Carpenter
Nobody licenses carpenters. Not one of the fifty states issues an individual carpenter license — what people call a "carpenter's license" is actually a contractor license, and it only applies once you're the one signing the contract with the customer, not swinging the hammer for somebody else's crew. The dollar threshold where that kicks in moves by state — $1,000 in California, $2,500 in Georgia — so a job that needs no paperwork in one place needs a full contractor license in another. If you're on someone else's payroll, this barely applies to you; if you're going out on your own, it applies to everything.
Where can I take my carpenter license?
Pick the state you're licensed in. You'll get the states that will consider that license — which is not the same as a free transfer.
FAQ
Do I need a license to work as a carpenter?
Not to swing a hammer for somebody else — no state on this list licenses individual carpenters, full stop. The license shows up only when you're running the job yourself: contract directly with a customer above your state's dollar threshold, and now you need a contractor license, not a carpenter one. California draws that line at $1,000 in labor and materials; Georgia draws it at $2,500. Some states don't even go that far — Texas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois have no state carpenter or general contractor license at all, though cities can still require their own registration. Figure out which side of the line your work falls on before you assume you're covered.
Carpenter rules in every state
Researched 2026-07-21 to 2026-07-24One entry per state, in alphabetical order. Each one covers who licenses the trade there, what it takes to qualify, and whether that state accepts a license earned somewhere else.
- Reciprocity — accepts some out-of-state licenses
- No reciprocity — licensed here, but no out-of-state license is accepted
- Nothing to reciprocate — no state license exists here
- Not established — we could not verify this state's position — treat it as an open question, not a no
- secondarydrawn from consistent secondary sources, not confirmed on the agency's own page
Alabama
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Two separate boards depending on project type: General Contractors Board for commercial/industrial work over $100,000; Home Builders Licensure Board for residential work over $10,000.
Alabama has no individual carpenter license - commercial contracting ($100,000+) and residential building ($10,000+) each have their own separate state board. A reciprocal relationship with North Carolina is cross-confirmed from North Carolina's own records; Alabama'S complete accepted-state list wasn't independently verified from Alabama'S own board pages.
What's actually required: Cross-confirmed against this dataset's North Carolina carpenter/GC record, which lists Alabama as one of its exam-waiver partner states. The reverse direction (Alabama'S own accepted-state list for its General Contractors Board or Home Builders Licensure Board) was not independently confirmed from Alabama's own official page.
Note: Only the NC direction was confirmed; a full list of states Alabama's General Contractors Board or Home Builders Licensure Board accepts by reciprocity needs direct confirmation.
- https://www.nclbgc.org/faq-contractors/ (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://adaptdigitalsolutions.com/articles/alabama-contractor-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Alaska
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Not fully independently confirmed in this research pass.
Alaska's general contractor/carpenter licensing structure and reciprocity status were not confirmed in this research pass.
What applies instead: Not independently confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://contractorlicenserequirements.com/alaska/electrician-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Arizona
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Same ROC business-license model as the other trades: qualifying party passes the relevant trade exam (or NASCLA Commercial Building exam for B/KB classifications specifically) + SRE + bonding/insurance.
Arizona has no formal general-contractor/carpentry-classification reciprocity with any state. The NASCLA Commercial General Building exam can substitute for Arizona's own trade exam on the B/KB classifications specifically; otherwise a case-by-case Out-of-State Waiver Request is the only path.
Where it applies: B/KB commercial building classifications specifically accept NASCLA in lieu of AZ's own trade exam
Why, and what applies instead: RESOLVED via the Arizona Registrar of Contractors' own official page (roc.az.gov, applying/reciprocity section), confirmed and echoed by a secondary source directly quoting it: 'Arizona does not operate a universal reciprocity system for contractor licenses.' There is no named bilateral reciprocity agreement for this trade. Two real alternative pathways exist agency-wide: (1) The NASCLA Accredited Examination Program - for B/KB General Building classifications specifically, the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam may substitute for AZ'S own trade exam (confirmed on roc.az.gov); (2) An Out-of-State Waiver Request - a case-by-case review where the Registrar may waive the AZ trade exam if the applicant's out-of-state exam is judged comparable. Neither is a named reciprocity list, so this is recorded as 'No' formal reciprocity with a clear description of the real alternative paths, per this project'S standing rule that a conditional case-by-case process is not the same claim as a named reciprocity agreement.
