How to hire a remodeling contractor in Georgia

When Georgia requires a contractor license

• A residential contractor license is required when the value of the job, or the contractor's pay if higher, is more than $2,500 ^[2]. "Contracting" explicitly includes repair, alteration and remodeling ^[2].
• For most houses the license is Residential-Basic, which covers one- and two-family homes and townhouses up to three stories ^[2].
• A company (LLC or corporation) can only contract through a licensed qualifying agent ^[1].
• Plumbing, electrical and HVAC work must be done by tradespeople licensed by Georgia's Construction Industry Licensing Board, not by the general contractor's own crew ^[2][4][5].
• Some trades have no state license: roofers, painters, drywall installers and repair handymen, though they may need a local business license ^[7]. A handyman can do unlicensed repairs only if they tell you up front they're unlicensed and the work doesn't affect the structure ^[3].

Why the license matters to you

Under Georgia law, a contract with an unlicensed contractor for work that requires a license can't be enforced by that contractor, and they get no lien rights for it ^[3]. In one 2019 case, a remodeler lost a claim of more than $33,000 against a homeowner because the job included plumbing and electrical work he wasn't licensed to do ^[3].

More practically: licensing requires the contractor to carry general liability insurance (at least $300,000 per occurrence for Residential-Basic) ^[1].

How to check a Georgia contractor license (2 minutes)

1. Open the Secretary of State's GOALS Professional Licensee Search. No login is needed ^[6].
2. Fill in at least two fields, for example the profession (Residential and General Contractors) and the contractor's or qualifying agent's name, or the license number from their estimate ^[6].
3. Confirm the name matches, the status is active, and the license type covers your home.
4. Repeat for the plumber and electrician if they're a separate company.

Insurance to ask for

• General liability: a licensing requirement, so ask for the certificate ^[1][8].
• Workers' compensation: Georgia requires it only for businesses with three or more employees ^[1]. If a smaller crew works in your home, ask how injuries would be covered.
• The state consumer office's advice is simple: ask to see proof of insurance ^[8].

Estimates, contracts and payments

• Get written estimates from at least three contractors and ask for references ^[8].
• Get everything in writing, including start and completion dates ^[7].
• Georgia has no general law capping deposits on remodels, but the state consumer office advises paying no more than one-third up front and never paying for the whole project before work begins ^[9].
• Tie payments to completed stages, and don't pay for work that isn't done ^[7].
• The contractor, not you, should pull the permits. A contractor asking you to pull them is a red flag ^[7]. See permits by city.

Protect yourself from liens

Subcontractors and suppliers who aren't paid can file a lien on your home, even if you paid the contractor. Georgia's rules:

• A lien must be filed within 90 days after the work or materials were furnished, and the total of all liens can't exceed the contract price ^[10].
• Lien rights can't be waived in advance; only Georgia's statutory interim and final waiver forms count ^[11].
• With each payment, ask for an interim lien waiver from the contractor (and major subs and suppliers), and a final waiver with the last payment ^[11]. A signer who doesn't file an affidavit of nonpayment within 90 days is treated as having waived even if unpaid ^[11].
• A lien can be dissolved with a written waiver from the claimant, or the contractor's sworn statement that everyone has been paid ^[12].

Red flags Georgia warns about

Complaints go to the Georgia Department of Law's Consumer Protection Division at (404) 651-8600; report unlicensed contractors to your city or county too ^[7].

• Door-to-door sales, cash only, or pressure to decide on the spot ^[7].
• Full payment up front or no written contract ^[7][9].
• Asking you to pull the permits ^[7].
• Offers to pay or waive your insurance deductible, a common sign of fraud ^[9].
• After a storm or other natural disaster, a 2025 Georgia law adds protections for repair contracts signed within a year, including the right to cancel if your insurer denies the claim ^[9].

Common questions

Related

• Permits by city
• How we vet remodelers
• Cost estimator
• How long a remodel takes
• Bathroom water damage
• Quartz vs. granite

Sources

1. Georgia Secretary of State, Residential and Commercial General Contractors FAQ (accessed November 2026)
2. O.C.G.A. § 43-41-2, definitions (2025 Code of Georgia) (2025 Code)
3. O.C.G.A. § 43-41-17, unlicensed contracts and exemptions (2025 Code), incl. Restor-It, Inc. v. Beck (2019) (2025 Code)
4. O.C.G.A. § 43-14-8, electrical contractor licensing (2025 Code) (2025 Code)
5. O.C.G.A. § 43-14-13, plumber licensing (2025 Code) (2025 Code)
6. Georgia Secretary of State, GOALS Professional Licensee Search (accessed November 2026)
7. Georgia Department of Law, Consumer Protection Division: Home Repair & Improvements (accessed November 2026)
8. Georgia Department of Law, Consumer Protection Division: Home Repairs and Improvements (accessed November 2026)
9. Georgia Department of Law, Consumer Protection Division: Storms & Fraud (accessed November 2026)
10. O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1, filing a lien (2025 Code) (2025 Code)
11. O.C.G.A. § 44-14-366, lien waivers (2025 Code) (2025 Code)
12. O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.2, dissolving a lien (2025 Code) (2025 Code)

This guide is general information, not legal, insurance or financial advice. How we research.