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How do you check a contractor license in Delaware?

In Delaware, contractors need a state business license from the Division of Revenue, whose website offers a business license search. Electrical, plumbing and HVACR work also takes a trade license from the Division of Professional Regulation, which has its own lookup and does not license general contractors.

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, page for contractors, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, board page for plumbing and HVACR examiners, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, home page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

The license lookup is yours to run on the state's site.

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By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Sources last read: 22 October 2026

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Key facts

What license does every Delaware contractor need?

A state business license from the Division of Revenue, which you can look up on that Division's website.

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, page for contractors, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

The Division's page for contractors, read 22 October 2026, says: "Any contractors conducting business activity in Delaware are required to register with and obtain a business license from the Delaware Division of Revenue."

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, page for contractors, read 22 October 2026.

The Division of Revenue's business license FAQ states the wider rule: "Any person or entity conducting a trade or business in the State of Delaware is required to obtain a Delaware business license from the Delaware Division of Revenue."

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

On who counts as a contractor, from Title 30 of the Delaware Code, section 2501: "a person is a contractor regardless of whether the person is a general contractor or a subcontractor, or whether the person is a resident or a nonresident"

Source: Delaware Code, Title 30, Chapter 25, read 22 October 2026.

The timing sits in section 2502(a) of the same title: "This license must be obtained and proof of license compliance must be made prior to, or in conjunction with, the execution of a contract to such person."

Source: Delaware Code, Title 30, Chapter 25, read 22 October 2026.

The search itself appears in the Division of Revenue's menu under this name: "Delaware Business Licenses Search".

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

A local license can apply as well; the FAQ adds: "Depending on where you are located in Delaware, your city and/or county may also require a city and/or county business license, in addition to a State of Delaware business license."

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

Which Delaware trades hold a Professional Regulation license?

Electricians, plumbers and HVACR trades, through two boards of the Division of Professional Regulation; general contractors and home builders are not among the services that Division licenses.

Source: Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, board page for plumbing and HVACR examiners, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

The Board of Electrical Examiners page, read 22 October 2026, says: "The Board issues licenses to apprentices, journeypersons, master electricians, master electricians special, limited electricians, and limited electricians special."

Source: Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners page, read 22 October 2026.

The plumbing and HVACR board page says: "The Board issues master plumber, master HVACR and master restricted HVACR licenses."

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, board page for plumbing and HVACR examiners, read 22 October 2026.

It adds: "Restricted licenses limit practice to a specialty such as air conditioning."

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, board page for plumbing and HVACR examiners, read 22 October 2026.

For electrical work, from Title 24 of the Delaware Code, section 1407(a): "No person shall engage in the practice of providing electrical services or hold himself or herself out to the public in this State as being qualified to act as a licensed electrician; or use in connection with that person’s name, or otherwise assume or use, any title or description conveying or tending to convey the impression that the person is qualified to act as a licensed electrician, unless such person has been duly licensed under this chapter."

Source: Delaware Code, Title 24, Chapter 14, Subchapter II, read 22 October 2026.

For plumbing, from section 1807(a) of the same title: "A person shall not provide plumbing services in this State nor hold oneself out to the public as being a licensed master plumber, nor use “licensed plumber,” “master plumber,” or “licensed master plumber” in connection with that person’s name, nor otherwise assume or use any title or description conveying or tending to convey the impression that the person is qualified to provide plumbing services, unless the person has been licensed as a master plumber under this chapter, or exempted from the provisions of this chapter pursuant to subsection (c) of this section."

Source: Delaware Code, Title 24, Chapter 18, Subchapter II, read 22 October 2026.

Subsection (c) begins: "An individual may provide plumbing services without being licensed under this chapter if:"

Source: Delaware Code, Title 24, Chapter 18, Subchapter II, read 22 October 2026.

The first item on that list reads: "(1) The individual is an apprentice, journeyman, mechanic, or other person providing such services under the supervision of a master plumber who is the individual’s employer or who is employed full time by the same business entity as the individual;"

Source: Delaware Code, Title 24, Chapter 18, Subchapter II, read 22 October 2026.

The Division's complaint page, in its list of services it does not license, names general contractors, including home builders.

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

The Division of Revenue's FAQ answers the overlap: "Yes, a State of Delaware business license is needed in addition to any professional licenses."

Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

Where do Delaware complaints and disciplinary records go?

Trade-license complaints go to the Division of Professional Regulation, billing disputes to the Department of Justice, and disciplinary lists sit on the state's Open Data Portal.

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, disciplinary action page, read 22 October 2026.

The complaint page, read 22 October 2026, says you may file when: "An unlicensed person or business is practicing a profession that requires a license"

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

It also says: "Each complaint must state the name and location of the person or business the complaint is against."

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

For money disputes, the same page points elsewhere: "Consumer Fraud or billing disputes – Delaware Department of Justice – Consumer Protection Division"

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

The Department of Justice describes that office this way: "The Consumer Protection Unit is part of the Fraud and Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office."

Source: Delaware Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Unit page, read 22 October 2026.

On discipline, the Division of Professional Regulation's page says: "Lists of disciplinary actions for professional licensees in the State of Delaware are available through Delaware’s Open Data Portal at no cost."

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, disciplinary action page, read 22 October 2026.

It adds: "Board Orders are available from the license details page."

Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, disciplinary action page, read 22 October 2026.

What should you ask a Delaware contractor before you search?

Get the business name and, for electrical, plumbing or HVACR work, the trade license details in writing; the searches are then an optional public-record step you can take yourself. These are practical suggestions, not agency rules.

  1. Ask for the business name the contractor uses with the Division of Revenue, in writing.
  2. Look that name up through the Division of Revenue's business license search.

    Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

  3. For electrical, plumbing or HVACR work, ask which Division of Professional Regulation license the person holds and the license number.

    Source: Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners page, read 22 October 2026.
    Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, board page for plumbing and HVACR examiners, read 22 October 2026.

  4. Look that license up through the Division of Professional Regulation's lookup, which its home page describes in these words: "Look up public information on professional licenses and applicants."

    Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, home page, read 22 October 2026.

  5. Ask your city or county office whether a local license applies to the job.

    Source: Delaware Division of Revenue, business license FAQ, read 22 October 2026.

  6. Keep a note of each search and its date, in case you ever file a complaint.

    Source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, complaint page, read 22 October 2026.

Who sees your contact details when you post a job on InstaBids?

One point about InstaBids follows. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection.

Source: InstaBids process and privacy, live-page excerpts, read 22 October 2026.

Post your job on InstaBids, and contractors can bid in writing on one written scope.

Homeowners anywhere in the US can post a job; once you send it, InstaBids finds contractors to bid on it.

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