General contractors do not have to be licensed to build in Maryland. However there are subtrades that require licensing

Home Improvement Contractors

For taking on home improvement projects in the state of Maryland a contractor is required to have either a contractor or subcontractor license issued by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. This requires getting a passing grade on an exam given by PSI.

Before a candidate writes the exam he or she must:

• Have worked two (2) years is the construction field or have construction related education
• Attach a credit report with the application
• Able to have $50,000 of liability insurance
• Financial solvency information based on:
• The size and scope of your business by
• A list of total assets, liabilities, and net worth

Electrician's License

To work in the electrical field in Maryland a person must attain a master electrician license from the Maryland Board of Master Electricians. In some cases a tradesperson qualified in another state can qualify for a waiver. Otherwise, every applicant who wants to ply the electricians’ trade must pass an exam given by PSI Examination Services. Upon the successful passing of the PSI exam the candidate can get an application from the Board.

To qualify for the P.S.I. exam an applicant must have seven (7) years of electrical work experience while under the supervision of a master electrician or other person with this qualification. Those who have Board-approved professional training can apply up to three (3) years toward their experience.

Plumber’s License

Anyone who wants to do plumbing work in the state of Maryland must get a master or journey license from the Maryland State Board of Plumbing. To accomplish this requires passing an exam given by PSI Examination, unless a waiver is granted.

The requirements for working as a journey plumber in Maryland requires four (4) years of Board-approved work experience under the supervision of a licensed Maryland master plumbing. This includes a minimum of 7,500 hours with the master plumber.

To be able to write exams for a master plumber in Maryland an applicant has to have two (2) years of Board-approved work experience with a licensed Maryland master plumber. This includes at least 3,750 hours in the trade as a licensed journey plumber in the state.

A candidate can apply up to 1,500 hours of Board-approved school education to the 7,500-hour requirement. He or she must also list:

• Hours worked as an apprentice plumber
• Hours worked as an unlicensed apprentice plumber. These will be subtracted from the hours worked as an apprentice plumber.

Any unlicensed apprentice plumber must register with the Maryland State Board of Plumbing before he or she can apply for the journey plumber exam.

HVACR Licenses

For doing HVACR work a person must get a license from the Maryland State Board of HVACR Contractors. The Board issues these licenses:

• Master
• Master restricted
• Limited contractor
• Journeyman

To qualify for any HVAC exam a candidate must:

• Show two (2) years of work experience and/or construction related education
• Show a credit report
• Show proof of ability to have $50,000 liability insurance
• Show financial solvency. This is based on the size and scope the present:
• Financial solvency information based on:
• The size and scope of your business by
• A list of your total assets, liabilities, and net worth

Consumers are advised to check for additional local municipal license requirements
as contractor laws can differ from county to county. It is also advisable to double check with the state’s requirements before hiring a contractor.