Bill that would have licensed home contractors in Maine carried over to next session

by Dan Lampariello,CBS13I-TeamThu, June 26, 2025 at 3:09 PM

Updated Thu, June 26, 2025 at 9:40 PM

Home under construction (WGME)

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• Maine
• Home contractors
• Licensing
• Legislation
• Housing market
• Consumer protections
• Rep. Tiffany Roberts
• Residential construction board

AUGUSTA (WGME) — A bill that would have required general home contractors to be licensed in Maine has been carried over to the next legislative session.

It comes after the legislation passed by narrow margins in both the House and Senate earlier this month and was awaiting funding on the appropriations table.

• Also read: Maine contractor at center of I-Team investigation faces criminal charges & AG lawsuit

The proposed legislation would have mandated licensing for projects exceeding $15,000 and established a residential construction board to oversee the program and set educational requirements.

The vote approving the bill this session, which fell along party lines, saw Democrats supporting the measure, arguing it would help address issues in the housing market, while Republicans expressed concerns about potential impacts on housing costs.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Tiffany Roberts (D-South Berwick), said the decision was made to carry the legislation over to the next session in order to continue the conversation and identify funding options.

• Also read: Maine homeowner’s costly contractor dispute highlights calls for consumer protections

Maine is currently one of only six states without regulations for general contractors, despite requiring licenses for professions such as hairdressing, plumbing and electrical work. Over the past five years, the Maine Attorney General’s Office has received more than 3,000 complaints about contractors.