You can verify any New Jersey home improvement contractor in under a minute. Go to newjersey.mylicense.com/verification, select “Home Improvement Contractor” from the license type list, search by the business name, and confirm the status reads “Active.” If it says anything else — expired, suspended, not found — the contractor is not authorized to perform home improvement work in New Jersey.
What HIC registration is
The NJ Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration is a state requirement for any person or company performing home improvement work in New Jersey for $500 or more. It is governed by the NJ Contractors’ Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 et seq.) and administered by the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs.
To register, a contractor must:
- Submit a completed application with full business information
- Prove at least $500,000 in general liability insurance per occurrence, with the state named as an additional interested party
- Pay an annual registration fee (currently $110 per year)
Registration is tied to the business, not the individual owner. When a contractor’s insurance lapses, the registration lapses with it.
What the number looks like
Every registered NJ home improvement contractor carries a number in the format 13VH followed by 8 digits — for example, 13VH00028600. This number must appear on:
- Every written estimate and contract
- Every advertisement, including online listings and yard signs
- Business cards, invoices, and company vehicles
If a contractor hands you a proposal without a 13VH number anywhere on it, ask for it directly. A legitimate contractor will have it ready. One who hesitates is worth pausing on.
How to do the lookup — step by step
- Go to newjersey.mylicense.com/verification
- Under “License Type,” select Home Improvement Contractor
- Click Business Search — not Person Search. HIC is a business registration. Searching by person returns nothing.
- Enter the business name as it appears on the estimate or contract
- Confirm the result shows all of these:
- Status: Active
- The 13VH registration number matches what’s on their paperwork
- The expiration date has not passed and will not pass during your project
If the name returns no result, try a partial search using the first few words of the business name. You can also search directly by the 13VH number if you have it.
What the contract must include
Under N.J.A.C. 13:45A-16.2, any home improvement contract for $500 or more must be in writing. The contract must include:
- The contractor’s full legal name, business address, and 13VH registration number prominently on the first page
- The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs toll-free number, also on the first page
- A description of the work to be performed and the principal materials to be used
- Total price, start date, and estimated completion date
- A copy of the contractor’s Certificate of General Liability Insurance
- Any warranties stated clearly
- A Notice of Cancellation in bold 10-point type, informing you of your right to cancel within three business days
Every item on that list is a minimum, not a nice-to-have. A contract that skips elements is not compliant.
Your three-day right of rescission
After signing a home improvement contract, you have until midnight of the third business day to cancel for any reason, no explanation required. Cancellation must be in writing — send it by certified mail or hand-deliver a signed notice. The contractor must refund all payments within 30 days of receiving your cancellation.
This right exists even after you have signed the contract and even if the contractor has already begun planning or purchasing materials. It does not apply after those three business days have passed, so read the contract carefully before signing.
Red flags worth pausing on
These patterns show up repeatedly in contractor disputes in North NJ:
- No 13VH number on the estimate, contract, website, or vehicle
- Status on mylicense.com is expired or suspended rather than Active
- Request for more than one-third of the total project price as a deposit before work begins
- Pressure to skip permits (“I know the inspector, we don’t need that”)
- No written contract for work over $500, or a contract that is missing required elements
- Request to pay entirely in cash with nothing in writing
- A business address that is only a P.O. box, or no verifiable physical address
A contractor who resists basic transparency on registration, permits, and a written contract is showing you something. Take it seriously.
What you lose without a registered contractor
Using an unregistered contractor removes the protections the Contractors’ Registration Act exists to provide:
- Your contract may be legally unenforceable
- You lose access to the treble damages available under the NJ Consumer Fraud Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 et seq.) if work is done incorrectly or the contractor disappears
- If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor carries no insurance, you may face liability
- Insurance claims related to work done without proper registration may be denied
The HIC check takes 60 seconds. Run it before you sign anything.
FAQ
Do I need to check separately for plumbing and electrical licenses?
Yes. A general contractor’s HIC registration covers the overall project, but the licensed plumbers and electricians working on your home should hold their own NJ trade licenses. You can check those at the same newjersey.mylicense.com/verification portal under “Plumbing Contractor” or “Electrical Contractor.”
What if the contractor has great reviews and a portfolio but no 13VH number?
A strong portfolio does not substitute for registration. Good work done by an unregistered contractor means no consumer protections if something goes wrong later. A legitimate contractor can register — it is not an onerous process. If they won’t, that is meaningful information.
How do I verify the contractor’s insurance is current?
The mylicense.com lookup confirms that insurance was on file at registration. For current active coverage, ask the contractor to provide a Certificate of General Liability Insurance naming you as an additional insured for the duration of the project. This is a standard request that any insured contractor will fulfill.
Can I just ask the contractor to show me their license?
New Jersey uses HIC registration for home improvement work, not a traditional contractor’s license. Ask to see the registration certificate and verify the 13VH number against what’s on your contract. Plumbers and electricians hold separate trade licenses — those are searchable on mylicense.com under their respective license types.
Looking for a North Jersey contractor whose HIC registration has already been checked and dated? Find one on Renovexus.