How to check a masonry or chimney contractor

Which states license masonry and chimney contractors, their masonry classes, where to look one up, what to ask, and your right to cancel a sale at home.

Updated October 18, 20266 checks78 official sources

Your checklist6 checks before you hire

1Check the license or registration
2Chimney sweeps and hearth installers
3Get it in writing
4Buying at home and your right to cancel
5What to ask before work starts
6Red flags

You can check a mason or chimney company before anyone touches your house. Here's what each state asks for, where to look a company up, and what to ask before you sign.

Check the license or registration

Ask for the license or registration number and the name it's issued to, then look it up with the body that issued it. Make sure the name matches the business on your quote. The Federal Trade Commission suggests checking with your state or county to confirm a contractor's license.¹

Some states have a masonry class, some register every contractor, and some cover masonry with a general license above a job size. A dollar figure below is the job size a rule starts at, not a price.

State	What the state asks for, and where to check
Alabama	Masonry on a home, where the job costs more than $10,000 with labor and materials, needs a Residential Home Builder license from the Home Builders Licensure Board. The separate Licensing Board for General Contractors, for projects of $50,000 or more, lists Masonry among its Building Construction specialties.^2-3
Alaska	Every contractor registers with the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Its Masonry Contractor specialty covers chimneys of stone, brick or block, fireplaces, refractories and masonry fences and walls.^4-6
Arizona	Contractors need a license under Arizona's contractor law. Casual or minor jobs under $1,000 that need no local building permit are among its exemptions.⁷ Check a license.
Arkansas	Home improvement jobs over $2,000 need a license from the Residential Contractors Committee. Its specialty classifications include (W) Masonry, (BB) Retaining walls and (G) Chimneys, fireplaces.⁸
California	The Contractors State License Board's C-29 Masonry Contractor class covers brick, block, stone and fire brick for refractory work, with masonry walls, fences and thin brick facing.⁹ Check a license.
Connecticut	Contractors register as home improvement contractors with the Department of Consumer Protection for home jobs over $200.¹⁰ Check a registration.
Delaware	Contractors need a business license from the Division of Revenue.^11-12 Check a business license.
District of Columbia	Home improvement contractors need a business license from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, with a surety bond.¹³
Florida	The Construction Industry Licensing Board's Certified Structural Masonry Specialty Contractor license is voluntary, taken instead of a local specialty license. Casual, minor jobs under $2,500 are exempt, but not for anyone who advertises as a contractor.^14-16 Check a license.
Hawaii	A license from the Contractors License Board is needed for jobs over $1,500, and for a job that needs a building permit whatever its price. Its classes include C-31 Masonry contractor, C-31b Stone masonry contractor, C-31c Refractory contractor and C-31d Tuckpointing and caulking contractor.^17-19 Check a license.
Idaho	Contractors register with the Idaho Contractors Board. Casual or minor jobs under $2,000 are exempt.^20-22 Check a registration.
Iowa	Contractors who earn $2,000 or more a year from construction register with the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.^23-25
Louisiana	Work on an existing home of $7,500 or more needs a home improvement registration with the State Licensing Board for Contractors, and home jobs over $50,000 a Residential license. The board's Masonry, Brick, Stone subclassification (1.7) is one of its commercial license classifications.^26-29 Check a license.
Maryland	Contractors working on homes need a contractor license from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, which takes an exam and at least two years of home improvement or construction experience or related education.^30-31 Check a license.
Massachusetts	Contractors working on an existing owner-occupied home of one to four units register as Home Improvement Contractors with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. A licensed construction supervisor or registered design professional oversees the work on most such homes, and the Specialty CSL masonry license covers masonry that needs a permit.^32-34 Check a registration.
Michigan	Home repair or improvement work of $600 or more needs a Residential Builder or Maintenance and Alteration Contractor license from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Masonry is one of the Maintenance and Alteration trades, listed on the license of a holder who qualifies in it.^35-37 Check a license.
Mississippi	Improvements to an existing home costing more than $10,000 need a Residential Remodeler license from the State Board of Contractors. Its Masonry, Brick and Stone specialty is one of its commercial classifications.^38-39 Check a license.
Montana	Contractors need a Construction Contractor License from the Department of Labor and Industry. Casual, minor jobs under $2,500 and independent contractors with no employees are exempt.^40-42 Check a license.
Nebraska	Contractors register with the Department of Labor before doing construction work. Someone earning less than $5,000 a year from construction isn't covered.^43-44 Check a registration.
Nevada	Contractors need a State Contractors Board license, such as C-18 Masonry. Repair or maintenance work under $1,000 can be exempt, but not when it needs a building permit or is part of a larger project.^45-46 Check a license.
New Jersey	Home improvement contractor businesses register with the Division of Consumer Affairs and carry commercial general liability insurance.⁴⁷ Check a registration.
New Mexico	The Construction Industries Division's GS-16 Masonry classification covers masonry walls and veneer, including freestanding walls six feet or higher and retaining walls of thirty-six inches or more from the bottom of the footing.⁴⁸ Check a license.
North Carolina	Masonry jobs costing $40,000 or more need a license from the Licensing Board for General Contractors, which has an S(Masonry Construction) specialty.^49-50 Check a license.
North Dakota	A job worth more than $4,000 needs a contractor license from the Secretary of State.^51-52 Check a license.
Oregon	A Construction Contractors Board license with a residential endorsement is needed for homes. Casual, minor jobs under $1,000 by someone who doesn't advertise are exempt.^53-54 Check a license.
Pennsylvania	Contractors register with the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection before taking a home job over $500, unless their home improvement work came to less than $5,000 in the previous tax year.^55-56 Check a registration.
Rhode Island	Contractors register with the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. Casual, minor jobs under $500 by someone who doesn't advertise are exempt.^57-58 Check a registration.
South Carolina	Masons register as residential specialty contractors with the Residential Builders Commission for home jobs over $500. The Contractor's Licensing Board also has a Masonry (MS) classification.^59-60 Check a registration.
Tennessee	A contractor who contracts directly with you for a job of $25,000 or more needs a Board for Licensing Contractors license. A masonry part of $100,000 or more needs the Licensed Masonry Contractor (LMC) license; below that, a contractor can use the BC-9 masonry classification.^61-62 Check a license.
Utah	Jobs of $7,000 or more, labor and materials included, need a license from the Division of Professional Licensing. Its S230 Masonry, Siding, Stucco, Glass, and Rain Gutter Contractor license is one class for all those trades. Chimney sweeps need none unless they repair masonry.^63-65 Check a license.
Vermont	A contractor who takes a home job worth more than $10,000, labor and materials included, registers with the Office of Professional Regulation.⁶⁶ Check a registration.
Virginia	Jobs over $1,000 need a Board for Contractors license, such as the Masonry contracting (BRK) specialty, the Home Improvement (HIC) specialty or the Residential Building (RBC) classification.^67-68 Check a license.
Washington	Contractors register with the Department of Labor and Industries. Casual, minor jobs under $500 are exempt. Its Masonry specialty also covers chimney cleaning and repair.^69-71 Check a registration.
West Virginia	Home jobs of $5,000 or more need a license from the Contractor Licensing Board. Its Remodeling and Repair classification covers jobs of $40,000 or less.^72-74 Check a license.
Wisconsin	Anyone who pulls a building permit for a one- or two-family home needs a Dwelling Contractor certification from the Department of Safety and Professional Services.^75-76 Check a credential.