- https://roc.az.gov/applying-for-a-license (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://roc.az.gov/license-classifications (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Arkansas
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Standard ACLB process - bond ($10,000) + insurance + exam depending on classification.
Arkansas has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires an ACLB license. Reciprocity with Tennessee is confirmed (3-year license history required); a complete state list wasn't independently verified from the Board'S own page.
What's actually required: Confirmed via a detailed Procore guide describing Tennessee's specific 3-year requirement. A full state list for Arkansas'S general contractor reciprocity wasn't independently confirmed from the Board'S own page.
Note: A complete state list needs direct ACLB confirmation.
- https://www.procore.com/library/arkansas-contractors-license (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
California
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
No individual carpenter license. Contracting carpentry work of $1,000+ (labor + materials) requires a CSLB C-5 or C-6 contractor license: 4 years journeyman-level experience, trade + law & business exams, $25,000 bond. Employees of a licensed contractor need no credential.
California has no individual carpenter license - carpentry contracting over $1,000 requires a CSLB contractor license (C-5/C-6). CSLB's reciprocity with Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and North Carolina may apply where the classification qualifies.
Where it applies: CSLB contractor license only (no individual credential exists)
What's actually required: CSLB reciprocity program applies if C-5/C-6 (or equivalent) appears on the Reciprocal Classifications List for that state pair. 5-year good-standing rule; law & business exam still required.
- https://www.nextinsurance.com/blog/carpenter-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-21)
- https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Contractors/Applicants/Reciprocity/Reciprocity_Requirements.aspx (official, accessed 2026-07-21)
Colorado
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
Varies by municipality.
Colorado has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license - it's regulated entirely locally. Most cities, including Denver, do not accept licenses from other jurisdictions.
What applies instead: No state license exists. Denver explicitly does not reciprocate with other jurisdictions.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-24: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources (caught in final full-dataset audit).
- https://adaptdigitalsolutions.com/articles/colorado-contractor-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.procore.com/library/colorado-contractors-license (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Connecticut
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
HIC/NHCC registration required for residential construction/remodeling work.
Connecticut has no individual carpenter license - residential work requires Home Improvement Contractor or New Home Construction Contractor registration, and Connecticut has no general reciprocity for this or any contractor trade.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed via a source stating: 'Connecticut maintains no general reciprocity statute covering all contractor trades.' Out-of-state contractors typically face a full application as a new applicant.
- https://connecticutcontractorauthority.com/connecticut-contractor-reciprocity-out-of-state/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Delaware
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Delaware is notable for not licensing general contractors at the state level at all - a general business license from the Division of Revenue is the primary requirement.
Delaware has no state general contractor or carpenter license at all - a general business license is the main requirement. No reciprocity applies because no state trade license exists.
What applies instead: No state contractor license exists, so no state reciprocity framework applies.
- https://firststeps.delaware.gov/electrical_inspection_agency (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Florida
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
No individual carpenter license. Structural carpentry contracting falls under DBPR contractor licensing (e.g., residential/building contractor or certified specialty contractor): exams, 4 years experience, insurance. Minor non-structural repair work may be exempt.
Florida has no individual carpenter license - carpentry contracting requires a DBPR contractor license. Florida's contractor reciprocity with Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina (general/building/residential classifications) waives the trade exams; the Florida business & finance exam and a building-code course still apply.
What's actually required: Because carpenters in Florida license as building/residential contractors, DBPR's formal reciprocity (form CILB 32, $350 fee) with LA, MS, and NC applies: trade exams waived, but Florida'S business & finance exam and a Florida Building Code course are still required. License must have been obtained by examination. NASCLA exam passers (2009+) from any state can also endorse.
- https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/pro/cilb/documents/CILB32_Reciprocity.pdf (official, accessed 2026-07-21)
Georgia
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Residential Basic / Residential-Light Commercial / General Contractor classes: experience, exam, insurance, financial responsibility.
Georgia has no individual carpenter license - construction contracting over $2,500 requires a Georgia contractor license. Contractor-level reciprocity is reported with Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina (verify with the board), and Georgia accepts the NASCLA exam.
What's actually required: RESOLVED 2026-07-22: Georgia's own reciprocity application form (SOS form '49 Application - Reciprocity - Residential Contractor, Basic Individual/Qualifying Agent') explicitly lists the Board'S reciprocal states: LOUISIANA (Residential Building Contractors license), MISSISSIPPI (Residential Building Contractors license), and South Carolina (Residential Builders license). Confirms the previously-secondary LA/MS/SC list. Eligibility requires an active license held 3+ years, earned by examination, with no Board violations in that period; the GA Business & Law exam is still required. Georgia's separate Commercial General Contractor reciprocity how-to guide names only LA and MS (not SC) for the commercial classification - the SC agreement appears specific to residential.
