Garage door rules & licensing in Vermont

Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) — official site

Registration, not a license, and no exam or competency demonstration. "Per 26 V.S.A. 5501(b), any residential contractor who performs residential construction where the estimated value is $10,000 or more, inclusive of labor and materials" must register. "Residential Contracting is defined as to build, demolish, or alter a residential dwelling unit, or a building or premises with four or fewer residential dwelling units", including interior and exterior construction, renovation and repair. Registration has been required since April 1, 2023. Exemptions include employees of a registered residential contracting business, tradespeople licensed by the Department of Public Safety working within their scope, licensed engineers and architects, and "A person working on a structure that is not attached to a residential building." Subcontractors hired by another contractor rather than by the homeowner directly are not required to register: "If at any time, you directly enter into a contract with the homeowner where the estimated valued is at $10,000 or more, inclusive of labor and materials, you must register with OPR."

$10,000 or more, inclusive of labor and materials, on a contract entered into directly with the homeowner (26 V.S.A. 5501(b)). Commercial contractors do not need to register unless they accept a residential job at or above that value.

No surety bond. Registration requires "A copy of your minimum liability insurance coverage of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and $2,000,000.00 aggregate" plus an attestation to use of a written contract. The written contract must state price, estimated start and completion dates, scope of work and a change-order provision.

Statewide construction codes are adopted by the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety. Currently adopted: Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code, 2025 edition; NFPA 1 Fire Code, 2021 edition; NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 2021 edition; International Building Code (IBC), 2021 edition; NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2023 edition; ICC International Plumbing Code, 2024 edition. Vermont has no separate statewide residential building code; energy standards are administered separately by the Department of Public Service (Residential Building Energy Standards).