Home Improvement Contractor Registration and Renewal

Guidelines for new contractors and those renewing an HIC registration

Contractors, subcontractors, partnerships, or corporations that solicit, bid on, or perform contracting work in Massachusetts on an existing, owner-occupied residential property with one to four units, must be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC). An HIC Registration is different from a Construction Supervisor License (CSL) and they are not interchangeable. Contact the Office of Public Safety and Inspections for CSL information.

Your HIC registration and payment must be completed online using the MA Contractor Hub.  

• Paper applications and paper certified checks are no longer accepted and will be sent back to you.
• In-person service for contractors is available Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at One Federal Street, Boston (except on holidays).
• If you come in person, you will still need to use the MA Contractor Hub to register and pay. 

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New Registration Applications

If you need a new HIC registration, here’s what you need to know.

You can register as:

• An individual
• A proprietorship
• A partnership
• A corporation

If filing under a trade name, also known as “Doing Business As” (DBA), you must provide:

• Your DBA name
• Permanent address
• A digital copy of the business certificate filed with the city or town clerk where your business is based

You will need to pay a: 

• $150 registration fee
• Separate mandatory payment to the Guaranty Fund, based on how many people you employ

Number of employees	Guaranty Fund Payment
Zero to three (3) employees	$100.00
Four (4) to ten (10) employees	$200.00
Eleven (11) to thirty (30) employees	$300.00
More than thirty (30) employees	$500.00

You must complete your registration application and pay online using the MA Contractor Hub.

Registration Renewals

Your HIC registration must be renewed every two years.

You will need to:

• Start your renewal process 30-60 days before your registration expiration date to avoid costly business delays
• Pay the $100 renewal fee
• Pay any outstanding balance on your account (if applicable)

Save time and money! Don’t let your HIC registration expire.

• Failure to renew by the date of expiration will lead to extra cost and delays.
• Your ability to pull necessary municipal permits may also be impacted.
• If your registration expires, you will have to reapply and pay a registration fee of $150, plus $100-500 to the Guaranty Fund fee based on how many people you employ.

Your HIC registration and payment must be completed online using the MA Contractor Hub.

• Paper applications and paper certified checks are no longer accepted and will be sent back to you.
• In-person service for contractors is available Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at One Federal Street, Boston (except on holidays).
• If you come in person, you will still need to use the MA Contractor Hub to register and pay.

Registration Cards

Once your registration or renewal is approved, you can generate a digital HIC registration card through your MA Contractor Hub account. You can generate a card for yourself and any supplemental employees such as an officer, partner, or staff member so they can show proper identification while on the job. You can also create a duplicate card if a card is lost or stolen. 

• The original card holder is liable for any work conducted.
• You must provide the name, title, address and SSN of each officer/partner/employee that needs a supplemental card, using the MA Contractor Hub.
• The registration number will be the same on all cards and matches the original HIC number.
• Each supplemental employee card costs $10.
• There is no charge for a duplicate card.

Registration and Account Updates

If you need to change the address or phone number for your HIC registration, email [e-mail]. Changes to your account, business address, and a request for additional contractor cards for employees can be made directly in your MA Contractor Hub account.

Foreign Corporation Registration

All out of state corporations and LLCs applying for an HIC registration must first complete the foreign corporation registration process with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Filing a Certificate of Registration 

• To lawfully do business in Massachusetts, state law requires a foreign corporation to file a certification of registration as an organization with the Secretary of the Commonwealth within 10 days after it starts to transact business in Massachusetts.
• This certificate should be accompanied by a “certificate of legal existence or good standing issued by an authorized officer or agency in the jurisdiction of organization.”