Least Regulated States for Contractors

States ranked by the number of contractor trades they license, from fewest to most requirements, across 20 trade categories in all 50 states and DC, drawn from state licensing boards and NASCLA surveys last reviewed January 2026. States with fewer licensed trades generally have lower barriers to entry for contractors and self-employed tradespeople. See our methodology.

# State Trades Licensed
1 Indiana 3
2 Kansas 3
3 Wyoming 3
4 Illinois 4
5 Iowa 4
6 Nebraska 4
7 South Dakota 4
8 Colorado 5
9 Missouri 5
10 New York 5
11 Ohio 5
12 Pennsylvania 5
13 Idaho 6
14 Wisconsin 6
15 Texas 8
16 North Dakota 10
17 Delaware 12
18 Montana 12
19 Vermont 13
20 West Virginia 13
21 Kentucky 14
22 Maine 14
23 New Hampshire 14
24 Arkansas 15
25 Georgia 15
26 Minnesota 15
27 Oklahoma 15
28 Alaska 16
29 Maryland 16
30 Michigan 16
31 Mississippi 16
32 Rhode Island 16
33 Connecticut 17
34 New Jersey 17
35 South Carolina 17
36 Tennessee 17
37 Utah 17
38 Alabama 18
39 District of Columbia 18
40 Louisiana 18
41 Massachusetts 18
42 New Mexico 18
43 North Carolina 18
44 Virginia 18
45 Washington 19
46 Arizona 20
47 California 20
48 Florida 20
49 Hawaii 20
50 Nevada 20
51 Oregon 20

Note: A lower number of licensed trades does not necessarily mean those trades are unregulated — some states push licensing to the county or municipal level. Always check local requirements before starting work in a new jurisdiction.

Source: State contractor licensing board regulations compiled from official state agency websites and licensing board publications State contractor licensing board regulations compiled from official state agency websites and licensing board publications