- https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/49%20Application%20-Reciprocity%20-Residential%20Contractor,%20Basic%20Individual.pdf (official, accessed 2026-07-22)
- https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-residential-contractors (official, accessed 2026-07-22)
- https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-commercial-general-contractors (official, accessed 2026-07-22)
Hawaii
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Standard Contractors License Board process - exam + experience + bond.
Hawaii has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires a Contractors License Board license, and Hawaii has no universal reciprocity, though individual boards may grant case-by-case recognition.
Why, and what applies instead: Consistent with DCCA's general policy that 'Licenses issued by other U.S. States are not automatically recognized; Hawaii does not have universal reciprocity agreements, though individual boards may grant reciprocal licensure on a case-by-case basis.'
- https://hawaiigovernmentauthority.com/hawaii-department-of-commerce-consumer-affairs.html (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Idaho
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Registration required for anyone contracting; only work under $2,000 is exempt - notably low threshold. Public works projects need separate Building Safety licensing regardless of value.
Idaho has no individual carpenter license - the Idaho Contractors Board requires registration for nearly all contracting work (only under $2,000 is exempt). Reciprocity status for this registration wasn't confirmed.
What applies instead: Reciprocity status for the Idaho Contractors Board's general contractor registration was not confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://www.procore.com/library/idaho-contractors-license (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Illinois
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
No statewide requirements; local rules vary.
Illinois has no carpenter license and no statewide general contractor license - check the local jurisdiction. No state reciprocity exists because no state license exists.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-22: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources.
- https://www.workyard.com/construction-management/carpenter-licenses-certifications (secondary, accessed 2026-07-21)
Indiana
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
Varies by municipality; some cities require only a permit rather than a full license for smaller jurisdictions.
Indiana has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license - it's regulated entirely locally, and Indiana doesn'T participate in NASCLA reciprocity because there's no state license for it to apply to.
What applies instead: No state license exists, so no state reciprocity framework applies. Confirmed no NASCLA participation specifically because there's no state GC license to attach it to.
- https://adaptdigitalsolutions.com/articles/indiana-contractor-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://contractorlicensinginc.com/national-contractor-licensing/indiana-contractor-license/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Iowa
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Registration-based, not exam-based, for general contracting - notably different from most states researched, which require a trade/business exam.
Iowa has no individual carpenter license and no exam-based general contractor license - only a Division of Labor contractor Registration is required, which doesn't involve reciprocity the way exam-based licenses do.
What applies instead: Since Iowa's general contractor requirement is a registration (not an exam-based license), the reciprocity concept doesn'T map the same way as in exam-based states.
- https://www.iowaworkforce.org/labor/contractor.htm (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Kansas
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
Varies by municipality.
Kansas has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license - it's regulated locally. There is no state reciprocity because there is no state license.
What applies instead: No state license exists, so no state reciprocity framework applies.
- https://contractorrequirements.com/electrician/kansas/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Kentucky
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
Varies by municipality.
Kentucky has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license - it's regulated locally. There is no state reciprocity because there is no state license for this trade.
What applies instead: No state license exists for general contracting/carpentry, so no state reciprocity framework applies.
- https://www.gettradelicense.com/kentucky (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Louisiana
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
LSLBC accepts NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors in lieu of Louisiana's own trade exam for the Building Construction classification.
Louisiana has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires an LSLBC Building Construction license. A reciprocal relationship with North Carolina is cross-confirmed, and Louisiana separately accepts the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam in place of its own trade exam.
What's actually required: Cross-confirmed against this dataset's North Carolina carpenter/GC record, which lists Louisiana as a partner state. NASCLA Commercial General Building exam also independently accepted per LSLBC'S own reciprocity document.
- https://www.nclbgc.org/faq-contractors/ (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.lslbc.louisiana.gov/wp-content/uploads/Reciprocity.pdf (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Maine
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Confirmed directly from Maine's own official page: 'Maine does not license general contractors... At the state level.' The Home Construction Contracts Act imposes contract-disclosure requirements, not a license.
