MD Home Improvement

What MD Home Improvement does

MD Home Improvement, doing business as the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC), is a state government regulatory body — not a private company — operating as a licensing board within the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing at the Maryland Department of Labor. Its core function is to license and regulate home improvement contractors operating in the State of Maryland in order to protect consumers from unqualified or fraudulent service providers. The Commission serves two primary constituencies: licensed home improvement contractors (including subcontractors and related businesses) who must obtain state credentials to operate legally, and Maryland residents seeking home improvement services who rely on the Commission's license verification tools to confirm contractor legitimacy.

The Commission's product surface centers on a statutory licensing regime administered through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, which oversees 21 licensing boards, commissions, and programs regulating more than 255,000 individuals and businesses across 25 professions. Core service components include the online license application and renewal portal, a publicly searchable license verification database, and consumer complaint intake via the Department of Labor's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. The Commission operates from the Maryland Department of Labor headquarters at 100 S. Charles Street, Tower I, Baltimore, MD 21201, and is supported by a Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner with contact lines routed through the Division's shared infrastructure (410-230-6231, [email protected]).

As a government entity, the Commission does not operate a commercial revenue model. Its funding flows through state budget appropriations, and licensing fees are set administratively through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing fee schedules rather than via market-based pricing. The Commission's distribution channel is its online licensing portal, with its primary marketing/communications channel being the Maryland Department of Labor's official website. Go-to-market activity is effectively zero; the entity benefits from statutory exclusivity within Maryland and has no competitive private-sector equivalent. The broader Maryland Department of Labor portfolio (in which MHIC sits) includes unemployment insurance, workforce development, occupational safety (MOSH), financial regulation, racing regulation, and the new Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, but these are distinct divisions rather than MHIC products.

Name

MD Home Improvement

Legal name

Maryland Department of Labor - Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing - Home Improvement Commission

Website

https://dllr.state.md.us

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Maryland Home Improvement Commission is a state regulatory body within the Maryland Department of Labor that licenses and regulates home improvement contractors across Maryland to protect consumers from unqualified service providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Licensing & Regulation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAOAF

Labor, Employment Standards & Occupational Licensing Boards

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Regulatory Agencies & Licensing (Cross-sector)

SECONDARYBPAIAOAB

Licensing & Permitting Authorities (General)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Regulatory Agencies & Licensing (Cross-sector)

SECONDARYBPAIABAO

State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

Keywords

• Contractor licensing
• Home improvement regulation
• Occupational licensing
• Professional licensing
• Contractor verification

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Maryland Home Improvement Commission licenses and regulates home improvement contractors operating in Maryland to protect consumers from unqualified or fraudulent service providers. It administers contractor license issuance, renewal, and a public license search/verification feature, ensuring that all home improvement service providers meet established standards of professional competence under Maryland state law.

Product overview

The Maryland Department of Labor is a state government agency providing a broad portfolio of workforce development, employment, licensing, and regulatory services organized into multiple divisions. Core workforce services include the Maryland Unemployment Insurance program (providing up to 26 weeks of benefits via the BEACON portal), the Maryland Workforce Exchange (online job matching platform), 32 American Job Centers for in-person services, and apprenticeship programs. The Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing oversees 21 boards regulating over 255,000 licensees across 25 professions including home improvement contractors via the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. The Division of Labor and Industry enforces workplace safety (MOSH), employment standards/wages, and safety inspections. The Office of Financial Regulation provides consumer financial protection. The Division of Workforce Development administers EARN Maryland grants, youth apprenticeship, GED/adult education, and newer initiatives including Cyber Maryland (cybersecurity/AI workforce training) and the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. The Maryland Racing Commission regulates pari-mutuel betting and horse racing. The agency functions as a platform of distinct regulatory, licensing, employment, and insurance services rather than a single unified product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) Licensing State-mandated licensing service for home improvement contractors and subcontractors operating in Maryland. The Commission issues licenses, processes renewals, and enforces compliance with state standards to ensure only qualified professionals perform home improvement work.
• License Search / Public Verification Public-facing license search tool that allows Maryland residents, consumers, and businesses to verify whether a home improvement contractor holds a valid Maryland state license before engaging their services.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Contractors State License Board (CSLB): The California state agency that licenses and regulates contractors, including general building and home improvement contractors. It is the closest functional peer to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, performing the same core function (contractor licensing, verification, and enforcement) within a larger state market.
• Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: Texas's state licensing body that regulates a wide range of occupations including contractors and home improvement professionals. It is comparable to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission as a state-level occupational licensing authority performing licensing, enforcement, and consumer protection functions.
• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR): Florida's state agency responsible for licensing and regulating businesses and professionals, including construction and home improvement contractors. Directly comparable to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission as a state licensing regulator with overlapping scope over contractor occupations.
• New York State Department of State — Division of Licensing Services: Administers licensing for various professional trades in New York, including home improvement contractors operating in Nassau County and other jurisdictions. It performs a comparable state-level licensing and consumer-protection function to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission.
• Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR): Virginia's state agency that licenses and regulates a wide range of professionals and businesses, including contractors. As a neighboring Mid-Atlantic state regulator with similar statutory structure, it is a direct functional peer of the Maryland Home Improvement Commission.
• Pennsylvania Department of State — Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs: Pennsylvania's state licensing authority that regulates professional occupations, including home improvement contractors via the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act registry. Comparable to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission in scope, structure, and consumer-protection mandate.

Others

• NASCLA (National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies): A national association representing state contractor licensing agencies, including the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. While not a direct competitor, it is an ecosystem participant that facilitates multi-jurisdiction reciprocity and policy alignment among state contractor regulators.
• International Code Council (ICC): A non-profit that develops model building codes and credentials code officials, indirectly shaping the standards state contractor licensing bodies enforce. Comparable as an adjacent standards-setting organization that influences how home improvement regulators evaluate licensee competence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MarylandLabor
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarylandLabor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-department-of-labor
• Instagraminstagram.com/md_labor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MD Home Improvement