STATE LICENSE
NoneMaine Attorney General — Consumer Protect…
Maine does not license or register general contractors. The Attorney General states it plainly: general contractors — and trades such as roofing and framing — are not licensed or regulated in Maine. Two attempts to change that failed: LD 1929, which would have licensed home building contractors, died at the end of the 131st Legislature on December 4, 2024, and LD 1226, which would have licensed residential building contractors, was reported out of committee in amended form in 2025 but died on adjournment on April 29, 2026.
What does apply is the Home Construction Contracts Act (10 M.R.S. ch. 219-A). Any contract to build, remodel, or repair a residence of 3 or fewer units for more than $3,000 must be in writing, signed by both parties, and contain the statutory terms — including a down payment capped at one-third of the price, the statutory warranty, a dispute-resolution election, and the Attorney General's consumer addendum. Violations draw a $100 to $1,000 forfeiture each and are prima facie unfair trade practices. Building permits come from municipalities, and the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code must be enforced in towns of more than 4,000 residents.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Maine has no state contractor license or registration for this trade, so the state layer is consumer law: the Home Construction Contracts Act applies to residential jobs (3 or fewer units) over $3,000. Building codes are local in practice — the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) must be enforced in municipalities with more than 4,000 residents (10 M.R.S. § 9724), through local building officials, shared officials, or certified third-party inspectors (25 M.R.S. § 2373). Smaller towns need not enforce MUBEC but may not adopt any other building code. Electrical, plumbing, and fuel-burning work belongs to state-licensed trades, and towns may not license those trades themselves.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Maine 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.
Maine issues no license and keeps no registry for this trade; the Attorney General warns homeowners to research contractors themselves.
Residential jobs over $3,000 need a written contract with the statutory terms; the AG publishes a free model contract and required addendum.
LD 1929 died in December 2024 and LD 1226 died on adjournment April 29, 2026; the question may return in a future Legislature.
A practical sequence for a new general contracting contractor in Maine. 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.
Each violation of the Home Construction Contracts Act — no written contract, missing terms, oversized deposit, unwritten change orders — is a civil violation.
A violation of the Act is prima facie evidence of a violation of the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act, opening the door to Attorney General enforcement and consumer suits.
Doing electrical, plumbing, or fuel-burning installation work without the required state license is unlicensed practice.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County Portland (consolidated gov.) | City of Portland Permitting and Inspections Department ↗ | Citizen Self Service (CSS) ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether any Maine city or town requires its own license or registration for general building trades — no statewide bar was found for general contractors (unlike electricians, plumbers, and fuel technicians, whom 32 M.R.S. §§ 1103, 3302(2), and 18105 protect from municipal licensing); check locally · The exact effective date of the 2021 I-code edition of MUBEC — the 16-642 C.M.R. ch. 5 rule text says it takes effect 90 days after the Public Safety Commissioner's approval, and the Bureau of Building Codes and Standards site blocked automated retrieval, so the date was not confirmed on an official page · Permit practice in municipalities of 4,000 or fewer residents, which need not enforce MUBEC (10 M.R.S. § 9724(1-A)) — whether a building permit is required there depends on local ordinance
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.