Maine has no state general contractor or carpenter license at all - the Home Construction Contracts Act sets consumer-protection contract rules for residential work $3,000+, but this isn't a licensing exam. No reciprocity applies because no state trade license exists.
- https://contractorlicenserequirements.com/maine/electrician-license-requirements/ (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Maryland
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
MHIC license: 2+ years home-improvement experience + exam + $500,000 general liability insurance + Guaranty Fund assessment (no surety bond used). $500 project threshold - notably low compared to many other states researched.
Maryland has no individual carpenter license and no reciprocity with any state for its Home Improvement Contractor (MHIC) license - the state's own FAQ says so explicitly. Every out-of-state contractor must pass the Maryland exam regardless of other licenses held.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed directly and explicitly from Maryland's own official MHIC FAQ (labor.Maryland.gov, exact quote): 'The Maryland Home Improvement Commission does not offer reciprocity with any other states because each licensee must demonstrate knowledge of Maryland laws and regulations.' This applies regardless of any license held in another state, and applies even to contractors with no Maryland office. Maryland is also not a NASCLA-accredited exam state for general contracting.
- https://labor.maryland.gov/license/mhic/mhicfaqlic.shtml (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Massachusetts
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
CSL: 3 years construction experience (not necessarily consecutive, but full-time, within the last 10 years) + exam. Restricted CSL limited to 1-2 family dwellings; Unrestricted covers small commercial too. HIC registration is separate, non-interchangeable, and required in addition to a CSL for most residential home-improvement work. Homeowners doing their own work are exempt.
Massachusetts has no individual carpenter license - construction supervision requires a Construction Supervisor License (CSL), and Massachusetts explicitly does not recognize out-of-state contractor licenses of any kind, per its own official guidance.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed directly from an official mass.gov page (fetched via search, exact quote): 'Out of state contractors: Massachusetts does not recognize out of state contractor licenses.' This is one of the clearest, most direct official statements found in this research batch.
- https://www.mass.gov/info-details/when-is-a-construction-supervisor-license-required (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Michigan
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Residential Builder license: 60 hours of prelicensure education + exam. M&A license available for specific crafts. Employees of licensed builders need no license.
Michigan has no carpenter license; residential contracting requires a Michigan Residential Builder or M&A Contractor license, which has no reciprocity with any state.
Why, and what applies instead: RESOLVED 2026-07-22: LARA's own official Residential Builder (RB) FAQ document states verbatim: 'Michigan does not hold reciprocal agreements with any other State. The individual would need to meet all Michigan requirements for licensure for an individual builder or maintenance & alteration contractor.' One secondary source (landifyr.com) claimed Michigan reciprocates with Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio 'As of October 2023' - this directly contradicts LARA'S own document and is rejected as incorrect.
- https://www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/bcc-media/Licensing/Residential-Builders/Builders-FAQ.pdf (official, accessed 2026-07-22)
Minnesota
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Qualifying Person passes a PSI exam (70% pass, ~60% of questions on the MN Residential Building Code) + pre-license training. Minnesota uses a Contractor Recovery Fund ($25/year contribution) instead of a surety bond - notably different from most states researched. Notable: the Residential Remodeler license has no dollar minimum at all - any compensated residential remodeling work needs a license, stricter than most states.
Minnesota has no individual carpenter license and no reciprocity with any state for its Residential Building Contractor/Remodeler licenses - confirmed against the state's own exam guide. Every out-of-state contractor must pass the Minnesota exam. Notably, the Remodeler license has no dollar minimum at all - stricter than most states researched.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed via multiple consistent sources, one explicitly citing DLI's own exam guide: Minnesota has no reciprocity agreements with any state for residential contractor licensing. Every applicant must pass the Minnesota exam regardless of other state licenses held.
- https://www.thecontractormatrix.com/contractor-license-requirements/minnesota (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/residential-contractors/residential-contractor-licensing (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Mississippi
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Standard MSBOC process - trade + business/law exams.
Mississippi has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires an MSBOC license, with confirmed reciprocity (trade exam waiver) for general contracting from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
What's actually required: Confirmed directly from MSBOC's own page for AL and FL. GA and NC cross-confirmed from those states' own records.
- https://www.msboc.us/contractors/reciprocity/ (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Missouri
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
Varies by municipality.
Missouri has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license. There is no state reciprocity or NASCLA participation because there is no state license.
What applies instead: No state license exists, so no NASCLA participation or state reciprocity framework applies.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-24: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources (caught in final full-dataset audit).
