyone applying for a DC occupational license or registration, such as an apprentice electrician, must be at least 18. [15][20]
Other trade licenses
Electricians, plumbers/gasfitters and refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics are licensed by the Board of Industrial Trades, and beginners in those trades register as apprentices. [7][8]
Pay while you learn
ABC says apprentice wages start at 50-65% of a journeyworker's wage and rise as you progress, with at least 144 classroom hours a year, usually at night. [14]
Transportation
DOES says transportation is required for most construction apprenticeships because job sites move. [15]
Still in high school?
Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School, a selective DC public school, offers industry certifications in pathways such as construction and carpentry. OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education), the District's education agency, runs a paid, credit-bearing Advanced Internship Program for juniors and seniors in career and technical education (CTE) programs, including architecture and construction See OSSE's CTE program resources. DOES's paid High School Internship Program was open in 2025-2026 to DC residents ages 14-21 enrolled in high school; check DOES for the next cycle. [21][22][23][24][25]
Where to apply in District of ColumbiaHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs
Licensing office Business Licensing Division, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) · (202) 671-4500 [2][16]
District of Columbia contractor license at a glance
- General Contractor/Construction Manager
- Business license Certificate of liability insurance, contracts, clean hands certificate; no exam listed [1][2]
- Home Improvement Contractor
- Business license with a $25,000 surety bond, insurance and a police criminal history report [2]
- License fees
- $99 for 2 years or $198 for 4 years $49 for 6 months, general contractor only [2]
- Reciprocity
- None listed by DLCP These are business licenses with no exam to waive [2]
On this page
The license pathway in District of Columbia
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1
Construction worker or helper
No District license is needed to work for wages for a licensed contractor in general construction. Electrical, plumbing and refrigeration/air conditioning work is different: those trades need their own licenses from the Board of Industrial Trades, starting with apprentice registration. [7][8][16][19]
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2
Home Improvement Salesperson
- $49 (6 months), $99 (2 years) or $198 (4 years)
- Same as the license fee
A license tied to a Home Improvement Contractor or General Contractor/Construction Manager business license. You need a photo, a driver's license and a police criminal history report. Home improvement contractors and general contractors doing residential work must keep at least one licensed salesperson. [2][10][18]
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3
Home Improvement Contractor
- $99 (2 years) or $198 (4 years)
- Same as the license fee
A business license for home improvement work. You need liability insurance, a $25,000 surety bond, a home improvement contract, a police criminal history report, a certificate of occupancy or home occupation permit, and tax registration with a Clean Hands certificate. [2][9][17]
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4
General Contractor/Construction Manager
- $49 (6 months), $99 (2 years) or $198 (4 years)
- Same as the license fee
A business license, by class, for general contracting or construction management. You need a certificate of liability insurance, two pre-printed contracts, corporate registration if applicable, a certificate of occupancy or home occupation permit, and a Clean Hands certificate. The rules also require a credit report and a list of other jurisdictions where you're licensed. A General Contractor/Construction Manager licensee doesn't need a separate home improvement contractor license. [1][2][17]
Who needs a license in the District
DC's rules say each person engaged in general contracting or construction management in the District must get a Basic Business License with a General Contractor/Construction Manager endorsement. DLCP files this under its Contractor and Construction Services category, which covers planning, building, altering, repairing, improving or demolishing any structure. Home improvement businesses get a Home Improvement Contractor license.
DLCP says subcontractors need their own business license too: the license of the contractor you work for doesn't cover your contracting business.
These are business licenses, with no exam or experience test. Individual tradespeople are licensed separately: electricians, plumbers/gasfitters and refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics by the Board of Industrial Trades. [1][2][5][6][7][8]
License classes and insurance
DC's general contractor rules (17 DCMR 3901) set classes by the value of any single contract: Class A has no limit, Class B is up to $10 million, Class C up to $5 million, Class D up to $2 million and Class E up to $500,000. DLCP's current page labels the license "General Contractor (A, B, C, G & H)/Construction Manager", so ask DLCP which classes it issues now.
Before the license is issued you must show commercial general liability insurance from an insurer authorized in DC with an A.M. Best rating of B+ or higher: at least $2.5 million per occurrence for Class A, $1.5 million for Class B, $500,000 per occurrence and $1 million aggregate for Classes C and D, and $500,000 per occurrence for Class E. The policy must name the DC Treasurer as an additional insured, and DLCP must be the certificate holder.
Each application includes a credit report and a statement of judgments against the applicant, and lists every jurisdiction where you're licensed and any discipline there. The license number and class go on every building permit application. [1][2][9]
Fees and renewal
Contractor and Construction Services licenses cost $99 for 2 years or $198 for 4 years. General contractors can also get a 6-month license for $49; home improvement contractors can't. Renewals cost the same as the original license, and late renewals add penalties. [2][10]
A contractor licensing law that isn't in effect
In 2024 the Council passed the General Contractor Licensing Amendment Act (D.C. Law 25-244). It would create a Board of Construction Managers and General Contractors and license construction managers, residential contractors and commercial contractors with eligibility criteria. The Council's legislative record says it passed "Subject to Appropriations": the law applies only after its cost is included in an approved budget, and the D.C. Code still marks its licensing sections "Not Funded." Until that changes, the business license rules on this page apply. [3][4][11]
Getting into construction work
Most people start by getting hired by a contractor or joining an apprenticeship. Carpenters in the District train through the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center, which serves Local Union 197. ABC of Metro Washington's CraftMasters program trains open-shop apprentices in many trades.
