How to check a contractor license in Kentucky

Kentucky has no state license for general contractors, so check a builder or remodeler with the city or county building department. The state does license plumbers, electricians and HVAC contractors through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC), and its license search lets you look them up by name, license number, license type and status.

How do I check a contractor license in Kentucky?

Use the HBC license search for plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors and the other trades the state licenses. For a general contractor there's no state license to look up, so ask the city or county building department instead.

Get the contractor's name and license number, and ask which trade the license covers.
Open HBC's license search.
Search by license number, licensee name or professional trade name, and pick the license type, such as Master Electrician, Master Plumber or Master HVAC Contractor.
Check the status. HBC uses labels such as Active, Expired, Suspended and Revoked, and the license number and dates only appear once a license is active.
Match the name on the record to the name on the bid and the contract.

We last checked this lookup on 2026-10-19. The search loaded normally that day. HBC's license search page says some license types aren't in this search and sends you to its JO Portal license search for them.

Does Kentucky require a general contractor license?

No. HBC's license requirements chart lists general erection and construction as no state license required, while plumbing, electrical, sprinkler and HVAC work all show state license required.

That leaves builders and remodelers to local rules. The same chart says inspections for general construction come from the state or the local jurisdiction, so the building department where the house sits is the place to ask. It's also where you can find out whether anyone pulled a permit for the job.

Who licenses electricians and plumbers in Kentucky?

The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC) does. It licenses electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors, along with fire protection contractors and manufactured housing installers, and one search covers all of them.

Licenses come in levels, so note which one the person holds. The search lists Journeyman Plumber and Master Plumber, Journeyman HVAC Mechanic and Master HVAC Contractor, and Electrician and Master Electrician as separate types. HBC's chart also gives a phone number for each trade, including 502-573-0397 for plumbing and 502-573-2002 for electrical.

What should you check when Kentucky has no general contractor license?

Check what the state does license, and get the rest in writing. A plumber's license tells you about the plumber, not about the builder running the job.

Call the city or county building department about local licensing and permits.
Ask for a current certificate of insurance, and check the dates on it.
Get a written contract with the business name, the price and the scope of work.
Look up every plumber, electrician and HVAC contractor on the job in the HBC search.

A job near a state line can involve a contractor based next door, so check that state's records too. The lookups for Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois are on their own pages.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm details with HBC.

Sources

Agents can keep these contractors in Proferral

Proferral is a free app real estate agents use to keep a go-to list of the providers they trust and to remember every referral they send. Its license checks cover Oregon and Washington only, so for Kentucky you still run the lookup above by hand. Here's how Proferral's license checks work.

Start your list, free

It's free, no credit card needed, and you're never charged unless you choose Pro.