Chimney & fireplace laws in all 50 states + DC, compared
Researched Jul 2026·Laws as cited·50 of 51 state pages passed verification Sep 2026
Public recordNATIONAL
What did we find?
In the East, the states that license contractors hardest tend to protect home buyers least — and several states with no license put the chimney on a mandatory seller disclosure.
Maryland and Virginia run exam-based contractor licenses, yet Maryland lets a seller disclaim instead of disclose and Virginia's mandatory form is a buyer-beware notice. Illinois, New York and Texas have no state license for chimney work, but their mandatory seller disclosures ask about the chimney. The pattern breaks as you move west and south: California, Oregon and Nevada pair a state license with a strong mandatory disclosure, while Missouri, Kansas, Georgia, Alabama and Wyoming are weak on both. Treat it as a regional tendency, not a national law.
One finding holds almost everywhere: sweeping requires no state credential in 50 of 51 jurisdictions. Vermont is the exception, and even there the certificate applies to public buildings rather than owner-occupied single-family homes. A state contractor license, where one exists, almost never tests whether someone can read a flue.
How do the states compare?
Download the table (CSV)51 researched rows · cite as https://www.chimney.services/rights · select a column heading to sort
| Alabama | HBLB residential license required >$10,000 (Ala. Code 34-14A-2(12); roofers >$2,500); General Contractors Board >=$100,000 (34-8-1); none at/under $10k | no state HIC registration; local only (cities unverified) | NO — caveat emptor for resale, no mandatory seller form (case-law exceptions pending primary verification) | No | PARTIAL — 5-19-12 covers consumer-credit home solicitation only (1 yr if no notice); cash sales via federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule | NONE at state level — no CO statute; landlord act 35-9A-204 silent; local IRC new construction only | hblb.alabama.gov | 2026-09-15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | NO competency license — state REGISTRATION (AS 08.18: General/Specialty/Mechanical/Handyman; bond + insurance, no exam) + Residential Contractor Endorsement (arctic-construction exam + cold-climate course, AS 08.18.025) only for new 1–4 unit homes or >25%-of-value alterations; no dollar-threshold exemption in AS 08.18.161; unregistered can't sue (AS 08.18.151); civil penalty ≤$1,000/violation/day (AS 08.18.131) | YES — CBPL; bonds $25k/$20k/$10k/$5k (AS 08.18.071); insurance $20k/$50k/$100k (AS 08.18.101) | YES — mandatory Form 08-4229 Rev. 05/2024 (AS 34.70.010): "Chimneys," "Fireplaces," "Woodstove(s)," "Stove(s), Pellet" + date chimney last cleaned and by whom; negligent = actual, wilful = up to treble (AS 34.70.090); waivable by written agreement (AS 34.70.110) | Yes — state form line items | YES — 5 business days (door-to-door incl. phone, $10+, AS 45.02.350; not re-verified this pass) | strong — AS 18.70.095, smoke in all dwellings + CO in all qualifying dwellings statewide incl. existing homes + rentals | commerce.alaska.gov/cbp/main/search/professional | 2026-09-15 |
| Arizona | state license (ROC, A.R.S. Title 32 ch. 10; required at $1,000+ or any permit job, handyman exemption § 32-1121(A)(14)) | ROC contractor license (R-31/C-31 Masonry; R-45/C-45 Sheet Metal for patented chimneys) + Residential Recovery Fund ($30k cap, § 32-1136) | No statute (common-law duty, Hill v. Jones; customary AAR SPDS) | Unverified (AAR SPDS reportedly asks about fireplaces/woodstoves/chimneys; form not reached) | Yes (A.R.S. § 44-5004) | Limited (local IRC adoption for new construction; no statewide existing-home statute found) | roc.az.gov/search | 2026-09-15 |
| Arkansas | YES — Home Improvement license over $2,000 (§§ 17-25-505, -513) incl. 'Chimneys, Fireplaces' specialty (Limited <$50k / Unlimited); Class A misd. per day + $100–400/day civil (§ 17-25-510) | roofers only (separate subch. 6) | NO — caveat emptor, voluntary AAR form only | N/A (no mandatory form; voluntary AAR form lists 'Chimneys, fireplaces and inserts') | YES (§ 4-89-107) + unlicensed can't sue (§ 17-25-515) | no statute located (§ 20-7-138 repealed 2013); code-only IRC R315 new construction | http://aclb2.arkansas.gov/clbsearch.php | 2026-09-15 |