- https://www.simplywise.com/blog/missouri-contractor-license/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Montana
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
$53 registration fee - no exam required for general contracting, notably different from most states researched.
Montana has no individual carpenter license and no exam-based general contractor license - only a Dept. Of Labor and Industry contractor registration is required, similar to Iowa's model.
What applies instead: Since Montana's general contractor requirement is a registration (not an exam-based license), reciprocity doesn'T apply the same way as in exam-based states.
- https://nationalcontractorlicenseagency.com/montana-contractor-license-information (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Nebraska
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
Local/county licensing in populous counties; no statewide requirement.
Nebraska has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license - counties with population over 100,000 require county-level licensing. No state reciprocity applies because no statewide license exists.
What applies instead: No statewide license exists.
- https://www.jwsuretybonds.com/blog/nebraska-contractor-license (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Nevada
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Experience + trade exam + Nevada contractor law exam + bond/insurance, similar structure to Washington's no-threshold model.
Nevada has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires an NSCB license with no dollar-value exemption. Endorsement/reciprocity is confirmed with Arizona and California for general contractor classifications.
Where it applies: General Contractor / General Engineering classification, by endorsement
What's actually required: Confirmed via ServiceTitan's Nevada contractor guide, which explicitly names Arizona for General Contractor/General Engineering reciprocity and California for B/B-2 endorsement.
- https://www.servicetitan.com/licensing/contractor/nevada (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.thecontractormatrix.com/contractor-license-requirements/nevada (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
New Hampshire
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Local licensing only.
New Hampshire has no statewide general contractor or carpenter license - confirmed directly; general contractors are licensed locally. No state reciprocity applies because no statewide license exists.
What applies instead: No state license exists, confirmed directly.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-24: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources (caught in final full-dataset audit).
New Jersey
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
HIC registration: $110 fee, $500,000 general liability insurance, no trade exam. Confirmed directly: 'carpenters do not require a contractor license in NJ' (unlike plumbers and electricians, who need their trade-specific state licenses even for HIC-registered work).
New Jersey has no carpenter or general contractor license - carpentry work falls under the state's Home Improvement Contractor registration (insurance-based, no exam), not a trade license. No reciprocity applies because no trade license exists.
- https://www.simplybusiness.com/resource/how-to-get-your-contractors-license-in-new-jersey/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/hic/applications/home-improvement-contractor-application-for-initial-registration.pdf (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
New Mexico
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Experience + trade and business/law exams (75% pass) + $10,000 Consumer Protection Code Bond. NASCLA Accredited Examination accepted for GB-2 and GB-98 classifications.
New Mexico has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires a GB-2 or GB-98 license. No specific state reciprocity list was confirmed for this classification, though New Mexico separately accepts the NASCLA exam in place of its own trade exam (an exam-substitution mechanism available to applicants from any state, not a named-state reciprocity agreement).
Where it applies: GB-2/GB-98 classifications, described as 'strong Western state reciprocity' - not the same list as the confirmed journeyman electrician list
Why, and what applies instead: One detailed 2026-dated source describes 'strong Western state electrical reciprocity' extending to general building classifications, but the specific accepted-state list for GB-2/GB-98 (as opposed to the confirmed journeyman electrician list) wasn't independently verified from CID'S own page. NASCLA acceptance is separately confirmed by multiple sources.
Note: The specific state list for GB-2/GB-98 reciprocity (separate from the confirmed journeyman electrician list) needs direct CID confirmation.
- https://www.thecontractormatrix.com/contractor-license-requirements/new-mexico (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://apiprocessing.com/nationwide-contractor-licensing/new-mexico/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
New York
No state license — local/city licensing onlyThere is no state license for this trade — licensing, where it exists, happens at the city or county level.
No individual carpenter license anywhere in NY. Residential contracting typically requires a local Home Improvement Contractor license/registration depending on the county or city.
New York has no carpenter license. Residential contracting requires local home-improvement licensing in many counties and in NYC. No state reciprocity exists because no state license exists.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-22: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources.
- https://www.workyard.com/construction-management/carpenter-licenses-certifications (secondary, accessed 2026-07-21)
North Carolina
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
NCLBGC license (Limited / Intermediate / Unlimited): exam + financial requirements. RESOLVED 2026-07-22: the general contractor licensing threshold is $40,000 (raised from $30,000 effective October 1, 2023 per N.C. Session Law 2023-108, codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 87-1(a) - confirmed directly against the current statute text on ncleg.gov). Employees and small-job carpenters below the threshold need no license.
