City of Columbus

Home improvement does not include:   

• The construction of a new home building or work done by a contractor in compliance with a guarantee of completion of a new building project
• The sale of goods or materials by a seller who neither arranges to perform nor performs directly or indirectly any work or labor in connection with the installation of or application of the goods or materials

City of Columbus (licensed) Home Improvement General Contractors are permitted to perform the following scopes of work:

• Structural additions, alterations, or repairs to existing 1, 2 and 3 family dwellings
• Construction of accessory structures and/or garages for 1, 2 and 3 family dwellings

City of Columbus licensed home improvement limited contractors are permitted to perform one or more of the following scopes of work (based on board approval):

• Residential roofing
• Residential siding, windows, and doors
• Residential deck installation
• Residential basement waterproofing
• Residential prefabricated fireplaces and wood or coal stoves
• Residential masonry fireplaces
• Residential fencing
• Residential sidewalks and driveway approaches
• Residential exterior lathing and stucco
• Residential swimming pools and spas
• Residential asphalt paving
• Residential irrigation sprinkler
• Residential gypsum board

Applicants for a City of Columbus home improvement general contractor license must meet the following requirements:

(1) Have a minimum of 3 full years of hands-on installation experience in the 1, 2 and 3 family dwelling improvement field.

(2) Satisfactorily complete and pass, with a grade of at least 70%, the Ohio Home Improvement Contractor – 767 examination administered by an approved testing agency.

For more information, study references, and to take the exam, please contact International Code Council (ICC) at (877) 783-3926 or visit the ICC website;

Schedule to take the exam (select ICC Contractors Non Authorized, enter 767 to locate the test)

Study references can be found under Contractor/Trades Examination Bulletin published by ICC.

An applicant's failure to pass the required examination shall not operate to deny the applicant the right to take such examination at a future scheduled date, provided the applicant makes proper application for such later examination with the approved testing agency.

After 1 year from the date that a passing score was achieved on any required examination for a department-issued license, the passing score for that examination or examinations shall become invalid unless an application for licensure has been made.

Applicants for a City of Columbus home improvement limited contractor license must meet the following requirement:

(1) Have a minimum of 1 full year of hands-on experience in the field for which application is being made. 

Alternatively, in lieu of the above requirements of above, the applicant for any Home Improvement license may be:

(1) A registered design professional who holds a current and valid certificate as an architect or engineer as allowed under the Ohio
Revised Code and who is experienced in residential design and construction; or

(2) A graduate architect or engineer, with at least one (1) full years' experience as a designer or installer in the specific field of work for the type of home improvement contractor license for which application is made.

Please note: Contractors who wish to perform structural work on four (4) or more family dwellings and/or commercial structures, or new construction other than residential garages and/or accessory structures, must be registered as a City of Columbus General Contractor. Please see the general contractor section for more information.

The Board of General and Home Improvement Contractors meets once per month. Applicants must submit their application and payment no later than one (1) week prior to the next scheduled board meeting. Please see the Boards and Commissions page on this site for more information.

Applicants are not required to be present at the board meeting. However, contractors may appear before the Board of General and Home Improvement Contractors for the following reasons.

1. Adjudications
2. Due process complaints (filed against or by the contractor)