By Oussama Chicha, EditorUpdated Checked against primary sources · not yet reviewed by a licensed professionalFact-checked
Quick answer
Vermont law requires registration with the Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation, before contracting with a homeowner for residential construction for consideration of more than $10,000.00, including labor and materials. 26 V.S.A. § 5502 lists what the chapter does not apply to. As of July 1, 2022, individual registration is $75 per two years, paid at initial application and biennial renewal.
Vermont · Contractor licenseVerified 2026-10-07
State license
Registration (no exam)
Vermont law says a person shall register with the Office of Professional Regulation prior to contracting with a homeowner to perform residential construction in exchange for consideration of more than $10,000.00, including labor and materials. The chapter says its system of mandatory registration is not intended to establish standards for professional qualifications or workmanship that is otherwise lawful. The Office says registration for residential contractors is required as of April 1, 2023.
Registration (no exam). Vermont law says a person shall register with the Office of Professional Regulation prior to contracting with a homeowner to perform residential construction in exchange for consideration of more than $10,000.00, including labor and materials. The chapter says its system of mandatory registration is not intended to establish standards for professional qualifications or workmanship that is otherwise lawful. The Office says registration for residential contractors is required as of April 1, 2023.
Threshold. Contracting with a homeowner to perform residential construction in exchange for consideration of more than $10,000.00, including labor and materials. The chapter does not apply to: an employee acting within the scope of employment for a business organization registered under the chapter; a professional engineer, licensed architect, or tradesperson licensed, registered, or certified by the Department of Public Safety acting within the scope of that license, registration, or certification, or a business whose residential construction is performed primarily by or under the direct supervision of one or more employees individually exempt on that ground; delivery or installation of consumer appliances, audio-visual equipment, telephone equipment, or computer network equipment; landscaping; work on a structure that is not attached to a residential building; or work that would otherwise require registration that a person performs in response to an emergency, provided the person applies for registration within a reasonable time after performing the work
(a) A person shall register with the Office of Professional Regulation prior to contracting with a homeowner to perform residential construction in exchange for consideration of more than $10,000.00, including labor and materials.
26 V.S.A. § 5501(a) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
The system of mandatory registration established by this chapter is intended to protect against fraud, deception, breach of contract, and violations of law but is not intended to establish standards for professional qualifications or workmanship that is otherwise lawful.
26 V.S.A. § 5503(a)(1) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Registration for Residential Contractors is required as of April 1, 2023.
This chapter does not apply to: (1) an employee acting within the scope of his or her employment for a business organization registered under this chapter; (2)(A) a professional engineer, licensed architect, or a tradesperson licensed, registered, or certified by the Department of Public Safety acting within the scope of his or her license, registration, or certification; or (B) a business that performs residential construction if the work is performed primarily by or under the direct supervision of one or more employees who are individually exempt from registration under subdivision (2)(A) of this section; (3) delivery or installation of consumer appliances, audio-visual equipment, telephone equipment, or computer network equipment; (4) landscaping; (5) work on a structure that is not attached to a residential building; or (6) work that would otherwise require registration that a person performs in response to an emergency, provided the person applies for registration within a reasonable time after performing the work.
26 V.S.A. § 5502 · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-07
License classes
Class
Scope
Source
Residential contractor
Residential construction, which, unless otherwise exempt under section 5502, means to build, demolish, or alter a residential dwelling unit, or a building or premises with four or fewer residential dwelling units, in Vermont, and includes interior and exterior construction, renovation, and repair; painting; paving; roofing; weatherization; installation or repair of heating, plumbing, solar, electrical, water, or wastewater systems; and other activities the Office specifies by rule consistent with this chapter
(b) Unless otherwise exempt under section 5502 of this title, as used in this chapter, “residential construction” means to build, demolish, or alter a residential dwelling unit, or a building or premises with four or fewer residential dwelling units, in this State and includes interior and exterior construction, renovation, and repair; painting; paving; roofing; weatherization; installation or repair of heating, plumbing, solar, electrical, water, or wastewater systems; and other activities the Office specifies by rule consistent with this chapter.