| California | state license (CSLB; required for jobs $1,000+ or any permit job, Bus. & Prof. Code § 7048) | CSLB contractor license (C-29 Masonry; C-61/D-34 factory-built fireplaces) | Yes (mandatory, non-waivable TDS, Civ. Code § 1102) | Partial (Fireplace(s) and CO Device(s) on feature checklist; no discrete chimney defect line) | Yes (3 business days; 5 for seniors, Civ. Code § 1689.6) | Broad (all existing dwellings with fossil-fuel appliance/fireplace/attached garage, H&S § 17926) | cslb.ca.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Colorado | NO state license (DORA licenses electrical/plumbing only) — LOCAL (Denver, Colorado Springs/PPRBD, county building depts) | local only | CREC Commission-approved Seller's Property Disclosure (SPD19, 2026), broker-required; NOT a disclosure statute; actual knowledge | Yes — Fireplace, Heating Stove, Fireplace insert + "Date fireplace/wood stove, chimney/flue last cleaned" | PARTIAL — state law for credit sales only (C.R.S. 5-3-401 to -405); cash door-to-door via federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR 429) | strong — sale trigger + multi-family + rentals (C.R.S. 38-45-102/103/104, HB 09-1091) | denvergov.org + pprbd.org + coag.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Connecticut | no license — mandatory HIC registration (>$200 job; <=$1,000/12mo excluded) + Guaranty Fund ($25k/claim) | Home Improvement Contractor (Home Improvement Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-418) | Yes but $500-credit opt-out (20-327b/c) | Yes (Chimney, Fireplace, Wood or Coal Stove problems) | Yes | Strong (mandatory pre-sale affidavit 29-453, no credit) | elicense.ct.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Delaware | NO state trade license — Division of Revenue contractor license (30 Del. C. 2502); non-resident 6% bond on contracts >=$20k (30 Del. C. 375); DPR licenses only electrical/plumbing/HVACR | DOL Contractor Registration (19 Del. C. Ch. 36, non-public) + DOJ Home Improvement Services Regulation (eff. 11/1/2023) | YES mandatory — 6 Del. C. 2572 / form 2578 | Yes — DREC form rev. 8/1/2025 Sec. XIV fireplace/stove + Q150 flues/chimneys last cleaned/serviced | YES (6 Del. C. 4404, door-to-door $25+, 3 business days) | NARROW — lodging establishments only (16 Del. C. Ch. 66C); owner-occupied homes excluded | revenue.delaware.gov/business-license-search/ | 2026-09-15 |
| District of Columbia | YES — DLCP Basic Business License w/ Home Improvement Contractor endorsement at $300+ (16 DCMR ch. 8; 12-mo aggregation; cleaning-only sweeps outside 899.1 work definition on its text); $25k bond; unlicensed contractor taking ANY pre-completion payment → contract void + full disgorgement (16 DCMR § 800.1; Cevern v. Ferbish) | BBL system (bond + liability insurance + Clean Hands; DLCP fee $288.20) | YES, MANDATORY (D.C. Code § 42-1301 et seq.; Mayor-approved form, 17 DCMR § 2708) | Yes per REF mirror (fireplace/chimney/flues + last-serviced date) — UNVERIFIED on official form | YES (D.C. Code § 28-3811 home solicitation, 3 business days) + § 800.1 advance-payment bar for unlicensed | YES (D.C. Code § 6-751.02; owner duty, new and existing occupied dwellings; DOB enforces) | scout.dlcp.dc.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Florida | YES — DBPR/CILB (Fla. Stat. ch. 489): Certified (statewide) vs Registered (local); no statewide masonry certification found (local cards); minor-work exemption <$2,500 (489.103(9)); insurance by affidavit (489.115(5)(a)); no sweep license | statewide DBPR + county competency cards | Johnson v. Davis (1985) — COMMON-LAW duty, NO statutory form (primary opinion check pending) | No form; common-law duty covers known non-observable defects (incl. bad flue) | YES — cash or credit >$25 (Fla. Stat. 501.021 et seq.) | new construction/additions only; names a fireplace (Fla. Stat. 553.885); no pre-sale mandate | myfloridalicense.com | 2026-09-15 |
| Georgia | NO chimney/sweep license — residential license only >$2,500 (O.C.G.A. 43-41-2(9)); specialty (43-41-17(f)) and non-structural repair (43-41-17(g)) exemptions; Board specialty list unconfirmed for masonry | none for chimney; local permits only | NO mandatory disclosure statute — caveat emptor; broker must disclose known adverse physical facts (10-6A-5) | No state form (optional Realtor form; line item unverified) | PARTIAL — 10-1-6 covers installment consumer-credit home solicitation only; cash sales via federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule | WEAK — no CO statute located (25-2-40 smoke only); new construction via 2024 IRC w/ GA amendments (CO section unverified) | sos.ga.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Hawaii | YES — state contractor license >$1,500 or any permit job (HRS 444-2(4); masonry chimney = C-31 (+C-31c refractory), metal/free-standing = C-44, factory-built fireplace/prefab chimney = C-25; exam + 4 yrs experience) | licensure regime + Contractors Recovery Fund ($12,500/contract, court order required, HRS 444-26/444-28); unlicensed can't sue (HRS 444-22); unlicensed fine $2,500–$5,000 or 40% of contract (HRS 444-23) | YES — mandatory material-fact disclosure (HRS ch. 508D); universal HAR form names "Fireplace/Chimney" (item 69); buyer 15-day rescission after receipt (508D-5(b)) | Yes — HAR industry form item 69 (no state form) | YES (door-to-door, HRS 481C, sales ≥$5/$25; violation = UDAP → treble under 480-13) | NONE statewide — code-only (2018 IRC R315, new construction/permits) | mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov/public-license-search/ | 2026-09-15 |
