Permits and licensing · Alabama
Renovation permits and contractor licences in Alabama
Alabama splits contractor licensing across five state boards: general contractors, home builders, electrical contractors, plumbers and gas fitters, and heating and air conditioning contractors. Which one matters to you depends on the work, and for general contracting on the cost of the job, which Alabama law sets. Building permits come from your city or county, not from the state.
Regulators and licensing bodies in Alabama
These official bodies license contractors, oversee safety or issue permits in Alabama.
Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors
Licenses general contractors, which Alabama law defines as anyone who undertakes to construct or superintend the construction, alteration, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, remediation, reclamation or demolition of a building, structure, site work, grading, paving or improvement where the cost including labor and materials reaches the level set in law. Subcontractors working under a licensed prime contractor must be licensed by the Board at the same thresholds. It publishes a searchable roster of licensees.
Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board
Regulates the residential construction and remodeling industries to safeguard the public's health, safety and welfare. It runs a licensee search and tells consumers to use it before signing a contract above the value it names. Alabama law also lets the Board establish or adopt residential building codes and standards of practice for residential home builders.
Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors
Licenses electrical contractors and journeyman electricians in Alabama. Its consumer section lets you search licensed electrical contractors and journeymen, and file a complaint against one.
Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
Licenses plumbing and gas fitting contractors and requires continuing education of its licensees. It publishes separate searches for individual licensees and for licensed businesses, and its own guidance for homeowners hiring in those trades.
Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors
Licenses and regulates HVAC and refrigeration contractors in Alabama. Consumers can find a licensed contractor through its lookup, and complaints about HVAC work must be filed within the window the Board sets after the work is completed.
Trades that need a licence in Alabama
General contracting and renovation
Alabama's general contractor licence turns on the cost of the undertaking, including labor and materials, at the level state law sets, and swimming pool work has its own, much lower threshold. A subcontractor working under a licensed prime contractor has to be licensed at the same thresholds, so ask the main contractor which subs are licensed too.
Sources:Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors – Law(opens in a new tab)Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors – License search(opens in a new tab)
New-home building and warranty
For a new home, or a remodel or repair of an existing one, the Home Builders Licensure Board is the board to check. It tells you to verify the builder in its licensee search before you sign a contract above the value it names, to ask to see the home builder licence card, and to ask whether the builder carries insurance and for proof of it.
Sources:Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board – How to hire a builder(opens in a new tab)Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board – Consumers(opens in a new tab)
Electrical work
Electrical contractors and journeyman electricians are licensed by their own state board, separate from the general contractor and home builder boards. Search the board's list of licensed electrical contractors and journeymen before the work starts, and use the same site to complain if it goes wrong.
Sources:Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors – Consumers(opens in a new tab)
Plumbing
The plumbing and gas fitters board tells homeowners to check whether licensing is required by their city, county and state, and then to check that the contractor actually holds those licences. It also says to verify the company is insured against workers' compensation, property damage and personal liability claims, to get written bids from several contractors, and to be cautious about paying for work or materials before the job begins.
Certified trades
HVAC and refrigeration contractors hold a separate Alabama licence again. The board's lookup needs at least two search criteria, so have the company name and city or licence number to hand, and note that complaints about HVAC work have to be filed within the window the board sets after the work is completed.
Sources:Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors – Consumers(opens in a new tab)Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors – Licensee lookup(opens in a new tab)
Building and renovation permits in Alabama
Permits come from your city or county. The state's Division of Construction Management enforces the State Building Code only on state-owned or state-funded property, schools, hotels and motels and movie theatres, and says plainly that it has no jurisdiction over residential property. In Huntsville a property owner may buy a building permit only if they plan to live in the house for at least a year after final completion; otherwise a homebuilder licensed in the city pulls it, and every contractor and subcontractor needs a city business licence. Birmingham's Permitting and Inspection Division enforces all adopted building codes within the city limits and inspects building, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical work.
Sources:Alabama Division of Construction Management – State Building Code(opens in a new tab)Huntsville – Building licence and permits(opens in a new tab)Birmingham – Permitting and Inspection Division(opens in a new tab)
Permit information from large municipalities
Before you hire a contractor in Alabama
Practical checks you can do yourself, using official tools where they exist.
For a job above the cost level Alabama law sets, check the firm in the general contractors licence search before you sign.
Official lookup: Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors – License search(opens in a new tab)
For a new house, a remodel or a repair, verify the builder with the Home Builders Licensure Board and ask to see the licence card.
Official lookup: Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board – How to hire a builder(opens in a new tab)
For electrical work, confirm the contractor and the electricians appear in the electrical board's list.
Official lookup: Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors – Consumers(opens in a new tab)
For plumbing or gas fitting, check the individual licence and the business licence, and ask for proof of insurance.
Official lookup: Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board – Licensee search(opens in a new tab)
For heating or air conditioning, look the contractor up with the HVAC board before the equipment is ordered.
Official lookup: Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors – Licensee lookup(opens in a new tab)
Ask your city's inspections office which permits the job needs and whether the contractor needs a local business licence.
Official lookup: Huntsville – Building licence and permits(opens in a new tab)
Sources for renovation permits and licences in Alabama
Every fact on this page comes from these official sources.
- Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors – Law(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors – License search(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board – How to hire a builder(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board – Law(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors – Consumers(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board – Hiring a plumbing or gas fitting contractor(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board – Licensee search(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors – Consumers(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors – Licensee lookup(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board – Consumers(opens in a new tab)
- Alabama Division of Construction Management – State Building Code(opens in a new tab)
- Huntsville – Building licence and permits(opens in a new tab)
- Birmingham – Permitting and Inspection Division(opens in a new tab)
Find licensed pros
Compare local pros for the regulated trades in this guide, then confirm their licence with the regulator before you hire.
Renovation permits in other states
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Planning a renovation?
Describe your project once and hear from local pros. Ask each one for their licence and permit details before you hire.