How to check a contractor license in Maine

Maine does not license home construction contractors, so there is no state record to look up for a builder or remodeler. Electricians and plumbers are different: the Electricians' Examining Board and the Plumbers' Examining Board license them, and you can search both in the state's online license lookup. For other contractors, insist on a written contract.

How do I check a contractor license in Maine?

For electricians and plumbers, search the state's online license lookup, which the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation runs. For general contractors and remodelers there's no state license to look up.

Get the person's full name and license number.
Open the state's license lookup and choose Search Individuals, or Search Companies for a business.
Pick Electricians or Plumbers as the regulator, then search by last name, first name or license number.
Confirm the license type and status, and check that the name matches the person doing the work.

We last checked this lookup on 2026-10-19. The lookup didn't load when we tested it outside a browser that day, so open it in a regular web browser. If it still won't load, call the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation at 207-624-8603.

Does Maine require a general contractor license?

No. The Maine Attorney General's office has said that home construction and repair contractors are not licensed or regulated in Maine.

That statement comes from a 2006 press release about the home construction contract law, so it's old. Before a big job, ask your town's code enforcement office whether anything has changed.

Who licenses electricians and plumbers in Maine?

The Electricians' Examining Board licenses electricians, and the Plumbers' Examining Board licenses plumbers. Both boards sit within the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, and both appear in the state's online license lookup.

Maine law names the boards in 32 MRSA 1101 for electricians and 32 MRSA 3301 for plumbers. The lookup covers dozens of professions, so pick the right board as the regulator before you search.

Does Maine require a written contract for home repairs?

Yes, for any home construction contract over $3,000 in materials or labor. Under 10 MRSA 1487, the contract must be in writing, both the contractor and the homeowner must sign it, each must get a copy before work starts, and the down payment can be no more than one third of the price.

The law also lists what the contract has to include. That means both sides' names, addresses and phone numbers, the start and completion dates, the price and how it's paid, a description of the work and materials, and a warranty statement. It also requires a way to resolve disputes and a process for change orders.

What should you check when Maine has no contractor license?

With no state record for a builder, the paperwork has to do the job a license search would. Start with the contract and work out from there.

Get the written contract the law requires on jobs over $3,000.
Ask for a current certificate of insurance and a few references you can call.
Ask the town code enforcement office whether the job needs a permit.
Look up any electrician or plumber on the job in the state license lookup.

A job near a state line can involve a contractor based next door, so check that state's records too. The lookup for New Hampshire is on its own page.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm details with the Maine Attorney General's office.

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 Maine you still run the lookup above by hand. Here's how Proferral's license checks work.

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