How to check a contractor license in Montana

Montana's Department of Labor and Industry licenses construction contractors who have employees. The program replaced contractor registration on January 1, 2026, and active registrations became licenses. Search the contractor's name or number in the state's Licensee Lookup System, which also covers electricians and plumbers. The lookup shows license status, though some disciplinary actions may post late.

How do I check a contractor license in Montana?

Search the Licensee Lookup System run by the Department of Labor and Industry. The same search covers construction contractors, electricians and plumbers.

Get the contractor's business name or license number. If it isn't on the bid, ask for it in writing.
Open the Licensee Lookup System at ebizws.mt.gov and search for the construction contractor license.
Check that the license is active and that the business name matches the one on the bid and the contract.
If an electrician or plumber will be on the job, search their license in the same system.
If the contractor says they work under an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate instead, look that up in the same system too.

We last checked this lookup on 2026-10-19. The lookup refused our scripted request that day, so open it in a regular web browser. If it won't load for you, start from the Business Standards Division's construction contractor page or call the number listed there, (406) 444-6880.

Does Montana require a general contractor license?

Yes, for construction contractors with employees. House Bill 239 replaced contractor registration with a construction contractor license on January 1, 2026, and contractors with an active registration on December 31, 2025, were converted to the new license. The license shows the business is on file with the state, and it tells you nothing about the quality of the work.

Montana's definition is broad. It includes anyone who offers to build, alter or repair, and anyone who employs members of more than one trade on a single job, which is how a typical general contractor works.

What is an independent contractor exemption certificate in Montana?

It's a certificate from the Department of Labor and Industry that exempts an independent contractor from Montana's workers' compensation insurance requirement. An independent contractor must hold either the certificate or self-elected workers' compensation coverage. Anyone hiring the contractor can look up the certificate in the Licensee Lookup System.

The certificate is about workers' compensation, not skill, and no test is required to get one. The construction contractor page describes the license as being for contractors with employees and doesn't say what a one-person business needs, so ask the contractor which credential they hold and look it up. Questions about the certificate go to the department's program line at (406) 444-7734.

Who licenses electricians and plumbers in Montana?

The Department of Labor and Industry does, through the licensing boards in its Business Standards Division. Electrical and plumbing licensees appear in the same Licensee Lookup System as construction contractors.

What should you check beyond the license?

The department warns that some disciplinary actions may not be posted right away, because appeals and administrative processes can delay updates. A clean record today can still be missing a recent action. If something about a contractor worries you, call the department and ask.

The license also doesn't show work quality or whether insurance is current. Ask for a certificate of insurance dated close to the job, and confirm with the city or county that the permit is pulled in the contractor's name. If a client is moving out of Montana, the guides for other states cover their lookups.

A job near a state line can involve a contractor based next door, so check that state's records too. The lookups for Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota are on their own pages.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm details with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

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

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