The District's apprenticeship office at DOES runs information sessions and says most programs want a diploma or GED. More: carpenter apprenticeship, helper jobs and how to get an apprenticeship. [12][13][14][15]
Steps to get licensed in District of Columbia
Get trade experience
Work for a contractor or through an apprenticeship. DC sets no experience requirement for a contractor business license, but you'll need to know the work. [2][15]
Register your business
Register your company with DLCP's Corporations Division if it's an entity, and get DC tax registration and a Clean Hands certificate. [2]
Get insurance and contracts ready
Buy commercial general liability insurance from an insurer authorized in DC with an A.M. Best rating of B+ or higher, at the limit for your class. Prepare two pre-printed contracts that meet DC rules. [1][9][17]
Apply for the business license
Apply online through BOSS, DLCP's business licensing portal, for a General Contractor/Construction Manager or Home Improvement Contractor license. Home improvement contractors also need a $25,000 surety bond and a police criminal history report. [2][16]
Designate a home improvement salesperson
If you do residential work, designate and keep at least one licensed Home Improvement Salesperson. [2][18]
Where to get the hours
Programs that train general contractors in or for District of Columbia, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.
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Union
Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center (Upper Marlboro)
The carpenters' union training center that serves members of Local Union 197 in Washington, DC and Baltimore, with training for carpenters, pile drivers and trade show carpenters. [12]
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Open shop
ABC of Metro Washington CraftMasters
Associated Builders and Contractors' training trust offers apprenticeship training in up to 21 trades, approved by the DC Apprenticeship Council. Registered apprentices must be employed and enrolled by an approved apprenticeship employer. [13][14]
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State program
DOES Office of Apprenticeship Information and Training
The District's apprenticeship office. Its virtual information sessions cover DC's apprenticeship system, available jobs, eligibility and pre-apprenticeship. [15]
Licensed in another state?
We didn't find a reciprocity agreement published by the licensing office for this license. Ask the office how it treats an out-of-state license or experience before you apply.
Questions people ask
Does DC require a general contractor license?
Yes, but it's a business license, not an exam-based license. General contracting or construction management needs a Basic Business License with a General Contractor/Construction Manager endorsement, with liability insurance, contracts and a Clean Hands certificate. Home improvement businesses need a Home Improvement Contractor license with a $25,000 bond. [1][2]
Is there an exam for a DC contractor license?
DLCP's requirements for the General Contractor/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor licenses list insurance, contracts, registrations and a bond for home improvement, but no exam. Trade licenses for electricians, plumbers and HVAC mechanics do have exams. [2][7]
Do subcontractors need their own DC license?
Yes. DLCP says a subcontractor needs its own Basic Business License even for one contract; the license of the contractor you work for doesn't cover your business. [6]
Sources (25)
- 17 DCMR Chapter 39, General Contractor/Construction Manager (§§ 3900-3902), DC Office of Documents and Administrative Issuances (DCRegs). Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Contractor and Construction Services, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- D.C. Law 25-244, General Contractor Licensing Amendment Act of 2024, Council of the District of Columbia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- D.C. Code § 47-2853.78c, Eligibility criteria for construction managers and general contractors [Not Funded], Council of the District of Columbia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- D.C. Code § 47-2851.03, Categories of basic business licenses; endorsements, Council of the District of Columbia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Business Licensing FAQs, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Board of Industrial Trades, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- D.C. Code § 47-2853.04, Regulated non-health related occupations and professions, Council of the District of Columbia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- License Types Requiring Insurance, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- DLCP License & Corporate Filing Fees, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- B25-0737, General Contractor Licensing Amendment Act of 2024 (legislation detail), Council of the District of Columbia (LIMS). Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Meet Maryland (Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center), Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Apprenticeship and Skills Training, ABC of Metro Washington. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- CraftMasters Apprenticeship Prospect Application, ABC of Metro Washington. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- How to Be an Apprentice, DC Department of Employment Services. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Business Licensing Division, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Contract Details, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Employee/Independent Salesperson, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- D.C. Code § 47-2853.02, License, certification, and registration criteria, Council of the District of Columbia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- D.C. Code § 47-2853.12, License, certification, and registration criteria; waiver, Council of the District of Columbia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School, My School DC (District of Columbia public school lottery). Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Mayor Bowser and OSSE Invite Residents to Explore Education and Professional Development Opportunities in the New Year, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Mayor Bowser Calls on Employers to Host DC High School Student Interns this School Year, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Career and Technical Education Providers, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Accessed October 11, 2026.
- 2025-2026 High School Internship Program flyer, DC Department of Employment Services. Accessed October 11, 2026.