Where your state isn't in the table, ask your city or county whether it licenses contractors. Each state's rules page on this site has more detail, with its sources.

Pick your state's rules page

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · 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

Chimney sweeps and hearth installers

The US Environmental Protection Agency suggests checking a professional's credentials. It names the Chimney Safety Institute of America, which can help you find a certified chimney sweep, and the National Fireplace Institute, which tests hearth system planners and technicians. Both are non-profit groups.⁷⁷

Get it in writing

The FTC suggests more than one estimate, each in writing with the work, materials, completion date and price. Even where your state doesn't require a written agreement, ask for one, with the contractor's name, address, phone number and license number, the start and completion dates, and any promises made in conversation. Don't pay it all up front, and don't make the final payment until the work is done and you're happy with it.¹

Buying at home and your right to cancel

If you agree to a sale of $25 or more at your home, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule usually lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day after, and the seller has to give you a written notice of that right. It doesn't cover a visit you asked for to repair or maintain your personal property, or a real emergency where you made the contact and give up the right in a signed, dated statement in your own handwriting.⁷⁸

What to ask before work starts

The license or registration number, where your state has one, and the body that issued it.
Proof of insurance. The FTC suggests asking for it.¹
Who gets the permit, if your town needs one for the job.
For a repair or repointing, how they'll match the old mortar's color and hardness and the brick or stone.
Recent jobs like yours you can look at, and people to call about them.
For chimney work, whether you'll get a written report of what they found.

Red flags

The FTC lists these among the signs of a home improvement scam:¹

Someone knocks on your door looking for work because they're "in the area."
They say they have materials left over from another job.
They push you to decide right away.
They want everything paid up front, or cash only.
They ask you to get the building permits.
They suggest you borrow from a lender they know.

Each business on this site is listed with its phone number where it has one, so you can call two or three and compare. You can also send a request through the request form.

Licensing rules and lookups from state licensing boards, agencies and legislatures, the sales rule from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, and advice from the Federal Trade Commission and the US Environmental Protection Agency, checked October 2026.