Which license each job needs in Baltimore City
| Work | What DHCD requires | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Construction work on 1- and 2-family dwellings | "Maryland Home Improvement License (MHIC) contractor" | Home Improvement search on labor.maryland.gov/pq |
| Underpinning, residential or commercial | MHIC licensed contractor | Same |
| Electrical, mechanical, gas and plumbing | "Requires a licensed contractor", registered in E-Permits | State Electricians, HVACR and Plumbing searches; City Licenses search |
| Plumbing and gas permits | Master plumber or master gas fitter "licensed to do business in the City" (§ 2903.3) | City Licenses search |
| Demolition (razing) | "Baltimore City licensed contractor" | City Licenses search |
| New homes | Home Builder Registration with the Attorney General; MHIC "does not cover new home construction" | Home Builder Registration Unit, (410) 576-6573 |
The DHCD rules are from its Building Permits page; the plumbing rule from § 2903 of the City's building code, which also says the application "must bear the name and address of the insured, licensed master plumber responsible for all work"; and the new-home rule from MHIC's FAQ, all read 26 October 2026. MHIC's home page sets the $500,000 liability insurance minimum in force since 1 June 2024.
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Ask for the MHIC number of the firm on your contract and search it under Home Improvement on the state's license searches.
- Electrician, HVAC contractor or plumber: search the person's license under Electricians, HVACR or Plumbing on the same page.
- Check City registration. In the City's Accela Licenses search, choose "Search by Licensed Professional Information". Its record types include Electrical Contractor Registration, Gas Fitter Contractor Registration, On-Site Utility Contractor Registration and Demolition Contractor License. A trade contractor not registered there cannot be added to your permit.
- Look up the house in the City's permit search, as the Baltimore building permit search guide shows.
Doing the work yourself
DHCD's page lists the work that "requires a contractor" and names no homeowner exception for it: construction on 1- and 2-family dwellings, demolition, and electrical, mechanical, gas and plumbing work. For plumbing, § 2903.3 lets the City issue permits only to licensed master plumbers, master gas fitters and on-site utility contractors. If you plan to do work on your own house, ask DHCD before you start; the City's plumbing and remodel permit guides cover what is exempt from a permit.
What our Baltimore pages add
The license searches answer "is this firm licensed". Our Baltimore page counts what the City permitted, June 2025 to September 2026:
| Kind of work | Permits (Jun 2025–Sep 2026) | Oct 2025–Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Remodels and repairs | 11,434 | 8,615 |
| Plumbing | 6,597 | 4,874 |
| Electrical | 6,348 | 4,691 |
| HVAC | 5,612 | 4,137 |
| Solar | 941 | 636 |
| Fences and walls | 738 | 515 |
| Roofing | 486 | 384 |
| Garages, sheds and shade structures | 435 | 324 |
| New homes | 323 | 240 |
| Demolition | 226 | 136 |
85% of the 37,029 permits were on homes. The permit statistics page has the months, and permits by ZIP code the areas. Statewide rules and the MHIC Guaranty Fund: How to check a contractor's license in Maryland. For the county around the city: Baltimore County contractor license lookup.
What this lookup does not tell you
The City's open permit file names no contractor and has no usable status, so we cannot show who did a job, match firms to licenses or say which permits were finished. Our file starts in June 2025, so it covers 16 months. A license says the firm may do the work, not how its last job went.
How we know this
License rules are quoted from Baltimore City DHCD's Building Permits page, § 2903 of the Baltimore City Building Code, the City's Accela Licenses search and the Maryland Home Improvement Commission's home and FAQ pages, read 26 October 2026. Counts are Open Baltimore's Housing and Building Permits layer, read 18 October 2026: permits issued June 2025 to September 2026, with the trade read from each permit's description.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- What license does a Baltimore City home improvement contractor need?
A Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license. DHCD's building permit page says construction work on 1- and 2-family dwellings requires an MHIC contractor, and so does underpinning. Since 1 June 2024 MHIC contractors must carry at least $500,000 in general liability insurance.
- Who can pull a plumbing permit in Baltimore City?
Under § 2903.3 of the City's building code, only a master plumber licensed to do business in the City, a master gas fitter licensed to do business in the City, or, for on-site utilities, a licensed on-site utility contractor.
- How do I check a Baltimore City contractor's license?
Search the MHIC number on the state's license searches at labor.maryland.gov/pq. For trade contractors, the City's Accela Citizen Access has a Licenses search that can search by licensed professional information, with record types such as Electrical Contractor Registration, Gas Fitter Contractor Registration and Demolition Contractor License.
- Does a Baltimore demolition contractor need a City license?
Yes. DHCD's building permit page says demolition (razing) permits require a Baltimore City licensed contractor.
- Is Baltimore City the same as Baltimore County?
No. Baltimore City is a separate jurisdiction with its own permit office and contractor registration. The county has its own rules; see our Baltimore County contractor license lookup.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- Building Permits — Baltimore City Department of Housing & Community Development (2026-10-26)
- Baltimore City Building Code, Plumbing, § 2903 — Baltimore City Codes (2026-10-26)
- Licenses search — Baltimore City Accela Citizen Access (2026-10-26)
- Maryland Home Improvement Commission — Maryland Department of Labor (2026-10-26)
- FAQs — Do You Need a License to Do That? — MHIC (2026-10-26)
- Occupational and Professional Licensing license searches — Maryland Department of Labor (2026-10-26)