How to check a garage door company

Which states license or register garage door companies, where to look one up, where it's left to cities and counties, and your right to cancel a sale made at home.

Updated October 15, 20263 checks129 official sources

Your checklist3 checks before you hire

1Check the license or registration
2Buying at home and your right to cancel
3What to ask before work starts

You can check a garage door company before anyone works on your door. Here's what each state asks for, where to look a company up, and what to ask when you call.

Check the license or registration

Ask for the license or registration number and the name it's issued to, then look it up. Make sure the name matches the business on your quote.

What a garage door company needs differs a lot by state. A few states have a license class for garage doors, some register every contractor, some cover the work with a general or home improvement license above a job size, and some leave it to cities and counties.

State	What the state asks for, and where to check
Alabama	A Residential Home Builder license from the Home Builders Licensure Board is needed for a garage door job on a home, where the job costs more than $10,000. There's no garage door class.^1-2 Check a license with the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board.
Alaska	Every garage door contractor registers with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, as a general or a specialty contractor. Overhead door installation is listed under the Carpentry Contractor, Rough specialty trade.^3-5 Check a registration with Alaska's Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
Arizona	A license from the Registrar of Contractors is needed.^6-7 Casual or minor jobs under $1,000 can be exempt, but not when the work needs a local building permit or is part of a larger job, or for someone who advertises without saying they aren't licensed.⁸ Check a license with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
Arkansas	Home improvement jobs over $2,000 need a license from the Residential Contractors Committee, such as a residential remodeler license or its residential specialty license for overhead doors.^9-10
California	A license from the Contractors State License Board is needed, such as the D-28 Doors, Gates and Activating Devices limited specialty, which covers overhead door assemblies on homes. Jobs under $1,000 in all can be exempt, but since January 1, 2025 only where they need no building permit and the worker hires no one.^11-14 Check a license with the Contractors State License Board.
Colorado	There's no state license. The Attorney General tells homeowners to check with their city or county that a contractor is licensed to work there.¹⁵
Connecticut	Garage door contractors register as home improvement contractors with the Department of Consumer Protection for residential jobs over $200.^16-18 Check a registration with the Department of Consumer Protection.
Delaware	There's no separate license for garage door work. Contractors need a contractor's business license from the Division of Revenue, which takes a Department of Labor certificate and proof of workers' compensation.^19-20 Check a business license with the Delaware Division of Revenue.
District of Columbia	Garage door installers need a Basic Business License as a Home Improvement Contractor, with a $25,000 surety bond.^21-22 See the District's list of basic business licenses on its open data site.
Florida	A garage door contractor needs the state's voluntary Certified Garage Door Installation Specialty Contractor license, a local license that covers the work, or a general, building or residential contractor license. Casual or minor jobs under $2,500 are exempt, but not for anyone who advertises as a contractor.^23-25 Check a license with Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Georgia	No residential or general contractor license is needed for work within the specialty trades the licensing board lists, and those include overhead doors and automatic doors.^26-27
Hawaii	A license from the Contractors License Board is needed on any job over $1,500, and on any job that needs a building permit whatever the price. Its C-5a class is garage doors and window shutters.^28-30 Check a license with Hawaii's Professional and Vocational Licensing Division.
Idaho	Garage door contractors register with the Idaho Contractors Board for any job of $2,000 or more. It's a registration, not a license.^31-34 Check a registration with Idaho's Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.
Illinois	There's no state license or registration, and the Attorney General says the state doesn't license general contractors. Ask your city about a local license.^35-36
Indiana	There's no state license, and the Attorney General says licensing requirements vary from one community to the next.^37-39
Iowa	Contractors who earn $2,000 or more a year from construction, garage door work included, register with the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. It's a registration, not a license with an exam.^40-42 The department's contractor registration page links its public search.
Kansas	There's no state license. The Attorney General says your city or county can tell you what licensing or registration applies.^43-44
Kentucky	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
Louisiana	Garage door work on an existing home from $7,500 to under $50,000 needs a home improvement registration from the State Licensing Board for Contractors, and work of $50,000 or more a Residential license.^45-47 Check a license with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.
Maine	The Attorney General says Maine doesn't license or regulate home improvement contractors, but a home construction contract over $3,000 has to be in writing and signed by both sides.^48-49
Maryland	A license from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission is needed, which takes passing an exam and two years of experience.^50-53 Check a license with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission.
Massachusetts	Contractors replacing a garage door on an owner-occupied home of one to four units register as Home Improvement Contractors with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and work that needs a permit also needs a licensed construction supervisor.^54-59 Check a registration with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
Michigan	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
Minnesota	Garage doors and openers count as one special skill. A company offering only that needs no residential contractor license, but one that also offers a second skill, such as carpentry or siding, needs a Residential Remodeler or Residential Building Contractor license.^60-62
Mississippi	A Residential Remodeler license from the State Board of Contractors is needed when improvements to an existing home cost more than $10,000.^63-64 Check a license with the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
Missouri	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
