Every legitimate home improvement contractor in Maryland carries an MHIC license number, and most of us put it on the website, the truck, and the estimate. Ours is #117774. What almost nobody explains is how to actually check one, or what the check will not tell you. It takes about a minute. Here is the whole process, and the parts worth knowing.
There is no dollar threshold in Maryland
This is the most common piece of misinformation online, so it is worth clearing up first. You will see claims that a contractor only needs an MHIC license for jobs over $500. That is not Maryland law. It is a rule from other states that gets repeated on national contractor directories.
Maryland Business Regulation § 8-301(a) is short and absolute: a person must have a contractor license whenever the person acts as a contractor in the state. A $200 drywall patch and a $40,000 kitchen both require a licensed contractor.
What counts as home improvement
The statutory definition is broad. It covers alteration, conversion, improvement, modernization, remodeling, repair, or replacement of a residence, plus improvements to the land next to it. The law specifically names driveways, fences, garages, landscaping, decks, piers, porches, swimming pools, awnings, storm windows, and fire alarms.
A few things are carved out. New home construction is not home improvement. Neither is the sale of materials alone, if the seller does not arrange or perform any of the installation. Work on apartment buildings with four or more units is excluded, as is work on the commonly owned areas of condominiums, though work inside an individual condo unit is covered.
There are also person-based exemptions. Licensed electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors working inside their own trade do not need a separate MHIC license. Neither do employees paid a salary or wage, as long as they are not selling.
How to run the check
Go to the Maryland Department of Labor's Home Improvement Public Query.
You can search five ways: by the contractor's personal name, by trade name, by city or ZIP code, by salesperson name, or by license registration number. If you have the number from an estimate or a website, use that. Enter the digits without any dash-and-two-digit suffix.
If you would rather call, the Maryland Home Improvement Commission answers at 410-230-6231, or 1-888-218-5925 toll free, Monday through Friday.
Three things the lookup will not tell you
This is the part that matters, and the state's own page says it plainly.
It only returns active licensees
A contractor whose license lapsed, was suspended, or was revoked simply will not appear. So a blank result does not mean "no such person." It means "not currently active," which is exactly the situation you most need to know about, and the tool will not spell it out.
It does not show disciplinary history
The page carries a note in red: contact the Commission if you need information about disciplinary actions against a licensee. If a contractor has a history of complaints, you will not see it here. You have to call and ask.
It does not verify insurance
Since October 1, 2024, every Maryland contractor license has required general liability insurance of at least $500,000, under Business Regulation § 8-302.1 as amended by 2024 Md. Laws ch. 530. Proof is filed with the application, but the public lookup does not display it. Ask for a certificate of insurance directly, and ask that it be sent from the insurer rather than forwarded by the contractor.
What a licensed contractor had to do to get there
Worth knowing what the number actually represents. To hold an MHIC contractor license, a person has to pass a state exam covering home improvement law and trade competency, carry the $500,000 general liability policy required by Business Regulation § 8-302.1, and submit a credit report. COMAR adds two more: at least two years of trade experience, and either a net worth matching the maximum Guaranty Fund award or a two-year surety bond for that amount. Licenses run in two-year terms.
One historical note that trips people up: Maryland eliminated the separate subcontractor license category on July 1, 2016. Subcontractors can now work without their own license, as long as they are working for a licensed contractor. A sub who contracts directly with a homeowner is a contractor under the statute and still needs a full MHIC license. Only licensed contractors may sign contracts with homeowners.
If you are getting an estimate this week
Ask for the license number in writing, run it through the lookup, and call the Commission if anything looks off. Then ask for the certificate of insurance. Two phone calls and a web search, and you have eliminated most of the risk in the transaction.
Allkin Home & Property Services is MHIC #117774, licensed and insured, serving Harford County since 2016. You are welcome to look us up before you call us.
Keep reading
- The Maryland Home Improvement Guaranty Fund: what it covers, and who it does not protect
- 12 questions to ask before you hire a contractor in Harford County
Sources: Md. Code, Business Regulation §§ 8-101, 8-301, 8-302, 8-302.1, 8-303; COMAR 09.08.01.19 and .23; 2024 Md. Laws ch. 530 (HB 738); Maryland Department of Labor, Home Improvement Public Query.