Can a handyman do a small job in Michigan without a license?

The builder and repair license rule doesn't cover a whole job under $600. But electrical, plumbing, and heating work need their own licenses, except small plumbing fixes like clearing a clog.

Can I do my own electrical work in Michigan?

State law lets a homeowner do electrical work in a single-family home they own and live in, or will live in. Check with your local building department about permits.

Can I cancel a deal I made with a salesperson at my home?

In many cases, yes. If a seller asked you to buy at your home and the sale is over $25, you can cancel. You have until midnight of the third business day after you sign.

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Who can fix it in Michigan? Handyman and contractor license rules

Checked October 20, 2026 against Michigan law and state agency pages · General information, not legal advice

The short answer: Michigan has no handyman license. A worker without a state builder or repair contractor license may only take a home job that costs less than $600 in all. That counts labor and materials.

“the aggregate contract price for the labor, material, and any other items for the undertaking or project is less than $600.00” — Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(f)

What that means for your job

The $600 counts the whole project. Splitting a bigger job into small bills to stay under $600 is not allowed.
Electrical, plumbing, and heating and cooling work each need a state license. Small plumbing fixes, like clearing a clog or replacing a faucet, are an exception.
You can do your own work on a single-family home you own and live in, including electrical, plumbing, and heating. Get the permits first.

Trades that need a license in Michigan

General building and home improvement: Home jobs of $600 or more need a state license. It can be a residential builder license, or a license for one trade like carpentry, concrete, or siding. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(f); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2404(3))
Electrical: Electrical contractors need a license from the state or, in some places, the city. The wiring must be done by licensed electricians, with a few exceptions. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5737(1)-(2))
Plumbing: Plumbing work needs a state plumbing license. Minor repairs, like clearing a clog or replacing a faucet or valve, are an exception. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6107(1); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6107(2)(a); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6103(b))
Heating and air conditioning: Heating and cooling work needs a state mechanical license. There are license types for HVAC equipment, heating service, and AC service. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5807(2); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5809(1))
Roofing: Roofing is one of the trades under the maintenance and alteration license. A roofing job of $600 or more needs that license or a residential builder license. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(f); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2404(3))

Before you sign with a contractor

Say a seller asks you to buy at your home, and you agree to a sale of more than $25. You can cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign.
There is an exception for emergency work you ask for. It applies only if the seller has already started the work. You must also give the seller a signed note, in your own handwriting, giving up the right to cancel.
A licensed builder or repair contractor must give you the whole agreement, including any finance charges. The state can discipline one who doesn't.
You can file a complaint with LARA about a licensed builder or repair contractor. For a repair job, file within 18 months after the work is done, you move in, or you buy, whichever is last.

Sources: (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2411(1); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2411(2)(h); Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.111(a) (Home Solicitation Sales Act); Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.112(1); Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.112(5)(a)-(b))

Doing the work yourself

You don't need a builder license to work on a building on your own property for your own use.
If you own a rental, you don't need a builder or repair contractor license to fix it up yourself. Wiring, plumbing, and heating work have their own rules.
You may do your own electrical work in a single-family home you own and live in, or will live in.
You may do your own plumbing in your own single-family home if you get a permit.
You may put in your own heating or cooling system in the single-family home you live in. You must get the permit yourself and pass the final inspection.

Sources: (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(b)-(c); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5737(3)(g); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6107(2)(d); Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5819)

Check a license in Michigan

Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes

Ask for the license number, then look it up yourself. Check that the name and the license type match the work. See how to check any contractor's license.

Common jobs: who should do them

These are the tool's answers for each job. The Michigan rules above decide who may do it. Tap a job to see why, where to stop, and what to ask.

Job	Who should do it
Replace a toilet	It depends
Replace a kitchen or bathroom faucet	DIY
Replace a water heater	Pro
Replace a dishwasher	It depends
Replace a light fixture	It depends
Put a ceiling fan where a light was	It depends
Replace an outlet or light switch	It depends
Replace your old thermostat	It depends
Patch a hole in drywall	It depends
Paint a room	It depends
Replace a few cracked ceramic tiles	Handyman
Put in new flooring	It depends
Replace an interior door	It depends
Clean the gutters	It depends
Replace an outside window or door	Pro
Replace the roof	Pro

What could change

A bill would let people whose only business is sanding floors work without a builder or repair contractor license. As written, it keeps the $600 rule the same. Status as of 2026-10-20: The bill was sent to the House Regulatory Reform committee on 9/11/2025. The bill page lists no later committee action. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(f); House Bill 4912 of 2025, bill page; House Bill 4912 of 2025, bill history; House Bill 4912 of 2025, introduced text)

Common questions

Can a handyman do a small job in Michigan without a license?: The builder and repair license rule doesn't cover a whole job under $600. But electrical, plumbing, and heating work need their own licenses, except small plumbing fixes like clearing a clog.
Can I do my own electrical work in Michigan?: State law lets a homeowner do electrical work in a single-family home they own and live in, or will live in. Check with your local building department about permits.
Can I cancel a deal I made with a salesperson at my home?: In many cases, yes. If a seller asked you to buy at your home and the sale is over $25, you can cancel. You have until midnight of the third business day after you sign.

