I run a small handyman and home repair LLC in NC. Do I need a separate license from the state to do general home repairs, or is the LLC registration enough? I keep getting mixed answers from people. Any clarity is appreciated.
Licensing
Does a North Carolina LLC need a separate license for home repairs?
LLC just registers the business. It doesn't license the work. NC has a general contractor license requirement for projects over $30k, but that's not the same as a handyman license. For smaller repairs most people operate Without a state license, but local rules can bite you.
What kind of repairs are we talking about? There's a difference between patching drywall and doing electrical or plumbing.
This is why I stopped doing handyman work in Charlotte. City told me I needed a privilege license and a home-based business permit on top of the state stuff. Check with your city or county, not just the state.
Right, and if you touch anything over $30k in combined labor and materials for a single project, the the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors can come after you. That threshold catches people doing multiple small jobs for the same client.
I'd be careful with the $30k rule. It's per project, not per year, but the board defines 'project' in a way that can include multiple contracts for the same property. Worth reading their FAQ.
Do you need a separate license for electrical or plumbing? I thought those were handled by the state board separately.
Electrical and plumbing definitely require separate state licenses. Handyman work that stays cosmetic usually doesn't, but the line gets blurry fast.
Also check your insurance. Even if the state doesn't require a license, your liability policy might exclude unlicensed work, and some suppliers won't sell to you without a contractor number.
Agree with the insurance point. I've seen more problems from uninsured claims than from licensing boards. A general liability policy is cheap compared to a lawsuit.
What county are you in? Some counties have their own contractor registration that's separate from the state.
And don't forget the Secretary of State annual report. That's not a license, but if you let it lapse the LLC gets administratively dissolved and then you're operating as an unregistered entity. Different problem, same headache.
Best advice: call the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors and ask about your specific scope, then call your city or county permit office. They'll tell you what they enforce. The answer changes based on where you are.
And keep records of every job. If a client complains, the first thing anyone asks is whether you were licensed and insured for that scope of work