STATE LICENSE
RequiredMassachusetts Board of Building Regulatio…
General contracting in Massachusetts runs on two separate credentials. The Construction Supervisor License (CSL), issued by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards under 780 CMR 110.R5, is required for the person supervising construction, alteration, repair, or demolition of 1- and 2-family dwellings and of any building under 35,000 cubic feet; larger buildings are controlled by a registered design professional instead. Applicants need three years of experience within the past ten years and must pass a PSI exam — on the 10th-edition building code since January 1, 2025.
Separately, M.G.L. c. 142A, § 9 requires anyone contracting on an existing owner-occupied home of one to four units to register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation: $150 plus a one-time Guaranty Fund payment of $100–$500 by headcount, renewed every two years for $100. The Guaranty Fund now compensates homeowners up to $25,000 for unpaid judgments against registered contractors.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
780 CMR is a single statewide building code (M.G.L. c. 143, § 94); local building commissioners enforce it, issue permits, and record the supervising CSL holder and HIC registration on each permit. Municipalities may also adopt DOER's stretch or specialized energy codes (225 CMR 22.00/23.00), so check the town before pricing energy work. There is no separate local contractor license for building work in the state framework, but the BBRS advises checking with the local building official for additional requirements.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Massachusetts 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.
The CSL (BBRS) licenses the supervisor; HIC registration (OCABR) registers the business contracting with homeowners. Neither substitutes for the other.
OCABR's current pages state the fund compensates eligible homeowners up to $25,000 — only if the contractor was registered and pulled the permit.
The 10th edition of 780 CMR (2021 I-Codes) took effect October 11, 2024 and became the only code after June 30, 2025; CSL exams switched to it January 1, 2025.
A practical sequence for a new general contracting contractor in Massachusetts. 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.
Knowingly, willfully, or negligently performing residential contracting on an owner-occupied 1–4 unit home without a certificate of registration — or after it lapses, is suspended, or is revoked.
Supervising regulated construction without the required CSL violates 780 CMR, which is the state building code; practice on an expired CSL is expressly prohibited (780 CMR 110.R5.2.5).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hampden County Springfield (consolidated gov.) | City of Springfield Department of Code Enforcement — Building Division ↗ | Springfield Building Permit Lookups (OpenGov) ↗ |
| Suffolk County Boston (consolidated gov.) | City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) ↗ | ISD Online Permits and Licenses ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Initial CSL license fee and PSI exam fee — mass.gov lists only the $100 renewal fee; c. 142A, § 11 ties the HIC fee to the CSL fee, which suggests but does not confirm a $150 initial CSL fee · Statutory or regulatory source of the $25,000 Guaranty Fund cap shown on OCABR's pages (c. 142A, § 6 as retrieved states no dollar cap; the change date was not found) · The homeowner exemption language in 780 CMR (10th ed.) Chapter 1 — referenced by the BBRS but not retrieved · Whether a workers' compensation affidavit is collected at HIC registration or only at permit application (not confirmed on an official page)
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.