Maryland: who needs a license to work on your chimney or fireplace?

Checked Jul 2026·Laws as cited·Not in the Sep 2026 verification pass

Public recordMD LAW

For consumer remedies, home-sale rules and carbon monoxide law, see Maryland chimney & fireplace laws — know your rights. That page was verified more recently than this matrix.

Stove & insert installation: is a credential required in Maryland?

Credential: MHIC home-improvement contractor license — stove installation is permanently-affixed home improvement (MHIC FAQ logic: chimney caps/reinforcement need the license); NO solid-fuel trade credential; local building permits; MBPS adopts 2021 IRC (eff. 5/29/2023, counties amend; some moving to 2024 IRC)
Issuing body: MD Home Improvement Commission (Div. of Occupational & Professional Licensing); county permit offices
Statute: Md. Code, Bus. Reg. Title 8 (MHIC, per rights research); COMAR MBPS (2021 IRC)
Dollar threshold: none
Exam: y (MHIC exam)
Local overlay: y — county-level permit + code amendments
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: GOVdllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/mhicfaq.shtmlGOVlabor.maryland.gov/labor/build/buildcodes.shtml

Credential: MHIC home-improvement contractor license — roofing repair incl. flashing on a residence is 'home improvement' with no dollar floor; NO roofing-specific license class; note MHIC FAQ: chimney CLEANING is expressly not home improvement (unregulated) while chimney caps/rebuilds/flashing-type repairs require the license
Issuing body: MD Home Improvement Commission
Statute: Md. Code, Bus. Reg. Title 8 (MHIC, per rights research)
Dollar threshold: none
Exam: y (MHIC exam)
Local overlay: y — county permit regimes
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: GOVdllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/mhicfaq.shtml

Credential: Master / Journey Natural Gas Fitter (non-plumber track; Master HVACR license also qualifies) + MHIC home-improvement license for the contracting layer
Issuing body: MD State Board of Plumbing, Div. of Occupational & Professional Licensing (HVACR Board under Bus. Occ. Title 9A)
Statute: Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. Title 12; COMAR Title 9.20
Dollar threshold: none
Exam: y (70% pass exam)
Local overlay: y — Baltimore County and WSSC area (Montgomery/Prince George's) issue their own plumber/gas-fitter licenses
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: GOVlabor.maryland.gov/license/pl/plreq.shtmlGOVonestop.md.gov/licenses/master-natural-gas…GOVlabor.maryland.gov/license/pl/pllicfaqs.shtml

Regime: license (MHIC; Md. Bus. Reg. Title 8)
Liability minimum: $500,000 GL (Bus. Reg. sec. 8-302.1, raised 10x from $50k by Ch. 530 of 2024 / HB 738 — MHIC web page still shows stale $50k figure)
Bond: no universal bond; surety bond/indemnitor only as FALLBACK for applicants failing financial-solvency guidelines (amounts on third-party sites UNVERIFIED)
Guaranty fund: Home Improvement Guaranty Fund: $30,000/claimant, $250,000 aggregate per contractor (sec. 8-405(e)); funded $100/license credited to Fund (sec. 8-404) + $50 special assessments if fund <$1M; trigger = actual loss from LICENSED contractor as found by MHIC Commission OR court (agency order suffices — no judgment needed); no default judgments; 3-yr window
Workers' comp threshold: all covered employees (Lab. & Empl. sec. 9-402(a)); sole props/partners excluded, may elect in (WCC election form)
How to verify: insurance STATE-VERIFIED (proof filed with application + every renewal; 10-day advance notice of cancellation to Commission); license lookup labor.maryland.gov/license/mhic; WC lookup: MD WCC online verification (wcc.state.md.us/wfms/online_cvs.html)
Confidence: high (statute); medium-high (effective date) · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: REFlaw.justia.com/codes/maryland/business-reg…REFlaw.justia.com/codes/maryland/business-reg…GOVdllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/mhiclicreq.shtmlGOVwcc.state.md.us/wfms/online_cvs.html

Before anyone goes on your roof

Is your company a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG)?
Does the technician coming to my home hold an individual NCSG certification, and which one?
Does the technician hold a National Fireplace Institute (NFI) certification — and for which fuel: wood, gas, or pellet?
What other certifications does the technician hold (for example, CSIA), and can I check them on the issuer's own roster?
What state or local license or registration covers this work here, and what is the number?
Will you send a certificate of insurance, dated and naming your company, before work starts?
Which NFPA 211 inspection level — Level 1, 2, or 3 — are you performing, and why that level?
Will you show me what you found — photos or video of the flue — in writing?

We take no fee from any certification body, guild, or contractor, and are not paid to mention anyone named.