| Idaho | NO for chimney/masonry work — registration only, no exam/bond (specialty trades licensed: HVAC/plumbing/electrical, Title 54 chs. 50/26/10) | YES — Idaho Contractor Registration Act, Idaho Code 54-5204; ≥$2,000 jobs (54-5205(2)(f)); attests $300k liability insurance + workers' comp only; unregistered = misdemeanor ≤$1,000/6 mo, no suit (54-5217), no lien (54-5208); locals preempted (54-5213) | YES — Property Condition Disclosure Act, IC 55-2508; "fireplace/wood stove" inside the appliance checklist only; 3-business-day buyer rescission (55-2515) | Yes — only inside item 4 appliance list (no chimney line) | YES (door-to-door ≥$25, IDAPA 04.02.01 Subch. Q) | code-only — 2018 IRC R315 as amended by IDAPA 24.39.30; no standalone, rental or at-sale statute | edopl.idaho.gov/OnlineServices/?link=PubSearch | 2026-09-15 |
| Illinois | no state license (roofing/plumbing only) — local (Chicago General Contractor + Mason Contractor licenses, suburban registries) | local; statewide Home Repair Act duties (815 ILCS 513, written contract >$1k + rights pamphlet) | Yes (765 ILCS 77, actual knowledge) | Yes (item 6 roof/ceilings/chimney + item 13 fireplace/woodburning stove) | Yes (815 ILCS 505/2B) | Broad (430 ILCS 135, within 15 ft of sleeping rooms) | Chicago licensed-contractor search + IDFPR (roofing) + IL AG | 2026-09-15 |
| Indiana | no state license (plumbers only) — local (Indianapolis + some cities); statewide home improvement contract duty >$150 (IC 24-5-11) | local; no state competency registry for chimney work | Yes (IC 32-21-5, actual knowledge) | Likely (furnace/woodstove/chimney/flue line on Form 46234 — wording unconfirmed Sep 2026) | Yes (IC 24-5-10-8) | WEAK — new construction only; not required on alterations/repairs; none at sale (2020 IRC-based R315) | local building depts + Indianapolis BNS + IN AG | 2026-09-15 |
| Iowa | Statewide registration only for sweeps/masons (Iowa Code Ch. 91C, $2k/yr threshold); state Hearth Systems Specialty License (NFI cert) required for hearth appliance/insert/stove/venting installs (Ch. 105) | DIAL contractor registration ($50; $25k bond out-of-state) | Yes - mandatory, Iowa Code 558A.2/558A.4; form at 481 IAC 2014.1(7) | No (20-item form; lead service line added 2026; no chimney/fireplace/flue item) | Yes - Door-to-Door Sales Act, Iowa Code Ch. 555A | Yes - Iowa Code 10A.518, fireplace/fuel appliance/attached garage trigger; rentals + construction begun on/after Jul 1 2018; no pre-sale certificate | https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses/building/contractors | 2026-09-15 |
| Kansas | No state license/contractor board; local only (Wichita/Sedgwick MABCD; Johnson County; KCK). Statewide exception: AG roofing contractor registration (K.S.A. 50-6,121 et seq.), not chimneys | Local only; AG Roofing Contractor Registration ($500k liability floor, fee capped at $500) is only statewide credential | No general seller disclosure statute (narrow duties: radon K.S.A. 58-3078a, special assessments 12-6a20); voluntary KAR form | Unverified (voluntary KAR form reportedly names fireplace/chimney; not confirmed) | Yes - K.S.A. 50-640 ($25+; buyer-requested repair visits excluded) | None statewide residential found (lodging rule reported, unconfirmed; no pre-sale certificate) | https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/mabcd/ | 2026-09-15 |
| Kentucky | No state license (state licenses HVAC/plumbing/electrical only); local (Louisville Metro, Lexington-Fayette) | None statewide (local registration only) | Yes (KRS 324.360; KREC Form 402) - only when a licensee is compensated; FSBO excluded | Yes - Chimneys, fireplaces, inserts | Yes (KRS 367.420) | Weak - no point-of-sale/lease law (2025 HB 339 died in committee); new construction via Kentucky Residential Code 815 KAR 7:125 | https://krec.ky.gov/new_docs.aspx?cat=47&menuid=58 | 2026-09-15 |
| Louisiana | LSLBC Residential license at project value >= $50,000 (La. R.S. 37:2150.1) + Home Improvement registration $7,500–<$50,000; no state credential <$7,500 | statewide Home Improvement registration (LSLBC) | YES — mandatory Property Disclosure Document (La. R.S. 9:3196 et seq.); plus redhibition (Civ. Code art. 2520) | Yes — 01/2026 LREC form item 22 fireplace defects (no 'chimney' wording) | YES (La. R.S. 9:3538; noncredit via 9:2711.1) — emergency exception | YES at sale/lease — R.S. 40:1581 operable long-life CO detector, 1–2-family dwellings | lslbc.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Maine | Partial - no contractor/sweep license; Maine Fuel Board license to install/alter central solid-fuel/pellet/oil/gas equipment and chimneys (32 M.R.S. 18101-18104; freestanding stoves and owner self-install exempt); MUBEC local permits (towns >=4,000) | None (Home Construction Contracts Act: written contract >$3,000, down payment <=1/3, 10 M.R.S. 1487) | Yes (33 M.R.S. 173) | Yes - statute requires date of most recent chimney/vent inspection | Yes (32 M.R.S. 4664, 3 full business days) | Strong - detectors near bedrooms; purchaser certifies at closing to install within 30 days; landlords each occupancy (25 M.R.S. 2468) | https://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/maine-fuel-board | 2026-09-15 |
