Utah contractor license lookup with DOPL
How to check a Utah contractor license with DOPL: classifications like B100 and R100, the $7,000 handyman limit, insurance and workers' comp, and common traps.
Updated
Utah licenses contractors statewide through the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), part of the Utah Department of Commerce. You check a license on DOPL's Licensee Lookup and Verification System, searching by name or license number. The license is issued to the business entity, and it lists the classifications the contractor is allowed to perform.
When a license is required
Utah's handyman exemption (Utah Code 58-55-305) lets an unlicensed person do alteration, repair, remodeling, or improvement work on a building only when the contracted value is less than $7,000, counting labor, materials, and all changes. Above $3,000, that person must file an affirmation with DOPL that they carry liability insurance and, if they have employees, workers' comp. The exemption does not cover plumbing, electrical, HVAC, alarm, or radon mitigation work, which must be done by licensed contractors.
Older pages still cite a $3,000 or $1,000 limit; read the current statute. On commercial and property work, assume a sub needs a license.
Classifications
DOPL issues one contractor license with one or more classifications. The general contractor classifications are:
| Code | Classification |
|---|---|
| B100 | General Contractor |
| R100 | Residential/Small Commercial Contractor |
| E100 | General Engineering Contractor |
| P200 | General Plumbing Contractor |
| P201 | Residential Plumbing Contractor |
| E200 | General Electrical Contractor |
| E201 | Residential Electrical Contractor |
Specialty classifications cover single trades, and the Utah administrative rules (R156-55a) describe each scope. A plumbing contractor must have a master plumber as its qualifier and an electrical contractor a master electrician. Check that the classification on the record matches your scope.
Insurance, workers' comp, and renewal
DOPL requires general liability insurance with DOPL as certificate holder. As of April 20, 2026, DOPL lists the minimum as $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate for all contractors. A contractor with employees must file a workers' compensation certificate. A contractor without employees must get a Workers' Compensation Coverage Waiver from the Utah Labor Commission instead.
All contractor licenses expire on November 30 of each odd year, so the next renewal is November 30, 2027. Every active license must keep liability insurance and financial responsibility in place. If a corporation or LLC lets its registration with the Division of Corporations expire, the contractor license expires with it, whatever date the license shows.
How to check a license
- Open the DOPL license lookup.
- Search by license number, or by name with the Contractor profession selected.
- Confirm the licensee name matches the entity on your subcontract.
- Read the status, classifications, and expiration date.
- Check DOPL's disciplinary actions and citations search if anything looks off.
Only an active license authorizes the work. An inactive license is exempt from the insurance requirement and must be reactivated before it can be used.
What to ask a subcontractor for
- The DOPL license number and exact name on the license
- The classifications they hold for your scope
- The qualifier's name, and the master plumber or electrician for those trades
- A certificate of insurance in the licensee's name
- A workers' comp certificate, or the Labor Commission waiver if they have no employees
Common traps
- The license is the company's. The FAQ says the license stays with the company when the qualifier leaves, and the company has 60 days to replace the qualifier. Ask if the qualifier changed.
- Wrong classification. An active license with the wrong classification does not cover the work.
- Handyman over the limit. An unlicensed handyman cannot take a job valued at $7,000 or more, or any plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work.
- Expired entity. Check the entity is active with the Division of Corporations.
- 1099 workers. DOPL says paying an unlicensed worker on a 1099 is illegal. Workers must be employees or licensed contractors.
- Waiver with a crew. A workers' comp waiver means no employees.
Check the city too
Utah cities and counties issue business licenses and building permits, separate from the DOPL license. Ask the building department where the project is. Rules change, so confirm requirements with DOPL. This is not legal advice.
For related reading, see workers comp exemptions for sole proprietors and the Colorado license guide.
Check this automatically
ComplySub checks contractor license status for California, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. Utah license tracking is not built in yet, so keep the DOPL record in the vendor file. For the insurance side, ComplySub checks a Utah sub's certificates against the requirements you set once and flags gaps and expirations. Vendors upload through a link without an account, and reminders go out before dates lapse.
This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance and licensing rules vary by state, carrier, and contract; confirm what applies to you with your insurance professional, attorney, or licensing board.