Paint housesPermits and licensesProfitable business

What licenses are needed to paint houses

The House Painting Licenses are not always necessary, as everything depends on each state and its regulations. But if the state, city or county where you work requires it, it is important that you manage to stay within the law.

So now you’ll read if you need it or can work legally without it.

Types of House Paint Licenses

First of all you should think about the structure of your business, since you can be a sole proprietorship, a LLC or limited liability company or a corporation.

DBA: If you plan to create a company you need the licenses to paint houses, for example you must manage the DBA, as the registration of your company name, since this acronym corresponds to Doing Business As.

You will need it if you are a sole proprietor, have formed a limited liability company or corporation.

Commercial license: All companies must obtain the commercial license after having conformed the business structure and as a second step you will manage…

The EIN: You also need to obtain an EIN, is the tax identification number, as you need it if your work relates to the sale or purchase of retail or wholesale paint materials, as it is the essential number for employers, independent contractors, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies.

If you are independent, sole contractor, employer or paint company owner you need the EIN but you can also use your social security number instead of the EIN.

Therefore, as a paint company you will need the business license, which is the registration of the trade name, federal identification number and dealer permit.

If you plan to hire workers who will take care of the painting, you must obtain the state’s tax identification number, since the EIN is also the employer’s tax identification number.

If you plan to buy and sell paint in bulk, you must also obtain a sales tax identification number and bond insurance. You’ll even have to get permission to sell.

Even as you may accept credit cards, you must manage the opening of a merchant account and apply for a merchant checking account.

To open bank accounts you will need to have registered the fictitious trade name of your company.

Even once you get your checking account, it’s still a good idea to apply for overdraft protection so you can access a small business line of credit or loan.

However, only in certain states are you required to work as a licensed painter, but which states? you will read it below…

States requiring Licenses to paint houses

States that require Home painting licenses include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,, California, Connecticut

In Delaware: you need to process a license for tax purposes.

Idaho requires the management of a painter’s license if you will work locally.

In Iowa local licenses are required for all paint contractors, but you must be registered in the state as a paint contractor.

Kansas also handles licenses locally. In case you plan to work in Louisiana you should keep in mind that there is a state contractor licensing board that requires you to manage the license in addition to other permits that you will need to find out.

Maryland only requires you to be licensed if you are a home improvement contractor.

Michigan requires licenses for both a residential painter and commercial paint contractors.

In Minnesota if you are a paint contractor you must make a direct contract with the owner and therefore require a license, but if you are a commercial paint contractor you only need to register your company.

But if you are a painter who only subcontractors will not need to have a painter’s license, you can even be exempt if your annual gross income does not reach 15,000 dollars.

If you work in Missouri you will not need a painter’s license, but it will depend on each local government, as only some require it.

In North Carolina licenses are only required for very large painting jobs.

North Dakota and Ohio all contractors including paint contractors are required to be licensed.

Oregon has many regulations, so if you do a painting job you will have to comply with the license and all the requirements required by law.

If you work in Pennsylvania you must have an effective license as a paint contractor.

South Carolina only requires licenses for paint contractors if it is a company.

In Utah and Virginia all contractors including paint contractors must be licensed in addition to meeting all requirements required by law in both states.

In Washington a license is required for paint contractors in addition to being registered in the state.

In Colorado a painter’s license is usually not required but it will be up to each local government to decide whether or not to require it.

At Columbia you will only need a license if your work exceeds $300.

In Florida you will never need a license to work as a painter.

In Georgia due to recent changes in the law, paint contractors do not need a license to work.

Similarly, if you work in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky or Maine you will not need a license either.

In Massachusetts there is no need for you to obtain a painter’s license, but you will need a license if your work involves home improvement.

At Montana all paint contractors must be registered if they have employees, but there is no license for sole proprietorship without employees.

In Nebraska only registration is required for most jobs including painting.

In New Hampshire licensing is not required for contractors, nor is it required in New Mexico.

But in New Mexico you will need it if you do different types of painting work or other contracting.

In New Jersey only one license is required for home improvements.

The same way the law works in New York because it does not require a license but depends on each local government, as you may need it as a home improvement contractor.

Oklahoma does not require a license for most contractors, but many local governments do.

In the case of Rhode Island only registration is required for paint contractors.

In South Dakota and Texas no painter’s license is required.

In Tennessee licensing is only required for large painter’s works, but subcontractors do not need it unless it is a large project, as painters are subject to the rules of prime contractors.

In Vermont only paint companies are required to register, while licensing has to take place at the local level.

Similarly in Virginia only licenses are required for commercial paint contractors.

Finally in Wyoming no paint contractor license is required but you need to find out locally because in some places it may be mandatory.

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