Pen-and-ink New York scene: brownstones and a city skyline, with a contractor’s van at the curb.

New York contractor requirements

working in
New York? here’s
what’s required.

Local licenses, city certificates and three state coverages.

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MARKETS WE PLACE THROUGH

the short answer

New York has no state contractor license. The city or county where the work is licenses the trade, and the state requires virtually every employer to carry workers’ comp, disability benefits and Paid Family Leave from the first employee.

what New York requires.

The same rules for every trade.

License: No state license. The city or county licenses the trade. In New York City, the Department of Buildings licenses the trades it regulates.
City certificates: In New York City, a licensed business files general liability at the Department’s minimum, workers’ comp and disability, each on its own certificate, before the license issues.
Workers’ comp: Required of virtually every employer, from the first employee. Part-time, seasonal and many family workers generally count.
Disability and paid family leave: Required of virtually every employer too, on a separate policy. Paid Family Leave rides on the disability policy.
how disability and PFL work
General liability: No state rule. New York City requires it for the trades it licenses, and GCs and building owners ask for it too.

Sources: NYC Department of Buildings, New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, Workers’ Compensation Law §2, §3 and §202. Last reviewed September 2026.

New York, by trade.

The rules above apply to everyone. Here’s what each trade adds.

Plumbing: In New York City, the Department of Buildings licenses master plumbers and registers journeymen. Elsewhere, the local board decides.
plumbing in New York
HVAC: No state or NYC HVAC contractor license. In the city, oil burner installers hold a Class A or Class B license, and gas work runs under a master plumber.
HVAC in New York
Electrical: No state license. In New York City, a Master Electrician works as an independent contractor, and a Special Electrician works only where the license names.
electrical in New York
General contractors: Local. In New York City, general contractor registration, safety registration or a home improvement license may apply, depending on the work.
general contractors in New York
Handyman: No state license. In New York City, home improvement work over $200 generally needs a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license.
handyman work in New York

Sources: NYC Department of Buildings, NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, New York Department of State. Last reviewed September 2026.

what’s different
about New York.

The license is local.
New York City’s Department of Buildings licenses the trades it regulates. Other cities and counties run their own boards, and a license from one doesn’t carry to another.
Three coverages, not one.
Workers’ comp, disability and Paid Family Leave are all required. Disability is the small policy that lapses quietly, so we keep all three on one calendar.

good to know.

Straight answers for New York contractors.

Is there a New York State contractor license?

No. New York licenses the trades locally. New York City’s Department of Buildings licenses master plumbers, master electricians and other trades it regulates, and other cities and counties run their own boards. The license that matters is the one issued where the job is, so a shop working across the region can hold more than one.

Does New York City require insurance for a contractor license?

Yes, for the trades the Department of Buildings licenses. A licensed business keeps general liability at the Department’s minimum, workers’ comp and disability benefits on file, each on its own certificate with the Department as certificate holder. The certificates have to match the policies, so the endorsements come first and the certificates second.

Do New York contractors need disability and Paid Family Leave?

Yes, once you have an employee. The Workers’ Compensation Law requires virtually every employer to carry disability benefits and Paid Family Leave on top of workers’ comp. Disability pays part of wages for an injury or illness off the job, and Paid Family Leave rides on the same policy. Owner-only businesses with no employees are the main exception.

Sources: NYC Department of Buildings, New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. Last reviewed September 2026.

Insurance words, in plain English: certificate of insurance · additional insured · ghost policy · completed operations · uninsured subcontractor charge · notice of cancellation · waiver of subrogation · primary and noncontributory