STATE LICENSE
ConditionalDelaware Division of Revenue (Department …
Painting is alteration and repair of structures, so a painting business working for others is a 'contractor' under 30 Del. C. § 2501 and needs the Division of Revenue contractor license ($75 per year) with a workers' compensation certificate and a Department of Labor certificate of notice. There is no painting license, exam, or experience requirement; contractors pay a 0.6472% gross receipts license fee.
Renovation that disturbs paint in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 falls under the federal EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule, requiring a certified firm and a certified renovator. 'Painting or coating' is expressly a home improvement under Delaware's home improvement fraud statute, 11 Del. C. § 916.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Delaware's contractor license is a state Division of Revenue license; it does not test competency and does not replace local requirements. The Division of Revenue says your city and/or county may also require its own business license, and building permits and inspections come from New Castle, Kent, or Sussex County or the municipality where the work is. Electrical work is inspected statewide by Board-licensed third-party inspection agencies (24 Del. C. § 1420), and counties and municipalities may adopt plumbing, HVACR, and fuel gas codes that do not conflict with state licensing law (24 Del. C. § 1832).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Delaware county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Delaware's contractor license comes from the Division of Revenue: a fee, workers' comp proof, and gross receipts filings — no exam and no experience requirement.
Disturbing paint in pre-1978 homes or child-occupied facilities requires EPA RRP firm certification and a certified renovator on the job.
11 Del. C. § 916 expressly covers roofs, siding, driveways, sidewalks, pools, painting, and more; penalties climb from a misdemeanor to a class B felony with the homeowner's loss.
A practical sequence for a new painting contractor in Delaware. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
A nonresident contractor that fails or refuses to file the required surety bond or give notice of completion.
A contractor, construction manager, architect, or engineer who fails to report a contract with a nonresident contractor within 10 days.
False promises, misstatements, or failing to apply a homeowner's money to the job.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Current value of the $1,500,000 quarterly-filing lookback threshold in 30 Del. C. § 2502(c)(2), which is adjusted annually under § 515 (adjusted figure not retrieved) · The specific penalty for contracting without a Division of Revenue contractor license — chapter 25 itself states none; the general Title 30 enforcement provisions were not retrieved · Which Delaware cities and counties require their own business or contractor licenses and at what fee — the Division of Revenue FAQ says some do but lists none · Whether Delaware administers its own authorized lead RRP program or EPA administers it directly in Delaware (presumed EPA; not confirmed)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.