| Maryland | YES — MHIC state license (PSI exam; financial solvency or $30k/$100k bond; $500k GL insurance) | MHIC license (Business Regulation Title 8) + Guaranty Fund up to $30k/claimant ($250k/contractor) | Yes but disclose-OR-disclaimer (as-is) option (10-702) | No dedicated chimney/fireplace/flue line (general structural + heating items only) | Yes (Door-to-Door Sales Act, Com. Law 14-302) | Fossil-fuel new construction (permit on/after 1/1/2008) + all rentals/hotels (Pub. Safety 12-1102, 12-1104); no pre-sale cert | labor.maryland.gov/license/mhic | 2026-09-15 |
| Massachusetts | CSL license (exam; Masonry/Solid Fuel specialty CSL minimum) for permitted chimney masonry & stove work + HIC registration | Home Improvement Contractor (M.G.L. c.142A) + Guaranty Fund ($25k/claim) | No mandatory form (caveat emptor — not re-verified Sep 2026) | N/A (no form) | Yes (c.93 s.48) | Strong (mandatory fire-dept CO/smoke inspection at sale, c.148 ss.26F, 26F1/2) | mass.gov HIC/CSL check | 2026-09-15 |
| Michigan | state license >=$600 (Residential Builder or M&A Contractor - masonry), MCL 339.2401 et seq.; unlicensed can't sue (MCL 339.2412) | — (licensure regime) | Yes (Seller Disclosure Act, MCL 565.957, actual knowledge) | Yes (Fireplace & chimney + Wood burning system) | Yes (MCL 445.112) | Moderate — construction/permitted renovation only (MCL 125.1504f + MRC R315) | michigan.gov/statelicensesearch | 2026-09-15 |
| Minnesota | State exam license (Residential Building Contractor/Remodeler) for 2+ special skills; one-skill specialty contractors and <=$15k certificate holders exempt (Minn. Stat. 326B.805 subd. 6); roofers always licensed | DLI residential contractor license + Contractor Recovery Fund ($100k per owner/licensee, $550k aggregate, 326B.89) | Yes - material-facts duty Minn. Stat. 513.55, waivable in writing 513.60 | No (statute names no chimney item; industry form unverified) | Yes - Minn. Stat. 325G.07 (buyer-requested maintenance excluded) | Broad - 299F.51 CO alarm within 10 ft of sleeping rooms, all dwellings; no pre-sale certificate | https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/residential-contractors/who-needs-license | 2026-09-15 |
| Mississippi | None for chimney work — Remodeler license only when improvements exceed $10,000 (new residential builds over $50,000), § 73-59-1 | None below threshold | Yes — mandatory PCDS (§§ 89-1-501–527) when a licensed broker/salesperson is involved; FSBO without licensee not covered | Yes — form E.2 fireplace/chimneys | Yes (§ 75-66-3; lost if buyer requests emergency work and seller substantially begins) | None statewide (smoke or CO) — local IRC/IFC only | https://www.msboc.us | 2026-09-15 |
| Missouri | No state license or registration; local only (KCMO Residential Building Contractor + Gas-Fired Appliance Contractor, exam-based, no chimney class; St. Louis Construction-Contracting Business License) | None statewide (local only) | No - no statute requires a seller disclosure form; licensee duty RSMo 339.730; voluntary REALTORS form | n/a (no statutory form) | Partial - RSMo 407.705 covers consumer-credit home solicitation sales only; cash door-to-door sales covered by federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR 429) | None statewide (local codes only; no pre-sale certificate) | https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/city-planning-development/contractor-licensing | 2026-09-15 |
| Montana | NO competency license — Construction Contractor License (MCA 37-45-201, eff. Jan 1 2026, replaced registration) is workers'-comp-based, no exam; no-employee independents and jobs under $2,500 exempt | Construction Contractor License (DLI Business Standards Division) / ICEC (DLI-ERD) | YES since 2023 — MCA 70-20-502 (actual knowledge, no duty to investigate, no prescribed form) | No — not named; falls under structural system/heating system | YES — Personal Solicitation Sales (MCA 30-14-504) | rentals only (MCA 70-24-303) + new construction (2021 IRC); no pre-sale certificate | boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/construction-contractor | 2026-09-15 |