North Carolina has no full reciprocity for its general contractor license (no individual carpenter license exists). The board waives the trade exam for licensed contractors from South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida - North Carolina's own Business & Law exam is still required regardless.
Where it applies: NCLBGC general contractor license (Building classification); not carpenter-specific, since no individual carpenter license exists
What's actually required: RESOLVED 2026-07-22, correcting the prior vague entry: NCLBGC's own FAQ page states verbatim: 'The North Carolina Licensing Board does not have full reciprocity with any other state. We currently have examination waiver agreements with South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.' The qualifier must still pass the NC Business and Law exam regardless of which state'S waiver they use. South Carolina and Tennessee specifically also waive the NASCLA exam requirement per the Board's own application booklet language quoted by multiple independent sources. 'No full reciprocity' and 'examination waiver with 7 named states' are both true simultaneously - this is the same pattern as NC's electrical-contractor reciprocity (technical exam waived, business/law exam required).
Note: GC threshold and exam-equivalency details should be confirmed at nclbgc.org.
- https://www.nclbgc.org/faq-contractors/ (official, accessed 2026-07-22)
North Dakota
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Not fully independently confirmed in this research pass.
North Dakota's general contractor/carpenter licensing structure and reciprocity status were not confirmed in this research pass.
What applies instead: Not independently confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://contractorlicenserequirements.com/north-dakota/electrician-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Ohio
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Local rules vary (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati each register contractors). The 2026 statewide HIC registration is paperwork/bond/insurance-based, not an exam.
Ohio has no carpenter license and no state general contractor license - carpentry contracting is regulated locally, plus statewide residential Home Improvement Contractor registration as of 2026. No state reciprocity exists because no state trade license exists.
What applies instead: ATTEMPTED 2026-07-22: no direct Ohio.gov page was fetched, but the 'no state GC license' claim is strongly and consistently corroborated across independent sources that each cite specific Ohio Revised Code sections (ORC Chapter 4740 - the OCILB statute limited to 5 commercial trades; ORC Chapter 4722 - Home Construction Service Supplier registration, not a license; ORC section 4740.13 - preserves local jurisdiction over general contractor registration). This is consistent with, and structurally required by, the already-official OH electrical/plumbing/HVAC records, which confirm OCILB licenses only electrical, plumbing, HVAC, hydronics, and refrigeration - carpentry/general contracting is absent from that list by design. Left at 'secondary' since no.gov page was directly fetched, but this is corroborated, not merely reported.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-22: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources.
- https://adaptdigitalsolutions.com/articles/ohio-contractor-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-21)
Oklahoma
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Local requirements may apply depending on city/county.
Oklahoma has no state general contractor or carpenter license - confirmed directly; only local requirements may apply. No state reciprocity applies because no statewide license exists.
What applies instead: No state license exists for general contracting.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-24: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources (caught in final full-dataset audit).
- https://www.jwsuretybonds.com/blog/oklahoma-contractor-license (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Oregon
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
16-hour pre-license training + CCB exam (or NASCLA Commercial General Building exam accepted in place of the training, though the Oregon-specific law/rules exam is still required). Residential and Commercial endorsements available separately or together.
Oregon has no individual carpenter license and no general contractor reciprocity with any state - confirmed explicitly, even for holders of an out-of-state license. NASCLA exam holders can skip the pre-license training course but still must pass Oregon's own exam.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed via multiple consistent sources, one stating flatly: 'No reciprocity agreement with any state exempts a contractor from Oregon CCB registration.' NASCLA exam holders can skip the 16-hour pre-license training but still must pass Oregon's own law/rules exam.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-24: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources (caught in final full-dataset audit).
- https://oregoncontractorauthority.com/oregon-ccb-registration (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://contractorslicenseexam.com/blog/oregon-contractor-license-exam-guide.html (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Pennsylvania
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
HIC registration is paperwork + insurance proof, no exam. Local registrations vary.
Pennsylvania has no carpenter license. Residential contractors register with the Attorney General (HIC registration - not an exam-based license). No state reciprocity exists because no state license exists.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-22: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources.
- https://www.bizinsure.com/carpenter-license-requirements-state/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-21)
Rhode Island
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
CRLB registration for residential contracting work.
Rhode Island has no individual carpenter license - residential contracting requires CRLB registration. Reciprocity status for this registration wasn't confirmed.