Montana	Contractors with employees need a Construction Contractor License for garage door jobs of $2,500 or more. Independent contractors with no employees are exempt.^65-69 Check a license with Montana's Department of Labor and Industry.
Nebraska	Garage door contractors register with the Department of Labor before doing construction work. Someone earning less than $5,000 a year from construction isn't covered.^70-71 Check a registration with the Nebraska Department of Labor.
Nevada	A license from the State Contractors Board is needed, such as its C-3d overhead doors subclass. Repair or maintenance work under $1,000 can be exempt, but not when it needs a building permit or is part of a larger job.^72-74 Check a license with the Nevada State Contractors Board.
New Hampshire	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
New Jersey	Businesses doing garage door work on homes register with the Division of Consumer Affairs as home improvement contractors, with no dollar threshold.^75-76 Check a registration with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
New Mexico	A license from the Construction Industries Division is needed, such as a general building license or the GS-14 windows, doors and skylights class. A handyman doing casual, minor work worth no more than $7,200 a year is exempt.^77-79 Check a license with New Mexico's Construction Industries Division.
New York	There's no state license. The Attorney General says a home improvement contractor needs a license to work in New York City or in Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam or Rockland County.^80-82
North Carolina	A garage door job costing $40,000 or more needs a general contractor license from the Licensing Board for General Contractors.^83-84 Check a license with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
North Dakota	Any garage door job worth more than $4,000 needs a contractor license from the Secretary of State. There's no separate garage door license.^85-86 Check a license with the North Dakota Secretary of State.
Ohio	There's no state license for garage door contractors, but many Ohio cities license contractors.^87-88
Oklahoma	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
Oregon	A license from the Construction Contractors Board with a residential endorsement is needed. Only casual, minor jobs under $1,000 by someone who doesn't advertise as a contractor are exempt.^89-90 Check a license with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.
Pennsylvania	Garage door contractors register with the Attorney General's Office as home improvement contractors before taking a home job over $500, unless their home improvement work came to less than $5,000 in the previous tax year.^91-93 Check a registration with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
Rhode Island	Garage door contractors need a certificate of registration from the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. Only casual, minor jobs under $500 by someone who doesn't advertise as a contractor are exempt.^94-96 Check a registration with the Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board.
South Carolina	A home garage door job over $5,000 needs a Residential Builder license from the Residential Builders Commission, whose specialty registrations don't include garage doors.^97-100 Check a license with South Carolina's Residential Builders Commission.
South Dakota	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
Tennessee	A company that contracts directly with you for a garage door job of $25,000 or more needs a contractor license from the Board for Licensing Contractors. In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, home jobs of $3,000 up to $24,999 need its Home Improvement license.^101-103 Check a license with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
Texas	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.
Utah	Garage door jobs of $7,000 or more, labor and materials included, need a contractor license from the Division of Professional Licensing. Its S220 Carpentry and Flooring specialty lists garage doors.^104-107 Check a license with Utah's Division of Professional Licensing.
Vermont	A contractor who takes a home job worth more than $10,000, labor and materials included, registers as a Residential Contractor with the Office of Professional Regulation.^108-110 Check a registration with Vermont's Office of Professional Regulation.
Virginia	Garage door jobs over $1,000 need a Board for Contractors license with the Home Improvement specialty or the Residential Building class, and the board lists doors among their work.^111-115 Check a license with Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Washington	Garage door contractors register with the Department of Labor and Industries, bonded and insured. Casual, minor jobs under $500 are exempt, unless they're part of a larger job or the person advertises as a contractor. The department has an overhead and garage doors specialty.^116-120 Check a registration with the Department of Labor and Industries.
West Virginia	Garage door jobs on homes of $5,000 or more need a license from the Contractor Licensing Board, in the Residential class or, for jobs of $40,000 or less, the Remodeling and Repair class.^121-125 Check a license with the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board.
Wisconsin	A contractor who pulls a building permit for work on a one- or two-family home, garage door work included, needs a Dwelling Contractor certification from the Department of Safety and Professional Services.^126-128 Check a credential with the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Wyoming	We haven't confirmed a state rule for garage door work here. Ask the company which license or registration it holds, then check it with the office that issued it.

Where the state has no license or registration, ask your city or county whether it licenses contractors. Each state's rules page on this site has the same rule in 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

Buying at home and your right to cancel

If you agree to a garage door sale of $25 or more at your home, the Federal Trade Commission's Cooling-Off Rule usually gives you until midnight of the third business day to change your mind, and the seller has to tell you so in writing. It doesn't apply to a visit you asked for to repair or maintain your door, or to a real emergency where you made the contact and give up the right in a signed, dated statement in your own handwriting.¹²⁹

What to ask before work starts

What the service call costs, and the full price of the job, before the work starts.
The license or registration number, where your state asks for one, and the body that issued it.
Proof of insurance.
For a new door, who gets the permit if your town needs one.

Each company 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, and the sales rule from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, checked October 2026.

How to check a garage door company

Check the license or registration

Buying at home and your right to cancel

What to ask before work starts

Tell us what's happening

Sources (129)

Find garage door companies in your county