For contractors and trades

Licensed, bonded, permitted, or the job stops

Construction is one of the most regulated trades there is: a state contractor license, a local trade license, a surety bond, workers comp, and a building permit for each job. Miss any one and the site shuts down. We assemble the license and bond stack for your trade and keep every renewal and permit current.

Get licensed and bonded See it by trade
State and local licenses Surety bonds filed Permits per project
Licensing and bonding for contractors and the trades State and local licenses Surety bonds filed 4.9 from 8,200+ reviews Renewals never missed
Licensed
State and local contractor licenses, obtained and renewed
Bonded
The surety bond your license requires, filed for you
Per project
A building permit pulled for each job you run
Renewals
Licenses, bonds, and registrations, all tracked
The paperwork that shuts down a site

An expired license stops the whole crew

In construction, the credentials are not a formality. An expired license, a lapsed bond, or a missing permit can red-tag a job, void a contract, and expose you to fines, all while a crew stands idle on the clock. And the rules differ by trade and by city, so what covers one job may not cover the next.

We build the license and bond stack for your specific trade, register your workers comp, and pull the permits each job needs, then track every renewal, so a lapse never costs you a working day.

Credentials lapsed
  • An expired license red-tags a job
  • A lapsed bond stalls your license
  • No workers comp with a crew on site
  • A permit missed on the current job
  • Fines and a voided contract
Current on File.Business
  • License active and classified right
  • Surety bond on file with the board
  • Workers comp covering the crew
  • Permits pulled for each job
  • Every renewal tracked and filed
What does your trade require?

Pick your trade, see the stack

Requirements differ by trade. Select yours to see the license, bond, and credentials it usually takes.

General contractor
Whole-project builders and remodelers
State contractor license
Often required above a project dollar threshold, with a classification for your work.
Surety bond
A contractor bond filed with the board to satisfy the license.
Workers comp
Required once you have a crew on the job.
Building permits
Pulled per project, with inspections along the way.
Electrical contractor
Wiring, panels, and electrical systems
Electrical license
A state electrical license, usually required regardless of job size.
Journeyman or master
Tiered licensing, often with an exam and experience hours.
Bond and insurance
A bond and liability coverage the state and cities require.
Permits and inspections
Electrical permits per job, with inspections before close.
Plumbing contractor
Water, gas, and drainage systems
Plumbing license
A state plumbing license, usually required for any plumbing work.
Journeyman or master
Tiered licensing with exams and experience requirements.
Bond and backflow
A bond, and backflow certification where required.
Permits and inspections
Plumbing permits per job, with inspections.
HVAC contractor
Heating, cooling, and mechanical
Mechanical license
A state HVAC or mechanical license for the work.
EPA 608 certification
A federal certification required to handle refrigerants.
Bond and insurance
A bond and liability coverage per your state.
Permits and inspections
Mechanical permits per job, with inspections.
Requirements vary by state and city, and many trades have local licenses on top. We confirm the exact stack for your trade and jurisdiction and file it. See business licenses.
The whole contractor setup

Everything a contractor needs, license to permit

Entity, credentials, and the job-by-job permits, handled and renewed together.

Entity formation

The LLC or corp behind the crew

EIN

Federal tax ID for the business

State contractor license

Classified for your trade

Surety bond

Filed to satisfy your license

Workers comp

Coverage once you have a crew

Building permits

Pulled for each project

S-corp election

When your profit makes it worth it

Compliance calendar

License and bond renewals, tracked
How your crew gets cleared

From entity to licensed and bonded

Five steps, in the right order. Select one to see the detail.

Step 1

Form the entity behind the crew

An LLC or corporation separates your personal assets from a business doing physical work on other people's property. It also is what the license and bond attach to. We form it with the classification your trade needs in mind.

The protected entity your license will attach to.
Entity: FORMED
Personal assets separated
Ready to license
Step 2

Get your EIN and business banking

The EIN is your federal tax ID, and a business bank account keeps job deposits, materials, and payroll clean and separate. Both are needed before you apply for a license and bond, so we set them up first.

Tax ID and banking, ready for the license application.
EIN: ISSUED
Business banking opened
Ready for licensing
Step 3

Get the state license and surety bond

We handle your state contractor or trade license, set the classification to your work, and arrange the surety bond that the license requires. The two go together, and we file them so your license is issued without back-and-forth.

License and bond filed together, classified correctly.
License: FILED
Surety bond on file
Classification correct
Step 4

Set up workers comp and local licenses

Once you have a crew, workers comp is generally required, and many cities want their own local contractor registration on top of the state license. We register the local licenses and get your workers comp in place so a crew is legal on any site.

Workers comp and every local registration your city requires.
Workers comp: ACTIVE
Local licenses filed
Crew legal on site
Step 5

Pull permits and keep it all current

Each job needs its own building permit and inspections, and your license, bond, and comp all renew on their own schedules. We pull the permits, track the renewals, and keep everything active, so a lapse never red-tags a site.

Permits per job, renewals in the calendar.
Permit: PULLED
License and bond renewals tracked
No red-tagged sites
How this compares for a contractor

The stack, and the renewals

Getting licensed once is not the hard part. Keeping every credential current is. Here is the difference.

