Massachusetts: under $500 a job without a contractor registration

The limit in Massachusetts

Not fully confirmed. For Massachusetts, general contractors and HVAC could not be checked on the state's own pages: each says so below.

The limit: Under $500 per job (owner-occupied homes). In short: HIC registration not needed for a project under $500 total, or for a part-timer who earned under $5,000 in the past 12 months; applies to owner-occupied 1-4 unit homes.

What counts: "any contractor or subcontractor who works on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts where the aggregate contract price is less than five hundred dollars; provided, however, that the contract is not in an amount of less than five hundred dollars for the purpose of evading this chapter" The state's words do not say whether materials count toward the limit.

Conditions: Part-time exemption: "on other than a full-time basis" and "less than five thousand dollars" gross revenues in the previous twelve months; Work exclusively in landscaping, interior painting or wall covering, finished floor covering, fencing, above-ground pools, shutters/awnings, ground-level patios, or asphalt/driveways is exempt from HIC registration; Licensed electricians and plumbers working only within their trade are exempt from HIC (construction supervisors excepted); Applies to residential contracting on a pre-existing owner-occupied building of 1 to 4 units; Contracts over $1,000 must be written and include the registration number.

Massachusetts uses a registration (HIC), not a licence, for home improvement. A separate Construction Supervisor License for structural work exists but was not confirmed from an official page.

Licenses in Massachusetts

General contractors: State registration, owner-occupied homes of 1 to 4 units · not fully confirmed. HIC registration required for residential contracting on pre-existing owner-occupied 1-4 unit buildings, with the under-$500 project and under-$5,000/year part-time exemptions. The Construction Supervisor License (licensed by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards under c. 143 § 94) governs structural work, but its scope could not be confirmed because mass.gov returned 403. The state's pages could not be opened, so the scope of the Construction Supervisor License for structural work is not confirmed.

Plumbing: State license. State examiners of plumbers and gas fitters license master, journeyman and apprentice plumbers and gas fitters; ads must show designation and license number.

Electrical: State license. State examiners of electricians license anyone in the business of installing wiring and electrical apparatus.

HVAC: State license · not fully confirmed. Refrigeration technicians and pipefitters must be licensed (c. 146, § 84). Sheet metal (ductwork) and oil-burner licensing exist but were not verified. Sheet metal (ductwork) and oil-burner licenses exist but were not checked.

Your license number in Massachusetts

Your license number: Home improvement contractors (registration number) must show the number on written contracts over $1,000 and advertising. Plumbers and gas fitters must show the number on advertising. None of these rules names invoices.

In the rule's words: “c. 142A § 2(a): "Every agreement to perform residential contracting services in an amount in excess of one thousand dollars shall be in writing and shall include ... (2) the full names, social security numbers, addresses, ... registration number of the contractor" | c. 142A § 17(8): prohibited: "publishing, directly or indirectly, any advertisement relating to home construction or home improvements which does not contain the contractor's or subcontractor's certificate of registration number"” (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 2(a)(2), (8); § 17(8); c. 142, § 3 (plumbers' and gas fitters' ads))

Massachusetts's board, and when this was checked

The board: Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Program. As of November 6, 2026.

This is a summary of each state's own pages as of November 6, 2026, not legal advice. Rules change, and cities and counties add licenses of their own. Check with your state's board, linked on this page, before you rely on it.

Compare Massachusetts with every state's limit.

Next door to Massachusetts

• Connecticut: up to $1,000 a year
• New Hampshire: not confirmed
• New York: no state license
• Rhode Island: under $500 per job (minor work only)
• Vermont: up to $10,000 per job

Official sources for Massachusetts

10 of Massachusetts's own pages, each quoted with its link:

• M.G.L. c. 142A, § 9 - Registration of contractors or subcontractors (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 9(a)): “(a) No contractor or subcontractor shall undertake, offer to undertake, or agree to perform residential contracting services unless registered therefor with the approval of the office of consumer affairs and business regulation.”
• M.G.L. c. 142A, § 1 - Definitions (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 1): “''Residential contracting'', the reconstruction, alteration, renovation, repair, modernization, conversion, improvement, removal, or demolition, or the construction of an addition to any pre-existing owner occupied building containing at least one but not more than four dwelling units”
• M.G.L. c. 142A, § 14 - Exemption from registration (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 14): “any contractor or subcontractor who works on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts where the aggregate contract price is less than five hundred dollars; ... any person who engages in the business of a contractor or subcontractor on other than a full-time basis, and who has earned in gross revenues, as a contractor or subcontractor, less than five thousand dollars in the previous twelve-month period”
• M.G.L. c. 142A, § 14 - Exemption from registration (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 14): “any contractor or subcontractor who works exclusively in any of the following home improvement areas: landscaping; interior painting or wall covering; or finished floor covering, including but not limited to carpeting, vinyl floor covering, tile; or fencing or freestanding masonry walls; or above-ground swimming pools; or shutter or awning installation; or ground level patios; or asphalt and driveway installation and maintenance.”
• M.G.L. c. 142A, § 2 - Residential contracting agreements; requirements (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 2(a)(2)): “(a) Every agreement to perform residential contracting services in an amount in excess of one thousand dollars shall be in writing and shall include ... (2) the full names, social security numbers, addresses, exclusive of post office box addresses, registration number of the contractor”
• M.G.L. c. 142A, § 17 - Prohibited acts (M.G.L. c. 142A, § 17(8)): “(8) publishing, directly or indirectly, any advertisement relating to home construction or home improvements which does not contain the contractor's or subcontractor's certificate of registration number”
• M.G.L. c. 143, § 94 - Board of building regulations and standards; powers and duties (M.G.L. c. 143, § 94(i)): “(i) To issue licenses to individuals engaged as construction supervisors.”
• M.G.L. c. 142, § 3 - Master plumbers or gas fitters; licensing; advertising (M.G.L. c. 142, § 3): “No person shall engage in the business as a master plumber or a master gas fitter or work as a journeyman plumber ... unless he is lawfully registered, or has been licensed by the examiners ... Any sign, listing or advertisement of a master plumber, a master gas fitter, a journeyman plumber or a journeyman gas fitter shall contain his designation and license number.”
• M.G.L. c. 141, § 1A - Electrician licensure requirement (M.G.L. c. 141, § 1A): “No person, firm or corporation shall enter into, engage in, or work at the business or occupation of installing wires, conduits, apparatus, devices, fixtures, or other appliances for carrying or using electricity for light, heat, power, fire warning or security system purposes, unless ... licensed by the state examiners of electricians”
• M.G.L. c. 146, § 84 - License requirement (pipefitters, refrigeration technicians) (M.G.L. c. 146, § 84): “No person shall engage in the business of a master pipefitter, work as a journeyman or apprentice pipefitter, work as a refrigeration technician ... unless that person is lawfully licensed under section 85 or section 85A.”

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