26 V.S.A. § 5501(b) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-07
Requirements
Liability insurance. Minimum liability insurance coverage of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 aggregate; evidence of it may be required as a precondition to issuance or renewal of a registration. Source: 26 V.S.A. § 5509(a)
Other. A registered person executes a written contract prior to receiving a deposit or commencing residential construction work if the estimated value of the labor and materials exceeds $10,000.00. Source: 26 V.S.A. § 5509(b)(1)
Other. For eligibility, the Director of Professional Regulation finds that the applicant is in compliance with the chapter and applicable State law and has satisfied any judgment order related to the provision of professional services to a homeowner. Source: 26 V.S.A. § 5508
A person registered under this chapter shall maintain minimum liability insurance coverage in the amount of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 aggregate, evidence of which may be required as a precondition to issuance or renewal of a registration.
26 V.S.A. § 5509(a) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
A person registered under this chapter shall execute a written contract prior to receiving a deposit or commencing residential construction work if the estimated value of the labor and materials exceeds $10,000.00.
26 V.S.A. § 5509(b)(1) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
To be eligible for registration, the Director of Professional Regulation shall find that the applicant is in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and applicable State law and has satisfied any judgment order related to the provision of professional services to a homeowner.
26 V.S.A. § 5508 · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-07
Fees
Fee
Amount
As of
Source
Registration, individual (paid at initial application and biennial renewal)
A person regulated under this chapter shall pay the following fees at initial application and biennial renewal: (1) Registration, individual: $75.00. (2) Registration, business organization: $250.00.
26 V.S.A. § 5507 · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
26 V.S.A. § 5507 (history note) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-07
Term and continuing education
Term and renewal. The registration fees are paid at initial application and at biennial renewal
Contracting without a license
A person who does not register as required by the chapter may be subject to an injunction or a civil penalty, or both, for unauthorized practice as provided in 3 V.S.A. § 127(b).
(a) A person who does not register as required pursuant to this chapter may be subject to an injunction or a civil penalty, or both, for unauthorized practice as provided in 3 V.S.A. § 127(b).
26 V.S.A. § 5510(a) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Registering with the Office of Professional Regulation
Vermont's credential for residential construction is a registration, issued by the Office of Professional Regulation within the Vermont Secretary of State. The residential contractors chapter requires a person to register with that Office before entering into a contract with a homeowner for residential construction where the consideration is more than $10,000.00, with labor and materials both counted toward that figure [1]. The Office states that registration for residential contractors became required as of April 1, 2023 [2].
The chapter also describes what registration is not: its mandatory system does not aim to set standards for professional qualifications, nor for workmanship that is otherwise lawful [1].
What residential construction means here
The class is the residential contractor, and its scope rests on the chapter's definition of residential construction: work to build, demolish or alter a residential dwelling unit, or a building or premises with four or fewer such units, in Vermont, unless section 5502 exempts it [1]. The definition goes on to include interior and exterior construction, renovation and repair, work such as painting, roofing and the installation or repair of heating, plumbing, electrical and other systems, and other activities the Office specifies by rule consistent with the chapter [1].
Work and people outside the chapter
Section 5502 lists what the chapter does not apply to. Among the entries are employees acting within the scope of their employment for a registered business organization, professional engineers, licensed architects and Department of Public Safety credentialed tradespeople acting within their credential, landscaping, and work done in an emergency, provided the person applies for registration within a reasonable time afterward [1].
Insurance, contracts and eligibility
The chapter requires a registered person to maintain liability insurance of at least $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 aggregate, and proof of that coverage may be required before a registration is issued or renewed [1].
A registered person must also have a written contract in place before taking a deposit or starting residential construction work whenever the estimated value of the labor and materials exceeds $10,000.00 [1].
For an applicant to be eligible, the Director of Professional Regulation must find the applicant in compliance with the chapter and applicable State law, with any judgment order tied to professional services for a homeowner satisfied [1].
Cost and the two-year cycle
The statute sets a registration fee for individuals and another for business organizations, each paid at initial application and again at biennial renewal [1]. As of July 1, 2022, the individual registration fee is $75 per two years [1]. As of July 1, 2022, the business organization registration fee is $250 per two years [1].
Consequences of skipping registration
Section 5510 links a failure to register to unauthorized practice under 3 V.S.A. § 127(b), and says it may bring an injunction, a civil penalty or both [1].
