STATE LICENSE
NoneSee what applies
Framing is structural work, and in Ohio structural work is a city credential. No state statute licenses framers or carpenters. Columbus splits it by building age: a General Contractor registration covers new one- to three-family homes and commercial structures, while structural work on an existing 1-3 family home requires a Home Improvement General license (three years of hands-on experience, the 767 exam, board approval). Toledo's Certified Remodeling Contractor may perform all residential construction after passing the ICC Building Contractor C exam and a city code exam. Cincinnati names carpentry explicitly in its Building Construction Contractor class.
State law adds contract and employer duties — R.C. 4722 on residential contracts over $25,000 and state-fund workers' compensation at one employee — but nothing that licenses the framer.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Columbus (City Code Chapter 4114) divides structural work by building: General Contractors build new 1-3 family, multi-family and commercial structures and alter existing commercial and multi-family buildings ($25,000 bond; $300,000/$500,000 liability), while Home Improvement General contractors handle structural work on existing 1-3 family homes after three years of hands-on experience, the 767 exam and board approval. Toledo's Board of Control approves Certified Remodeling Contractors, who pass ICC Building Contractor C and a city exam, carry $100,000 to $300,000 liability, renew each December 31, and from 2026 complete 10 hours of CE a year. Cincinnati registers carpentry under its Building Construction Contractor class (Chapter 1106). Cleveland requires contractors who build or rehabilitate homes to be bonded, insured and registered. Akron registers anyone whose work requires a permit.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Ohio 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.
Framing a new house is General Contractor work; framing an addition to an existing house is Home Improvement work — different licenses.
Toledo's Certified Remodeling Contractor passes ICC Building Contractor C (767-OH-GC) and then an open-book city exam on Toledo zoning and building code.
Framing crews working under a registered GC on a city permit should confirm whether the city also requires their own registration — Cincinnati requires a subcontractor list with the certificate of occupancy request.
A practical sequence for a new framing contractor in Ohio. 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.
Working in Cincinnati without Chapter 1106 registration.
Attorney General enforcement of R.C. 4722 on residential contracts.
Noncomplying employers lose common-law defenses to employee injury suits.
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: ICC exam fees (set by ICC, not published on the city pages fetched) · Whether framing subcontractors working under a registered prime must hold their own registration in Columbus and Cleveland
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.