Sources

Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(f) — Michigan Legislature(f) A person that is working on 1 undertaking or project by 1 or more contracts, if the aggregate contract price for the labor, material, and any other items for the undertaking or project is less than $600.00. The exemption described in this subdivision does not apply if the work of a construction is only a part of a larger or major operation, whether undertaken by the same or a different residential builder or residential maintenance and alteration contractor, or in which a division of the operation is made in contracts of amounts less than $600.00, to evade this act.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2403(b)-(c) — Michigan Legislature(b) An owner of property, with reference to a structure on the property for the owner's own use and occupancy. (c) An owner of rental property, with reference to the maintenance and alteration of that rental property.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2404(3) — Michigan LegislatureA license includes the following crafts and trades: carpentry; concrete; swimming pool installation; waterproofing a basement; excavation; insulation work; masonry work; roofing; siding and gutters; screen or storm sash installation; tile and marble work; and house wrecking.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5737(1)-(2) — Michigan Legislature(1) Except as otherwise provided in this article or in subsection (3), a person shall not engage in the business of electrical contracting unless the person has received from the board or from the appropriate municipality an electrical contractor's license. (2) Except as otherwise provided in this article or in subsection (3), an individual, other than an individual who is licensed under this article and employed by and working under the direction of a holder of an electrical contractor's license, shall not in any manner undertake to execute any electrical wiring.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5737(3)(g) — Michigan Legislature(g) Any installation, alteration, or repair of electrical equipment by a homeowner in a single family home and accompanying outbuildings owned and occupied or to be occupied by the individual who is performing the installation, alteration, or repair of electrical equipment.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6107(1) — Michigan Legislature(1) A person shall not engage in or work at the business of a plumbing contractor, master plumber, journey plumber, or apprentice plumber unless that person is licensed or registered under this article.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6107(2)(a) — Michigan Legislature(2) A license under this article is not required to perform any of the following work: (a) Minor repair work.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6107(2)(d) — Michigan Legislature(d) The installation by a homeowner of his or her own plumbing, building sewer, or private sewer in his or her single-family dwelling if a permit is secured.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.6103(b) — Michigan Legislature(b) "Minor repair" means a repair that involves only the clearance of stoppages, repair, or replacement of a faucet or valve or reinstallation of that same plumbing fixture and does not involve making any modifications to the plumbing system, or residential domestic water treatment and filtering equipment.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5807(2) — Michigan Legislature(2) The department shall issue a mechanical contractor's license under this article with 1 or more of the following classifications and limitations: (a) Hydronic heating and cooling and process piping. (b) HVAC equipment. (c) Ductwork. (d) Refrigeration. (e) Limited heating service. (f) Limited refrigeration and air conditioning service. (g) Unlimited heating service. (h) Unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5809(1) — Michigan Legislaturean individual or other person shall not perform installations, alterations, or servicing of work classifications under section 807(2) that are regulated under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state construction code act unless the person, if the person is an individual, or an employee of the person has received a mechanical contractor's license from the department
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.5819 — Michigan LegislatureAn individual who is the owner of a single family dwelling that is, or on completion will become, his or her place of residence may personally install a heating or refrigerating system in the dwelling if the individual in his or her application for a permit affirms that he or she is or will become the owner and occupant of the dwelling in which the installation is done is completed and that the applicant will install the equipment in the dwelling for which the permit is requested. The applicant shall apply for and secure the required permits from the enforcing agency of the municipality and shall obtain the required inspection after the installation is completed and the equipment is placed in operation.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2411(1) — Michigan Legislature(1) A complaint filed under this section or article 5, or both, shall be made within 18 months after the latest of the following regarding a residential structure as follows: (a) In the case of a maintenance and alteration contract: (i) Completion. (ii) Occupancy. (iii) Purchase.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2411(2)(h) — Michigan Legislature(h) Failure to deliver to the purchaser the entire agreement of the parties including any finance or other charge arising out of or incidental to the agreement if the agreement involves repair, alteration, or addition to, subtraction from, improvement of, wrecking of, or demolition of a residential structure
Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.111(a) (Home Solicitation Sales Act) — Michigan Legislature(a) "Home solicitation sale" means a sale of goods or services of more than $25.00 in which the seller or a person acting for the seller engages in a personal, telephonic, or written solicitation of the sale, the solicitation is received by the buyer at a residence of the buyer, and the buyer's agreement or offer to purchase is there given to the seller or a person acting for the seller.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.112(1) — Michigan Legislature(1) Except as provided in subsection (5), in addition to any right otherwise to revoke an offer, a buyer has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement or offer to purchase that complies with this act.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.112(5)(a)-(b) — Michigan Legislature(5) A buyer may not cancel a home solicitation sale if the buyer requests the seller to provide goods or services without delay because of an emergency, and all of the following conditions are met: (a) The seller in good faith makes a substantial beginning of performance of the contract before the buyer gives notice of cancellation. (b) The buyer furnishes the seller with a separate dated and signed personal statement in the buyer's handwriting describing the situation requiring immediate remedy and expressly acknowledging and waiving the right to cancel the sale within 3 business days.
House Bill 4912 of 2025, bill page — Michigan LegislatureOccupations: individual licensing and registration; licensing of floor sanders; eliminate. Amends sec. 2403 of 1980 PA 299 (MCL 339.2403).
House Bill 4912 of 2025, bill history — Michigan Legislature9/11/2025 HJ 82 Pg. 954 referred to Committee on Regulatory Reform
House Bill 4912 of 2025, introduced text — Michigan Legislature(j) A person that engages solely in the business of sanding floors.

Checked October 20, 2026. We used AI-assisted research, then separate review passes that tried to prove each claim wrong against the law and agency pages above. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; confirm with the state board or your local building department before you hire or start work. See a mistake? Email [email protected].

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