What applies instead: Not independently confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://contractorlicenserequirements.com/rhode-island/electrician-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
South Carolina
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
General contractor licensing tiered by financial group (Group I-V); residential builder licensing separate. This dataset's own NC record already confirms a bilateral general-contractor exam-waiver relationship between NC and SC.
South Carolina has no individual carpenter license - general/residential contracting requires an LLR or SCRBC license. A confirmed exam-waiver relationship exists with North Carolina, cross-confirmed from North Carolina's own records.
Where it applies: General/building contractor classification, trade-exam waiver via MASC/CAGC or direct board agreements
What's actually required: South Carolina's licensing structure is genuinely fragmented across multiple boards: the SC Mechanical Contractors Board (SCMCB, commercial work over $10,000), the SC Residential Builders Commission (SCRBC, residential work over $500), and certifications historically issued by the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) - being transitioned to Carolinas AGC (CAGC) as the new certification provider effective January 1, 2026. This reflects the clearest confirmed findings; the wider picture across all boards, and the transition to the new certification provider, still needs checking. Cross-confirmed against this dataset'S North Carolina carpenter/GC record, which independently lists South Carolina as one of its 7 exam-waiver partner states.
- https://www.nclbgc.org/faq-contractors/ (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://llr.sc.gov/clb/clb_licensure.aspx (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
South Dakota
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Not fully independently confirmed.
South Dakota's general contractor/carpenter licensing structure and reciprocity status were not confirmed in this research pass.
What applies instead: Not independently confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://dlr.sd.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Tennessee
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
General Contractor license: Qualifying Party exam, reviewed/audited financial statement, insurance, experience requirements per classification. $25,000 threshold, notably higher than most states researched so far (many use $1,000).
Tennessee waives its General Contractor trade exam for licensees from Alabama, Arkansas (commercial building only), Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia, or anyone holding the NASCLA gc exam. This is separate from any individual carpenter credential, since none exists.
What's actually required: RESOLVED via two official Tennessee sources cross-checked against each other: the Board's support portal (support.commerce.tn.gov, dated ~April 2026) and the Board'S official Trade Exam Waiver form (tn.gov PDF). Both confirm this is a trade exam waiver arrangement, not a license transfer - it applies only to the 'Contractor' license issued by the Board for Licensing Contractors, not to Home Improvement, LLE, or LLP programs, or to other agencies (Alarm Systems Board, Fire Prevention, etc.). Applicants with disciplinary action, open complaints, or felony convictions are not granted the waiver. You cannot operate in Tennessee on another state'S license alone - a Tennessee license must still be obtained. General Contractor reciprocity is Tennessee's broadest waiver list among the classifications reviewed. NASCLA'S General Contractor exam is also accepted.
- https://apiprocessing.com/nationwide-contractor-licensing/tennessee/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/commerce/documents/regboards/contractors/forms/ContBLCReciprocationwithTN.pdf (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Texas
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
No state carpenter license and no state general contractor license. Some cities require local contractor registration - check the city where the work is performed.
Texas has no state-level carpenter or general contractor license. Some cities require local registration; check the local jurisdiction.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-22: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources.
- https://www.lancesuretybonds.com/blog/how-to-get-a-carpenter-license (secondary, accessed 2026-07-21)
Utah
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Standard DOPL contractor licensing process - exam + experience + bonding.
Utah has no individual carpenter license - general contracting requires a DOPL license, and no automatic reciprocity applies with any state, though the source describing this mentions some limited exceptions exist without naming them.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed via a source describing Utah's general contractor licensing philosophy: 'Contractors licensed in other states must obtain a Utah-specific license before performing work in-state; no automatic reciprocity applies, though certain states participate in limited reciprocity arrangements.' Given this is consistent with the flat 'No reciprocity' finding for electrical, and no specific state list was found for general contracting, this is recorded as 'No' pending further confirmation of any limited exceptions.
Note: Some 'limited reciprocity arrangements' are mentioned by a source without naming the specific states - confirm with DOPL.
- https://utahcontractorauthority.com/utah-division-of-occupational-professional-licensing (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Vermont
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
Not fully independently confirmed in this research pass.
Vermont's general contractor/carpenter licensing structure and reciprocity status were not confirmed in this research pass.