| Nebraska | No competency license; statewide registration only (Contractor Registration Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 48-2101 to 48-2117; statute disclaims endorsing quality) | NDOL Contractor Registration ($40/yr from Aug 1 2026; workers comp certificate) | Yes - mandatory, Neb. Rev. Stat. 76-2,120 (incl. CO alarm item (4)(k)) | Yes - NREC form: 'Is there presently damage to the chimney?', fireplace/insert, wood-burning stove, 'Cleaning of fireplace/wood-burning stove, including chimney' | Yes - Home Solicitation Sales Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 69-1603 | Yes - Carbon Monoxide Safety Act 76-601 to 76-607 (LB 34, 2015): new construction, sale/transfer, and permitted interior alteration/appliance replacement since Jan 1 2017; fireplace/fuel appliance/attached garage trigger | https://dol.nebraska.gov/conreg/Search | 2026-09-15 |
| Nevada | state license (NSCB, NRS ch. 624; exemption only for repair/maintenance under $1,000 with no permit and not heating-type work, NRS 624.031(6)) | NSCB contractor license (C-18 Masonry; C-13 Sheet Metal incl. patented chimneys/flues) + Residential Recovery Fund ($40k/claim, NRS 624.510) | Yes (mandatory, non-waivable Seller's Real Property Disclosure, NRS 113.130) | Yes (Form 547: Fireplace & chimney; Wood burning system) | Yes (door-to-door $25+, NRS 598.230) | Limited (new construction via local code; no statewide statute confirmed) | nvcontractorsboard.com | 2026-09-15 |
| New Hampshire | No state license (electrical/plumbing/gas only); local permits | None (no HIC registry or bond; RSA 359-G is defect right-to-repair notice >$5,000 only) | Yes - narrow (RSA 477:4-a/4-c/4-d water, sewage, insulation, flood zone, oil USTs) | No | Yes (RSA 361-B:2, home solicitation >=$150) | Rentals/multi-unit + single-family built/rehabbed after 1/1/2010 with fuel appliance or attached garage (RSA 153:10-a, NFPA 720); no at-sale rule | https://www.doj.nh.gov/citizens/consumer-protection-antitrust-bureau | 2026-09-15 |
| New Jersey | registration (licensing enacted P.L.2023 c.237, not operative until 6 months after Board rules) | Home Improvement Contractor (Contractors' Registration Act, N.J.S.A. 56:8-136) | Yes (N.J.S.A. 56:8-19.2, mandatory DCA form since Mar 20, 2024) | Yes (woodburning stove/fireplace section incl. flue last cleaned) | Yes (N.J.S.A. 56:8-151) | Strong (pre-sale CSACMAPFEC certificate, N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3) | njconsumeraffairs.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| New Mexico | YES — CID state license (CILA, NMSA 60-13), masonry chimney = GS-16 (adobe named), prefab/metal chimney = GS-32; no per-job threshold (handyman carve-out ≤$7,200/YEAR, NMSA 60-13-3(D)(14)) | license regime + $10,000 license bond (cite unconfirmed) | NO statutory defect form — tax-only Real Estate Disclosure Act (NMSA 47-13-4); customary RANM form names fireplace/stove/insert and asks date of last chimney cleaning | Yes — customary RANM form only (no statutory form) | YES (door-to-door + telephone, $25+, NMSA 57-12-21) | NO standalone CO statute — code-only (14.7.3.8 NMAC adopts 2021 IRC R315 unamended); no rental or pre-sale CO requirement | nmrldlpi.my.site.com/bcd/s/rld-public-search | 2026-09-15 |
| New York | no state license — local patchwork (NYC/Buffalo/Nassau/Suffolk/Westchester/Putnam/Rockland) | local HIC licenses only | Yes (mandatory since Mar 20, 2024, Ch. 484 of 2023; RPL 462) | Yes (chimney/fireplace or stove item 50) | Yes (GBL 771) | Broad (Amanda's Law, Exec. Law 378(5-a), all dwellings regardless of age) | local registries + ag.ny.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| North Carolina | THRESHOLD — state GC license only >=$40,000 (N.C. Gen. Stat. 87-1); no chimney/sweep license; masonry specialty S(Masonry Construction) 21 NCAC 12A .0202 | none for typical (<$40k) chimney work | Residential Property and Owners' Association Disclosure Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 47E) | Yes — Q2 names fireplaces/chimneys BUT No Representation opt-out, no duty even if should have known (47E-4(c)) | PARTIAL — state 25A-39 covers consumer-credit home solicitation only; cash sales via federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule | strong — landlord CO statute 42-42(a)(7) ($250 infraction 42-44) + new-construction code | nclbgc.org | 2026-09-15 |
| North Dakota | YES — state contractor license by dollar class (N.D.C.C. ch. 43-07), required when a job exceeds $4,000; no exam, no bond | SoS contractor license Classes A-D (liability insurance + WSI coverage + sworn experience statement) | YES but broker-triggered (N.D.C.C. 47-10-02.1); statute names no chimney item | UNVERIFIED — statute names none; REALTORS form not checked | YES (N.D.C.C. 51-18-02; 15 business days for 65+ over $50) | rule/code-based (N.D.A.C. 24.1-06-01-40; 2024 IRC eff. Jan 1 2026); no pre-sale certificate | firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/contractor | 2026-09-15 |