CapabilityFile.BusinessDIY at the boardLicense serviceGeneric filer
License classified for your tradeOn your ownNot available
Surety bond arranged and filedSeparateSometimesNot available
Entity and workers comp handledManualNot availableFormation only
Local licenses per cityNot availableExtraPer filing
Renewals tracked across credentialsNot availableRarelyNot available
Transparent, published pricingTieredPer filing

The honest version. A licensing consultant and a good insurance agent are worth it for exams, complex classifications, and bonding, and nothing here is legal advice. What File.Business does is form the entity, get the license and bond, register comp and local licenses, and track the renewals, so your crew stays cleared to work. Compare on the comparison hub.

BosAI for contractors

An operator who knows the license board

Ask in plain English. BosAI knows the license, bond, and comp requirements for your trade and city.

BosAIContractor workspace, Summit Builders LLC

Do I even need a state license for small remodel jobs?

It depends on your state and the job size. Many states require a contractor license once a project passes a dollar threshold, and some require one for any paid work, especially in trades like electrical and plumbing. I have checked your state and set your license and classification to cover the work you actually do.

Why does my license need a surety bond?

Most state boards require a contractor bond as a condition of licensing, as protection for clients if work is not completed or code is not met. It is separate from your liability insurance. I have arranged and filed the bond with the board so your license issues without a hold.

I just hired two guys. Anything I need to add?

Yes, workers comp. Once you have a crew, nearly every state requires coverage, and a job site without it can mean stop-work orders and penalties. I have your workers comp registration underway and added it to your renewals so it stays active. See your compliance calendar.
From a contractor

No red tags since we switched

I got red-tagged once for an expired license I did not know had lapsed, and it cost me a week and a client. File.Business set up the entity, got the license and bond classified for my trade, and put workers comp and my city registration in place. Every renewal has been handled since, and I have not had a single stop-work order. My crew just builds.
Owner
Licensed general contractor
Licensed
and bonded for the trade
Comp
active before the crew hit the site
0
red tags or stop-work orders

Representative composite based on contractor outcomes. Nothing here is legal advice; consult your licensing and insurance professionals.

Contractor guides and tools

Licenses, the entity, and the calendar

Practical resources for getting a crew legal and keeping it that way. All free to read.

Guide

Business licenses

State and local contractor licensing, explained.

Read the guide Guide

Form an LLC

The protected entity behind your crew.

Read it Guide

S-corp election

When your profit makes it worth electing.

Read it Live tool

Compliance calendar

License, bond, and comp renewals, tracked.

Open the calendar
For the questions contractors actually ask

Straight answers on licenses, bonds, and permits

Do I need a state contractor license?
It depends on your state and trade. Many states require a contractor license once a project passes a dollar threshold, and specialty trades like electrical, plumbing, and HVAC usually require a license for any paid work. We check your state and trade and get you licensed with the right classification. See business licenses.
What is the difference between a state license and a local one?
A state license authorizes you to do the trade in that state, while many cities and counties require their own local contractor registration to work within their limits. You often need both, and the local one is the piece that is easy to overlook. We register you at both levels where required.
What is a surety bond and why is it required?
A contractor surety bond is a guarantee that protects your clients and the public if you fail to complete work or meet code, and most state boards require one as a condition of licensing. It is separate from your liability insurance. We arrange the bond and file it with the board so your license issues cleanly.
Do I need workers comp?
Generally yes, once you have employees on the job. Nearly every state requires workers comp for a crew, and a site without it can trigger stop-work orders and penalties. We get your coverage registered and keep it on your renewal calendar so it does not lapse.
What about building permits for each job?
Most construction work needs a building permit pulled before it starts, with inspections along the way, and that is per project and per jurisdiction. We pull the permits for your jobs and keep the inspection milestones on track so work is never done without the right permit in place.
Do different trades need different licenses?
Yes. A general contractor license, an electrical license, a plumbing license, and an HVAC or mechanical license are separate credentials, often with their own exams, tiers, and certifications, like EPA 608 for refrigerants. The selector above shows the common stack per trade, and we set up the one your work requires.
Should my company be an LLC or an S-corp?
Most contractors start as an LLC for its liability protection, which matters a great deal doing physical work on other people's property. Once the business is consistently profitable, an S-corp election can reduce self-employment tax, subject to a reasonable salary. We flag when it is worth it. See S-corp election.
Does this replace my licensing consultant?
No, and this is not legal advice. A licensing consultant helps with exams and complex classifications, and your insurance agent handles bonding and coverage. File.Business forms the entity, gets the license and bond, registers comp and local licenses, and tracks the renewals, so the paperwork is handled around them. Talk to us.
Licensed, bonded, and permitted

Keep every crew cleared to work

Form the entity, get the license and bond for your trade, register comp and local licenses, and let us pull permits and track every renewal. Start now, or talk with our team about your trade.

Get licensed and bonded See the compliance calendar
SOC 2 Type II · Not a law firm · State fees passed through at cost