BBL-GCDLCP business license
General Contractor / Construction Manager
General construction, construction manager, a b c g h.
Washington, DC uses a layered licensing system. DLCP Business Licensing handles contractor business categories such as General Contractor/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor. The Board of Industrial Trades regulates electrical, plumbing/gasfitting, refrigeration/air-conditioning, elevator, asbestos, and operating/steam-engineer credentials. DOB controls construction permitting and property records, while DOEE adds environmental permit gates for asbestos and lead work.
2026 source-based build · verify the business license, trade credential, permit record and any environmental permit layer before routing a lead
In the District, contractor qualification is not a single-license check. Start with the DLCP business-license category, then add any required Board of Industrial Trades credential, DOB permit validation, and DOEE environmental approval.
DLCP lists General Contractor (A, B, C, G & H)/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor as contractor/construction business activities. DLCP also states that a subcontractor working in DC needs its own applicable business license; the prime contractor’s license does not extend to the subcontractor’s business.
When the work is electrical, plumbing/gasfitting, refrigeration/air conditioning, elevator-related, asbestos, or certain operating/steam-engineer work, verify the corresponding occupational or trade credential through the Board of Industrial Trades.
Business license → trade credential → permit record → environmental gate. Do not treat one credential as proof of every layer.
The practical routing model is layered. Each system answers a different question before a lead should be treated as contractor-qualified.
General Contractor/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor are core construction business-license categories.
Electrical, plumbing/gasfitting, refrigeration/air-conditioning, elevator, asbestos, and operating/steam-engineer licensing.
Scout and eRecords provide permit, license, inspection, enforcement, plan and property information used to validate project activity.
Asbestos abatement permits and lead-abatement/renovation permits can add project-specific requirements beyond ordinary construction licensing.
Search by license number, address, business/person name, permit, or category to confirm active records.
These labels are practical TigerLeads routing labels. They summarize official DC licensing homes without pretending that every label is an official license prefix.
Use for general contracting and construction-management businesses. DLCP publicly lists categories A, B, C, G and H; verify the exact active category in the current licensing record rather than inferring scope from the letter alone.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
Residential home-improvement contracting. DLCP lists liability insurance, a home-improvement contract, criminal-history documentation and a $25,000 surety bond among the requirements.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
DC licenses electrician apprentices, journeymen, masters and contractors. Trade contractors must designate a DC-licensed master and meet the applicable bond requirement.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
DC licenses apprentice, journeyman, master and contractor levels for plumbing/gasfitting. Verify the business contractor credential and the individual master/journeyman layer.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
Refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanics and contractors are regulated by the Board of Industrial Trades; master-level applicants must provide CFC certification.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
Elevator contractor, mechanic and inspector licenses are regulated trade credentials.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
Workers/supervisors are licensed through the Board of Industrial Trades, while licensed abatement contractors must use DOEE asbestos permitting for regulated projects.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
Operating and steam engineer licenses are regulated by the Board of Industrial Trades and can become relevant for equipment-intensive commercial/industrial facilities.
Confirm the active DC business license, then verify any required trade credential and the DOB permit record before qualification. Add DOEE approval when environmental work applies.
Use this as a fast qualification index. Final eligibility still depends on the live DC licensing and permit records.
General construction, construction manager, a b c g h.
Residential remodeling renovation home improvement.
Electrical regular voltage low voltage contractor master journeyman apprentice.
Electrician master journeyman apprentice.
Plumber plumbing gasfitter gas fitting contractor.
Master journeyman apprentice plumber gasfitter.
Hvac refrigeration air conditioning mechanical contractor.
Hvac mechanic refrigeration air conditioning.
Elevator contractor lift escalator.
Elevator mechanic inspector.
Asbestos worker supervisor abatement.
Asbestos abatement environmental permit.
Lead paint abatement renovation environmental.
Steam engineer operating engineer equipment.
Building permit addition alteration repair demolition excavation foundation new building.
Verify license contractor permit property enforcement inspection.
The strongest lead signal combines project timing with the credential family most likely to be required for the scope.
Permit-driven lead intelligence helps contractors, trades and suppliers reach the project while the buying window is opening.
This page was built from current District government sources available in September 2026. Live status should always be rechecked before relying on a credential.
General Contractor/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor business-license requirements.
Open official source ↗DLCP · OPLElectrical, plumbing/gasfitting, refrigeration, elevator, asbestos and operating/steam engineer licensing.
Open official source ↗DLCPScout, business-license verification and occupational/professional-license search resources.
Open official source ↗DOBScout, eRecords, permit tools, contractor ratings and related DOB resources.
Open official source ↗DOEEEnvironmental permit rules and notification workflow for licensed abatement contractors.
Open official source ↗DOEELead activity permit application requirements and project documentation.
Open official source ↗Five DC-specific answers to the questions most likely to affect contractor qualification and lead routing.
Yes. DLCP states that a subcontractor in the District is required to obtain the applicable Basic Business License; the prime contractor’s license does not cover the subcontractor’s contracting business.
DLCP lists General Contractor (A, B, C, G & H)/Construction Manager and Home Improvement Contractor under Contractor and Construction Services. The exact category should be confirmed in BOSS/Scout before routing.
The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection’s Board of Industrial Trades regulates electricians, plumbers/gasfitters, refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanics, elevator trades, asbestos workers, and steam/operating engineers.
Verify the business license in Scout or BOSS, verify any occupational/professional trade license through DLCP OPL, and confirm permit/property records through DOB Scout/eRecords. For regulated environmental work, also confirm the applicable DOEE permit or license layer.
DLCP lists a Home Improvement Contractor business license with requirements that include liability insurance, a home-improvement contract, criminal-history documentation, and a $25,000 surety bond, in addition to other business-registration and tax requirements.
Use permit timing plus the correct DC business-license and trade-credential layer to reach contractors, trades and suppliers while the project is becoming actionable.