Transfer Your Contractor License to Delaware: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation - Board of Plumbing/HVACR and Refrigeration Examiners; Board of Electrical Examiners ↗

Delaware issues no general contractor license: it requires only a state registration, so there is no license to transfer by reciprocity or endorsement. Obtain a Delaware business license from the Delaware Division of Revenue. For the licensed trades the Board SHALL grant a license without a Delaware exam to an applicant holding a current good-standing license from any state, DC, or US territory whose standards are substantially similar to Delaware's (24 Del. C. 1409 electrical, 1810 plumbing, 1823 HVACR). If the other state's standards are not substantially similar, the applicant needs 5+ years of practice or must sit the Delaware exam. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work is licensed statewide and handled separately — check your trade in the checker.

Moving to Delaware from a specific state?

Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.

Run the Reciprocity Checker →

Verdict

No state license — registration only

The structural fact first: Delaware issues no general contractor license — contractors only register, so a general contractor moving here has no state license to transfer; what it needs is the state registration. The work is to identify the registration the Delaware Division of Revenue requires and meet its rules. Trade licenses are a separate question: check your trade and class in the checker before you assume anything carries over.

Delaware reciprocity for the trades is by SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE, not a fixed CT/IA/MD roster (the statute grants reciprocity to any state whose standards are substantially similar). Delaware has NO state general-contractor/general-building license - a general contractor only needs a Delaware business license from the Division of Revenue, so there is no competency reciprocity for general contracting. No contractor compact exists.

Delaware requirements at a glance

Out-of-state contractor license transfer requirements for Delaware, verified 2026-07-21
Exam	For the licensed trades the Board SHALL grant a license without a Delaware exam to an applicant holding a current good-standing license from any state, DC, or US territory whose standards are substantially similar to Delaware's (24 Del. C. 1409 electrical, 1810 plumbing, 1823 HVACR). If the other state's standards are not substantially similar, the applicant needs 5+ years of practice or must sit the Delaware exam
General contractor registration	Obtain a Delaware business license from the Delaware Division of Revenue.
Registration fee	Not on file — check with the Delaware Division of Revenue
Registration processing	Not on file — check with the Delaware Division of Revenue
Trade licenses (not general contracting)	Hold a current license in good standing in a state with substantially-similar standards (substantial-equivalence reciprocity, not a fixed state list) Submit the board application, fee, and the verified proof of licensure/experience required by 24 Del. C. 1408/1808/1821 Carry required insurance/bond as applicable
Trade-license fees	Board application fee applies; no single published reciprocity figure verified

Step by step

Obtain a Delaware business license from the Delaware Division of Revenue: Delaware issues no general contractor license, so there is no license to transfer by reciprocity.
Check the Delaware Division of Revenue for its current registration requirements and fee — rules change.
Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work is licensed statewide in Delaware and handled separately: use the checker with your trade selected.

Official links

Delaware Division of Professional Regulation - Board of Plumbing/HVACR and Refrigeration Examiners; Board of Electrical Examiners ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Delaware:

California → Delaware Florida → Delaware Georgia → Delaware Illinois → Delaware Michigan → Delaware New York → Delaware North Carolina → Delaware Ohio → Delaware Pennsylvania → Delaware Texas → Delaware

Nearby states

Contractor license transfer into the states bordering Delaware:

Delaware for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my contractor license transfer to Delaware?

Delaware issues no general contractor license: contractors obtain a Delaware business license from the Delaware Division of Revenue instead, so there is no license to transfer by reciprocity. For the licensed trades the Board SHALL grant a license without a Delaware exam to an applicant holding a current good-standing license from any state, DC, or US territory whose standards are substantially similar to Delaware's (24 Del. C. 1409 electrical, 1810 plumbing, 1823 HVACR). If the other state's standards are not substantially similar, the applicant needs 5+ years of practice or must sit the Delaware exam.

Does reciprocity waive all of Delaware's requirements?

There is no state general contractor license in Delaware for reciprocity to apply to; any trade license that does reciprocate waives the trade exam only, not the business/law exam, bond, or insurance.

What fees apply in Delaware, and how long does processing take?

Registration fee not on file — check with the Delaware Division of Revenue. Registration processing: not on file — check with the Delaware Division of Revenue.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.

24 Del. C. Ch. 18 Sec. 1810 (Plumbing Reciprocity) and Sec. 1823 (HVACR Reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
24 Del. C. Ch. 14 Sec. 1409 (Electrical Reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)

Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]