Ohio Contractor License Lookup

Ohio has no state general contractor license. The state licenses commercial electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration contractors. Residential contractors are regulated by local building and health departments. See the state rules for trades and where to check a license. Runs in your browser; nothing is stored.

Ohio rules checked against official sources on October 25, 2026.

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Labor and materials together, in dollars. Leave it blank to see the state's dollar limits.

Ohio: Remodel, repair or home improvement

Ohio does not license this work statewide.

Ohio does not license general or home improvement contractors at the state level. Residential contractors are regulated by your local building and health departments, so check with your city or county. Source

City and county licenses: For residential electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, your local building or health department sets the contractor rules and may require the state commercial license. Source

This summarises state rules from official sources. Only the board's own record can confirm one contractor's license. Checked October 25, 2026.

How Ohio licenses contractors

Ohio has no state general contractor license. The state licenses commercial electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration contractors. Residential contractors are regulated by local building and health departments. R.C. 4740.01, 4740.13

For residential electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, your local building or health department sets the contractor rules and may require the state commercial license. (source)

Rules by type of work

Remodel, repair or home improvement

Ohio does not license general or home improvement contractors at the state level. Residential contractors are regulated by your local building and health departments, so check with your city or county. OCILB (Ohio Department of Commerce); R.C. 4740.01

Building a new home

Ohio has no state home builder license. Local building departments regulate residential contractors and issue permits. OCILB (Ohio Department of Commerce)

Electrical work, plumbing and HVAC

  • OCILB commercial contractor license (commercial): On commercial projects, anyone acting as an electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing or hydronics contractor must hold an OCILB state license. There is no dollar threshold. Residential buildings are outside this law. Issued by Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance. R.C. 4740.13(A); 4740.01(F)
    • The state license law covers construction projects under the Ohio building code but not residential buildings.
    • Local building departments may require the state license for residential work too.

Roofing

Ohio has no state roofing license. Check with your city or county building department. OCILB (Ohio Department of Commerce)

Where to look up contractors in Ohio

  • Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance: official license search. Search an individual license holder by name or license number. OCILB also lists a company name search at companylicenseelookup.com.ohio.gov.

On the record, check that the name matches your contract, the status is active (not expired, suspended or revoked), the license type covers your job, and the license number matches the one the contractor gave you.

What this tool does not do

  • It does not check any one contractor. Only the board's own record shows whether a license is active and what it covers.
  • It covers state rules. Cities and counties can add their own licenses and permits, and the tool cannot list every local rule.
  • It does not decide whether a contractor broke the law or what you can recover. For a dispute, contact the board or a lawyer.
  • It does not cover every specialty trade a state licenses (for example pest control, elevators or well drilling).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up a contractor license in Ohio?

Ohio has no statewide license search for general contractors. Ask your city or county building department which license the job needs and how to check it. For trade work, the state boards on this page are: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance.

Does Ohio require a general contractor license?

Ohio does not license general or home improvement contractors at the state level. Residential contractors are regulated by your local building and health departments, so check with your city or county.

Which trades need a state license in Ohio?

Electrical: OCILB commercial contractor license from the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (commercial work). Plumbing: OCILB commercial contractor license from the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (commercial work). HVAC: OCILB commercial contractor license from the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (commercial work).

Sources

Checked against official Ohio sources on October 25, 2026.

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