Handyman Licenses in Maine – Everything You Need To Know

Understanding the laws is a must if you’d like to offer professional handyman services in Maine. Knowing what you can and can’t do will keep you safe from the law and confidently turning a profit.

I’ve poured over pages of difficult-to-understand legal jargon, spoken to state inspectors, and compiled the most critical information.

Here’s what I’ve found.

Do you Need a License to Offer Handyman Services in Maine?

No. There’s no license required to take on handyman work in the state, and, unlike most states, there’s no dollar limit on the projects you can accept.

While a license isn’t required, if you plan to use anything but your legal name in your business, a registration is. For example, if your name is Bob Jones and you want your business to be called “Bob Jones Handyman Services,” a “Doing Business As” (DBA) filing is mandated. The DBA registration costs only $10 and doesn’t expire or require renewal.

If you plan to limit your business name to your legal name (i.e., “Bob Jones”), there are no state requirements to start a business.

Finally, according to the clerk I spoke with at Maine’s Business Development Center, despite the state’s scant regulations for new businesses, individual municipalities can have their own conditions. To ensure you’re complying with the law, check in with your local city clerk’s office before embarking on your new venture.

Limitations for Unlicensed Handymen in Maine

While there are many plumbing tasks handymen can accept–swapping out (or repairing) faucets, sinks, and toilets, drain cleaning, and minor leak repair–they are restricted from taking on projects that require a plumbing permit. Only licensed plumbers can pull permits, which precludes handymen (unless the handyman happens to have a plumbing license). Plumbing projects that require a permit are neatly laid out here, making it easy to understand how to stay within the state’s legal framework.

In addition to speaking with Maine’s plumbing inspector, I was able to connect with the state’s electrical inspector. While a wide berth is provided for plumbing-related projects, the same can’t be said for electrical work. In fact, the only two forms of electrical work available to contractors or residents that aren’t licensed electricians include:

• “incidental work” done by property managers or maintenance workers. “By chance” is the key word here; if a worker breaks the toggle on a light switch “by chance” while performing other work, the employee can replace it.
• individuals granted a Single-Family Dwelling Exception. This exemption allows homeowners to perform electrical work on their own new construction, as long as they will be the one occupying the property. The exception doesn’t extend to work on a homeowner’s existing structure.

As you can see, neither of these exceptions extends to handymen. To stay within the law, handymen in Maine are advised to steer clear of electrical-related projects and home in on the large variety of maintenance and repair work legally available to them.

Advertising Restrictions

Maine’s Attorney General office has clear guidelines around advertising. Chapter 24 of the state’s Consumer Law Guide warns of the risk of misleading or misrepresenting yourself in ads.

For example, there are real penalties for marketing yourself as a licensed professional (electrical or otherwise) when you don’t hold that specialty license.

To stay within the law, be careful not to “oversell” yourself in advertisements, on websites, or on proposals and invoices.

Insurance Requirements

Handymen in Maine aren’t required to hold liability insurance.

While handymen aren’t obligated to carry this insurance, it’s a wise choice. You’ll protect yourself from potential legal fees if you inadvertently injure a customer or damage their property. Insurance is low cost if you get it here.

As far as Worker’s Compensation coverage, it’s not necessary for sole proprietors that work alone. That changes, however, if you have anyone working under you. If you have employees, you’ll need Worker’s Comp.

Penalties for Contracting Illegally

Handymen in Maine engaging in electrical or plumbing (outside of the exemptions noted above), or other licensed-only work (radon mitigation, oil burner service, etc.), put themselves at risk.

The penalty for performing work in these licensed-only professions is posted on Maine’s Legislature site under Unlicensed practice; civil penalties. Disciplinary actions are also exhibited under Liability for violations and Civil penalties.

Fines for transgressions run up to $5,000 and reach $25,000 for second-time violators.

Be smart—work within the parameters Maine has laid out for handymen, and tread the gray areas carefully. The penalties aren’t worth it.

Anything Else I Need to Know to Start a Handyman Business?

While a DBA registration isn’t required to perform handyman work in Maine, the process is so easy and the fee so modest that most handymen opt to take this step. This simple act allows them to assign themselves a moniker to help their business stand out. Filing is done through your local city clerk’s office.

Two other regulations to familiarize yourself with include written contracts and EINs (Employee Identification Numbers). Maine requires all projects over $3,000 to have a written contract as outlined here, and a federally-generated EIN for handymen with employees.

Finally, all small business owners are advised to adhere to the rules under Maine’s Consumer Rights Laws, accessed through the written contract link above. This will ensure you’re both making money and staying legally compliant.

Conclusion

Maine is a great place to start a handyman business.

Many Mainers rely on handymen to assist with home repair and small construction projects. Handymen in the state are fortunate that no license, education, or training is required to begin making money. And the process of starting a new business is one of the easiest I’ve come across in all the states I’ve researched.

As an added bonus, Maine offers complimentary business advising through the state’s Business Development Center. Certified advisors offer free guidance on growing, marketing, and managing small businesses.

And importantly, Maine doesn’t cap the price of jobs a handyman can tackle, which means your earnings are much less limited than in other states.

Do you offer handyman services in Maine?

If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment below to share any insights I may have missed.