| Ohio | no state license (OCILB: HVAC/refrigeration/electrical/plumbing/hydronics only) — local (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) | local city registrations only | Yes (R.C. 5302.30, actual knowledge) | Yes (Fireplace/chimney — form Section G item 6) | Yes (R.C. 1345.22) | Unclear — code-based new construction; existing-home coverage unconfirmed | city registries + ohioattorneygeneral.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Oklahoma | No GC/home-improvement license; sweeping & masonry unlicensed — BUT CIB 'Fueled Hearth Product Work' mechanical specialty (NFI cert) required to install/service/repair wood, pellet & gas fireplaces, inserts, stoves, log sets; gas venting may need mechanical license (59 O.S. § 1850.1 et seq.) | roofers (CIB, 59 O.S. § 1151.1 et seq.; HB 1628 exam-based residential endorsement mandatory 1/1/2028); OKC/Tulsa city registration | YES, MANDATORY (60 O.S. § 831 et seq.); disclaimer only if never occupied + no knowledge (§ 833); actual damages only, 2-yr limit (§ 837) | Yes — 01-01-2026 OREC form names 'Fireplaces' (no 'chimney') | YES (14A O.S. § 2-502) — lost if buyer requests emergency work and seller substantially begins | code-only (2024 IRC R315 eff. 9/14/2026, new construction; no retrofit/rental/sale statute) | cibverify.ok.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Oregon | state license (CCB; 16-hr training + exam + bond; exemption under $1,000 casual work, ORS 701.010(4)) | CCB Construction Contractor License (ORS ch. 701) | Yes (statutory Seller's Property Disclosure Statement, ORS 105.464) | Yes (woodstove/fireplace insert: make, permit, EPA/DEQ certification label) | Yes (Home Solicitation Sales, ORS 83.720) | Broad + point of sale (ORS 105.838) | oregon.gov/ccb | 2026-09-15 |
| Pennsylvania | no state license — mandatory HIC registration (≥$5,000/yr, no exam) | Home Improvement Contractor (Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.3) | Yes (Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law, 68 Pa.C.S. 7303) | No on statutory form (49 Pa. Code 35.335a); Yes on PAR form 13(D) | Yes | Moderate (sale disclosure + rental/multifamily install; Act 121 of 2013) | hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Rhode Island | CRLB registration required (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65-3 names chimney/fireplace installers; no exam, no bond, $500k insurance) + DLT Decorative Heating Appliances Limited II license requiring NCSG/NFI cert (260-RICR-30-15-2.22(I)) | CRLB registry; permits barred to unregistered contractors | YES — 5-20.8-2, statute lists Fireplaces + Chimney + Heating separately | Yes (Fireplaces, Chimney, Heating System items) | YES (Door-to-Door Sales Act 6-28-3; not re-verified Sep 2026) | STRONG (reported) — pre-sale fire-dept smoke/CO certificate; statute section UNVERIFIED | crb.ri.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| South Carolina | REGISTRATION — LLR Residential Specialty registration (masons named) >$500, no exam; Residential Builder license >$5,000 (S.C. Code 40-59-20) | LLR residential specialty (masonry), no exam; bond >$5,000 | Residential Property Condition Disclosure Act (S.C. Code 27-50-40) | Yes — Q7 names fireplaces, chimneys, wood stoves; form instructions bar No Representation to hide known conditions | PARTIAL — 37-2-502 covers consumer-credit home solicitation only; cash sales via federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule | WEAK — code/new-construction only; no rental or pre-sale CO statute located | llr.sc.gov/res | 2026-09-15 |
| South Dakota | NO state license (electrical/plumbing commissions only) — LOCAL (Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Brookings, Watertown) | local; statewide only a Dept. of Revenue Contractor's Excise Tax License (SDCL 10-46A-15; tax, not competency) | YES — SDCL 43-4-44 statutory form, FSBO or agent (43-4-38) | Yes — Fireplace, Fireplace Insert, Wood Burning Stove + "Has the fireplace/wood stove/chimney flue been cleaned?" | YES (SDCL 37-24-5.1 to 5.7, $25+ door-to-door) | none by statute — only locally adopted IRC R315 (SDCL 11-10-12 permits 2024 IRC); no pre-sale certificate | consumer.sd.gov + city building departments | 2026-09-15 |
| Tennessee | Threshold - state contractor license $25,000+ prime (masonry subs $100,000+); Home Improvement license $3,000-$24,999 in 9 counties; most chimney work unlicensed | Home Improvement license + $10,000 bond (Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby) | Yes - mandatory disclose-or-disclaim (Tenn. Code 66-5-201/-202; form 66-5-210) | Unverified | Yes (Tenn. Code 47-18-704) | Narrow - statute covers pre-2016 hotels only (68-120-112); no existing-home/rental/at-sale CO rule; new construction via 2018 IRC where not opted out | https://search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov/ | 2026-09-15 |
