Handyman Business Permit Requirements in Columbus, OH

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Ohio — No Statewide Handyman License

   Ohio does not license handymen or general contractors at the state level. It does license five specialty trades statewide — electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, and hydronics — through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board under ORC Chapter 4740, so any work in those trades needs a state contractor license regardless of city. Everything else is left to municipalities: Columbus requires its own Home Improvement Contractor license as described above, and other Ohio cities set their own rules, so always verify with the specific municipality.

   Official government source

   N/A·N/A

   N/A

   N/A

1. Columbus Home Improvement General Contractor License

   The City of Columbus requires a Home Improvement General Contractor license for structural additions, alterations, or repairs to existing 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings and for accessory structures or garages serving them. It requires three full years of hands-on experience in the home improvement field and a passing score of 70% or higher on the ICC 767 Ohio Home Improvement Contractor exam; applications are reviewed by the Board of General and Home Improvement Contractors. A separate Home Improvement Limited Contractor license covers single specializations such as roofing, siding, windows, decks, or fencing and requires only one full year of hands-on experience in that field, with no exam.

   Official government source

   $650 for the first year ($300 new application fee plus $350 annual contractor license fee), then $350 per year to renew, per the City's 2026 Combined Development Related Fee Schedule. The ICC exam fee is paid separately to ICC.·4–8 weeks (includes exam scheduling)

   $650 for the first year ($300 new application fee plus $350 annual contractor license fee), then $350 per year to renew, per the City's 2026 Combined Development Related Fee Schedule. The ICC exam fee is paid separately to ICC.

   4–8 weeks (includes exam scheduling)

Official Sources

• City of Columbus — Contractor Licenses
• Ohio Department of Commerce

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