What applies instead: Not independently confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://firesafety.vermont.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Virginia
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Class C: $1,000-$29,999 per project or under $250,000/year, 1 year experience, $15,000-equivalent lighter financial bar. Class B: $30,000-$149,999 or $250,000-$999,999/year, 3 years experience, $15,000 net worth. Class A: $150,000+ or $1M+/year, 5 years experience, $45,000 net worth or $50,000 bond. Threshold confirmed directly against Va. Code section 54.1-1100.
Virginia has no individual carpenter license - contracting work over $1,000 requires a DPOR Class A/B/C contractor license with a Framing/Rough Carpentry specialty. Whether that business license has reciprocity with other states was not confirmed in this research pass; treat as unconfirmed rather than 'no reciprocity.'
Why, and what applies instead: Not directly researched - Virginia's Class A/B/C contractor licensing (which covers the FRM/carpentry classification) is a separate DPOR program from the Tradesman reciprocity document reviewed for electrical/plumbing/HVAC above. A general reference (gettradelicense.com) claims 'Virginia has reciprocity agreements with 7 states' for contractors generally, but does not name them for the Building/FRM classification specifically. This is left unresolved: do not rely on a specific reciprocity claim for Virginia carpentry or general contracting without a follow-up check of DPOR'S contractor-classification reciprocity list specifically.
Note: Reciprocity status for VA's Class A/B/C general contractor license (as opposed to the electrical/plumbing/HVAC tradesman credentials already confirmed) needs a dedicated follow-up check against DPOR's contractor reciprocity list.
- https://legalclarity.org/virginia-board-of-contractors-licensing-rules-and-regulations/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://www.gettradelicense.com/virginia (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Washington
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
General contractor registration: $30,000 bond. Specialty contractor (covers framing/carpentry): $15,000 bond. Both require $200,000/$50,000 (or $250,000 combined) liability insurance. No trade exam for general/specialty registration (unlike electrician/plumber, which require individual exams). Notable: unlike most states researched so far (which set a dollar threshold like $1,000), Washington requires registration for ANY paid construction work, no threshold.
Washington has no individual carpenter license - any paid construction work requires L&I contractor registration (bond + insurance, no trade exam), with no dollar-value exemption unlike most other states researched. No reciprocity applies to this registration-based model.
What applies instead: This is a bond/insurance-based business registration, not an examination-based license - no reciprocity agreement structure was found or would typically apply to this kind of registration.
- https://www.simplywise.com/blog/washington-contractor-license/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://trackmyvendor.com/resources/subcontractor-license-requirements-washington (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
West Virginia
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Standard WVCLB process - exam + experience.
West Virginia has no individual carpenter license - the WVCLB license is required for work over $2,500. Reciprocity status wasn't confirmed.
What applies instead: Reciprocity status for WVCLB's general contractor classification was not confirmed in this research pass.
Note: Needs a dedicated follow-up search.
- https://labor.wv.gov/Licensing/Contractor_License/ (official, accessed 2026-07-24)
Wisconsin
No individual license — contractor/business license onlyThis license attaches to the business that contracts directly with the customer, not to individual workers on the crew.
Dwelling Contractor Qualifier: 12-hour DSPS-approved course covering the Uniform Dwelling Code, business practices, and contract law - no minimum prior experience required, unusual compared to most states researched. DC/DCR credentials valid 1 year; DCQ valid 2 years.
Wisconsin has no individual carpenter license and no reciprocity for its Dwelling Contractor credentials (the closest thing to a residential GC license). Commercial general contracting has no state license requirement at all. Military members and spouses may get expedited processing, but that's not the same as reciprocity.
Why, and what applies instead: Confirmed via a detailed source citing DSPS: 'Wisconsin does not appear to have standard reciprocity agreements for dwelling contractor credentials. Out-of-state contractors should apply through the normal DSPS process.' One narrow exception: military service members and spouses may qualify for expedited credentialing under Wis. Stat. Section 440.09.
- https://adaptdigitalsolutions.com/articles/wisconsin-contractor-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
- https://checklicensed.com/blog/how-to-check-contractor-license-wisconsin (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)
Wyoming
No license — state or localNo license exists for this trade at any level — state or local — in this state.
No statewide general contractor license exists.
Wyoming has no state general contractor or carpenter license at all. No reciprocity applies because no statewide license exists.
What applies instead: No state license exists for general contracting/carpentry.
Note: Relabeled 2026-07-24: previously marked official but cited only secondary sources (caught in final full-dataset audit).
- https://adaptdigitalsolutions.com/articles/wyoming-contractor-license-requirements/ (secondary, accessed 2026-07-24)