20 tracked trades 51 jurisdictions Dataset vintage 2026-06-27

Trade coverage across state licensing records

This ranking counts the jurisdictions in this record set that mark each trade as requiring a state-level license. It does not determine the requirements for a particular project.

Find a state record All rankings

Highest coverage in the record set

1. Electrician51 of 512. Pest Control51 of 513. Plumber47 of 514. HVAC Technician40 of 515. Carpenter36 of 51
Jurisdictions marked as requiring a state-level license

The State Licensing Board records summarized here cover 50 states plus Washington, DC, across 20 tracked trade categories. This Trade Coverage Ranking is a count of state-level flags only; each linked record carries its own board context and dataset vintage.

Read the count carefully. A high coverage count means more state-level records are marked as requiring a license for that trade. It is not a quality, safety, enforcement, insurance, or local-permitting rating. Open the linked trade and state records, then verify the current rule with the relevant authority.

Highest state-level coverage

45+ jurisdictions
# Trade States Requiring License
1 Electrician
Installs and maintains electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures
 51 of 51
2 Pest Control
Eliminates and prevents infestations of insects, rodents, and other pests using chemicals
 51 of 51
3 Plumber
Installs and repairs water, gas, and drainage systems
 47 of 51

Broad state-level coverage

30–44 jurisdictions
# Trade States Requiring License
4 HVAC Technician 40 of 51
5 Carpenter 36 of 51
6 Demolition 36 of 51
7 Elevator Mechanic 36 of 51
8 Excavation 36 of 51
9 Flooring Installer 36 of 51
10 General Contractor 36 of 51
11 Glazier 36 of 51
12 Insulation Installer 36 of 51
13 Landscaper 36 of 51
14 Mason 36 of 51
15 Painter 36 of 51
16 Tile Setter 36 of 51
17 Fire Protection 32 of 51

Lower state-level coverage

Under 30 jurisdictions
# Trade States Requiring License
18 Roofer 28 of 51
19 Pool Contractor 25 of 51
20 Solar Installer 25 of 51

Source: PlainHireCheck state licensing-board record set Trade coverage by state-level licensing flag · 2026-06-27 The 51 jurisdictions include Washington, DC. Requirements can change and local rules may still apply; verify with the relevant authority.

Every figure on PlainHireCheck is rendered directly from state licensing board source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page summarizes trade coverage in the site record set; open linked records for their listed board context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.