| Texas | NO state license (TDLR electricians/AC-refrigeration; plumbing board only) — LOCAL city registration (San Antonio, Dallas, Austin; Houston none — unverified) | city-by-city registration only | Tex. Property Code 5.008 — mandatory seller's disclosure notice (TREC 55-1) | Yes — TREC 55-1 lists 'Fireplace(s) & Chimney (Wood burning)' + '(Mock)'; also 'Carbon Monoxide Alarm' | YES (Bus. & Com. Code ch. 601, §§ 601.002/601.052) | THIN — no general statewide mandate; child-care only (Hum. Res. Code 42.060) + local IRC R315 | local city registration + texasattorneygeneral.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Utah | YES — DOPL state license (B100 general / S230 masonry), Utah Code Title 58 Ch. 55; <$7,000 exempt (58-55-305(1)(h)); sweep-only exempt except masonry repair (R156-55a-301(7)(n)) | state license regime (qualifier + exam + insurance) | caveat emptor; only meth disclosure mandated (57-27-201); customary UAR Form 10 | Yes — names fireplace insert/gas & woodburning fireplace/wood & pellet stove (customary Form 10) | Yes — 3 business days (Utah Code 70C-5-102) | code-based only — 2021 IRC R315 as amended (15A-3-202); HB 402 (2009) bars local enforcement against anyone but the occupant; no sale/rental mandate | secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html | 2026-09-15 |
| Vermont | DFS T4 Chimney Sweep Certificate of Fitness (NCSG CCP-level, CCP or CSIA) required for work in public buildings incl. rentals - not owner-occupied single-family; contracting = registration only | OPR Residential Contractor Registration (>$10,000, $1M/$2M insurance, no exam; DPS-certified trades exempt 26 V.S.A. 5502(2)(A)) | No general statutory form - SPIR customary; statutory flood disclosure (27 V.S.A. 380) | Yes on customary SPIR (not mandated) | Yes (9 V.S.A. 2454) | Strong - seller certifies smoke/CO alarms at closing of single-family sale (9 V.S.A. 2882-2883) | https://firesafety.vermont.gov/licensing/t4-chimney-sweep | 2026-09-15 |
| Virginia | YES — DPOR tiered license (Class C >$1k-<$30k, B $30k-<$150k, A $150k+; post-2025 HB1707) | DPOR license (Title 54.1 ch.11) + Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund ($30k/claimant, $100k/biennium per regulant) | Mandatory form but buyer-beware, no condition content (55.1-703) | None (form discloses nothing) | Yes (Home Solicitation Sales Act, 59.1-21.3) | Code (USBC) + landlord install on written tenant request within 90 days (55.1-1229(E)); no pre-sale cert | dpor.virginia.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Washington | no state license — registration only (L&I, bond + insurance, no exam, RCW 18.27) | L&I Contractor Registration (specialties incl. Masonry [chimney cleaning and repair] and Wood/pellet and gas stove) | Yes (Form 17, RCW 64.06.020; buyer may waive except Environmental section) | Yes (wood burning appliances present + EPA certification of woodstoves/inserts; chimneys as structural item) | Yes (in-person solicited retail installment sales, RCW 63.14.154) | Broad + point of sale (RCW 19.27.530) | lni.wa.gov (Verify a Contractor) | 2026-09-15 |
| West Virginia | YES statewide — WV Contractor Licensing Act, W. Va. Code ch. 30 art. 42 (21-11 repealed); $5,000 residential / $25,000 commercial (30-42-3(d)); sweeps often below it | license regime via Contractor Licensing Board | NONE LOCATED — caveat emptor; no statutory seller-disclosure article in current Code Ch. 36/37 (UNVERIFIED pending full-code search) | n/a (no state form) | YES (W. Va. Code 46A-2-132) | new construction + rentals/hotels/motels/schools (W. Va. Code 15A-10-12); no pre-sale certificate | labor.wv.gov | 2026-09-15 |
| Wisconsin UNDER REVIEW | Dwelling Contractor cert required to pull a 1-2 family dwelling building permit (Wis. Stat. 101.654; owner-occupants exempt); NO home-improvement/chimney license | Dwelling Contractor cert + ATCP 110 duties | Yes (Wis. Stat. 709.02-.03, actual knowledge) | Unconfirmed Sep 2026 (fireplace/woodstove item per Jul 2026 research) | Unconfirmed Sep 2026 (ATCP 110.07 — 3-day per Jul 2026 research) | Broad (Wis. Stat. 101.647, basement + every floor) | DSPS credential search | 2026-09-15 |
| Wyoming | NO — no state license or registration of any kind (electricians only, via State Fire Marshal); LOCAL only: Cheyenne (Class A/B/R), Casper, Gillette, Cody, Jackson (also covers unincorporated Teton Co.) | NONE (DWS "resident contractor" cert = public-works bid preference, not consumer protection) | NO — caveat emptor (Snyder v. Lovercheck, 992 P.2d 1079); no statutory form; only broker's actual-knowledge duty, W.S. 33-28-303 | N/A (no form) | YES (home solicitation over $25, W.S. 40-12-104; clock does not start without written notice) | none statewide (2009 HB0187 failed) — local IRC R315 only where a code exists | none statewide — cheyennewy.portal.opengov.com (Cheyenne) / wyelectrician.imagetrendlicense.com (electrical only) | 2026-09-15 |
Rows marked NOT YET IN TABLE have a researched state page but no summary row in the table yet. Where a row is dated before its state page's verification, the verification may have corrected it — the state page is the source of record, and its short answers use the verified summary.
