Are You Licensed to Practice as a Painter in Washington, D.C.?

Individuals who wish to provide painting services to residents of Washington, D.C., are required to obtain a contractor license from the district's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) before doing so. This department issues two types of licenses to painters, namely the General Contractor/Construction Manager License and the Home Improvement Contractor License. Painters with a General Contractor/Construction Manager License can work on commercial, residential, and industrial structures and buildings, while the scope of work for painters with a Home Improvement Contractor License is limited to residential buildings.

License applications can be made by utilizing the district's online DC Business portal or by contacting the DCRA in person at:

Applicants are typically required to submit certain documentation, such as proof of insurance and corporate and tax registration. Providing painting services in Washington D.C. without possessing a valid contractor license is considered a Class 1 infraction and is punishable by a fine of at least $2,000. It is also important to note that, under the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting program, painters who wish to work on pre-1978 homes and child-occupied buildings must complete EPA-approved lead-safe work practices training and be certified to this effect.

You can confirm your intended painter's licensing status and direct any licensing and EPA certification-related queries to the DCRA by calling (202) 442-4400. DCRA-issued contractor license verifications can also be performed online via the department's Access DC platform.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Painters in Washington, D.C.?

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that painters in the Washington D.C. area earn a mean hourly wage of about $22. Nonetheless, the specific amount of money that you will have to pay your painter for their services depends on factors like the cost of paint to be used and the size of the area to be painted. The amount of work required to prepare the area for painting can also affect the rate that your painter will charge you. As such, it is advisable to get quotes from several painters near you when you want to embark on a painting project to get a fair estimate of how much it would cost you.

A painter in Washington, D.C., earns $47,140 annually. The table below provides the hourly mean wage of painters in Washington, D.C., and compares this with the wages of painters in other major cities in the United States:

What Kind of Painting Services Do You Offer?

It is important to make sure that any painter you hire in Washington, D.C., is properly skilled and equipped to perform the job satisfactorily. This is because some painters may provide services in more than one area, such as wall staining, wallpaper hanging, and wall washing. Others may focus on particular painting niches like new construction or residential home paint upgrades. As such, in addition to ensuring that your intended painter has been duly licensed, you should confirm that they specialize in providing the type of painting service that you require. Likewise, if your home was built before 1978, you should also make sure that your painter has been EPA-certified.

Provided below are cost estimates for some common painting services available in Washington, D.C.:

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Painters in Washington, D.C.?

Per the licensing requirements of the DCRA, painters who wish to obtain either a General Contractor/Construction Manager License or a Home Improvement Contractor License must provide proof of liability insurance coverage. The minimum amount of coverage required depends on the painter's license. For example, painters with a General Contractor/Construction Manager License must have coverage of at least $500,000 per occurrence. Similarly, painters wishing to obtain a Home Improvement Contractor License must have liability insurance coverage of at least $50,000 for bodily injury per person in any accident. Painters with this license type must also post a surety bond of $25,000 throughout the validity period of their licenses.

Hiring a licensed and insured painter gives you legal footing to seek redress if the job is not done satisfactorily and protects you financially if the painter gets injured or damages your property during the project. As such, it is always in your best interest to confirm that you always hire properly insured painters for your project, even in situations where you are offered lower cost estimates by ones that do not have adequate insurance coverage.

You can confirm your preferred painter's insurance and bonding status by requesting copies of their insurance and bond certificates and contacting the issuing organizations to validate them. You can also contact the DCRA at (202) 442-4400 to get more information on its insurance and bonding requirements for painters near you.