How do the regions differ?
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: the pattern at its strongest
This is where license strength and disclosure strength pull hardest in opposite directions. Maryland pairs an exam-based home-improvement license and a guaranty fund with a seller option to disclaim instead of disclose, and its disclosure form has no dedicated chimney line. Virginia licenses contractors in tiers for work over $1,000, but its mandatory disclosure is a buyer-beware notice. Massachusetts requires an exam-based license for structural chimney work and a fire-department carbon monoxide inspection when a home sells; our research reports no mandatory seller disclosure form there, an absence we have not yet re-verified. New Jersey registers home-improvement contractors, and a licensing law has been enacted but is not yet operative. New York has no state license, but its seller form has carried a mandatory chimney, fireplace or stove question since March 2024. Maine's disclosure statute asks for the date of the most recent chimney and vent inspection, and Vermont has the only state certificate written for chimney sweeps.
Midwest: no license, but the chimney is on the form
Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have no state license for chimney work; oversight, where it exists, is city by city. Illinois's mandatory disclosure report asks about defects in the chimney and in the fireplace or woodburning stove. Michigan is the regional contrast: repair work of $600 or more needs a state license, and an unlicensed contractor cannot sue to collect for work that required one. Minnesota runs an exam-based license that exempts contractors offering only one special skill, and its seller disclosure can be waived in writing. Our research found no statewide carbon monoxide requirement for existing homes in Indiana. The Wisconsin page is under review after verification.
Plains: the double-weak pocket
Missouri and Kansas are weak on both axes: no state chimney license and no statute requiring a seller disclosure form, so the homeowner's leverage lives in general consumer-protection law. Missouri also has no statewide building code. Iowa requires contractor registration and a disclosure form that still has no chimney item, though it does license installers of hearth appliances. Nebraska's form asks about chimney damage and cleaning, and its carbon monoxide law is triggered at sale. North Dakota licenses contractors, without an exam, only for jobs over $4,000. South Dakota has no state contractor license, but its statutory form asks whether the fireplace, wood stove or chimney flue has been cleaned.
South: licenses that switch off below a dollar line
The dominant Southern fact is threshold-gated licensing. North Carolina's general contractor license starts at $40,000 and Tennessee's at $25,000, so most chimney work falls below the line. Texas has no state license for chimney work, but its mandatory seller disclosure lists the fireplace and chimney. Florida has no statutory disclosure form; the seller's duty comes from the courts. Georgia and Alabama are close to buyer-beware at resale. In North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, the state's door-to-door cancellation law reaches only credit sales, so a cash sale at your door relies on the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. In Mississippi, Oklahoma and Louisiana, asking for "emergency" work can cost you the right to cancel — the exact request a scare-sale operator wants. Louisiana also requires a working carbon monoxide detector when a one- or two-family home is sold or leased.
West: real licenses, and a third axis — smoke and wildfire
The West licenses more than any other region — California, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Hawaii all run state contractor licenses — yet the license-versus-disclosure pattern splits roughly evenly here. In California an unlicensed contractor cannot sue to collect, and a homeowner can recover what they paid one. Wyoming has no state license or registration of any kind and no statutory disclosure form. Idaho registers contractors without an exam and bars cities and counties from running their own licensing. The West also regulates what may be burned or installed: air-district no-burn days, certified-stove rules, and Oregon's requirement that an uncertified used wood stove be removed before a home sale closes. In Alaska, the Fairbanks area requires older, higher-emitting wood heaters to be removed before closing.
Before anyone goes on your roof
What should you ask a chimney company?
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
Does any state require a license to sweep a chimney?
Sweeping requires no state credential in 50 of the 51 jurisdictions our licensing research covers. The exception is Vermont, where the Division of Fire Safety issues a T4 Chimney Sweep Certificate of Fitness tied to a private certification (the rule accepts NCSG at the Certified Chimney Professional level, or CSIA) — and our verification found that certificate applies to public buildings, not owner-occupied single-family homes. Elsewhere, a contractor license — where one exists — usually covers masonry repair, relining or larger jobs, not the cleaning visit itself. Maryland's regulator says in its own FAQ that cleaning chimneys is not "home improvement," while caps and rebuilds need the license. So "licensed" on a sweep's truck rarely means anyone tested their chimney skills. That is why the questions about individual certifications matter more than the word "licensed."
Is a chimney inspection required when a house is sold?
In 50 of the 51 state pages, our research found text stating that no chimney inspection is mandated at transfer; the remaining pages say to read the home-sale section rather than guess. What some states do require at sale is different: a seller disclosure form that may name the chimney or fireplace, or a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate. NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection when a property changes hands, but that is a national standard, not a law. If you are buying, the inspection is something you order and pay for yourself. Put it in your contract's inspection contingency window.
Can I use or republish this table?
Yes. Download the CSV and cite it as https://www.chimney.services/rights. Each row carries the date our research last looked, and each state page links to the primary sources behind it. Laws change, so check the state page's verification date before relying on any cell. Where a detail isn't independently verified, the state page says so.
State pages
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- 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 · under review
- Wyoming