The short version: Delaware has no single statewide contractor skills license, but every contractor must hold a business license from the Division of Revenue, and the trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC) are licensed by the Division of Professional Regulation. Verify trade licenses at DELPROS (delpros.delaware.gov). Delaware protects seniors hard: a victim 65 or older can recover triple damages, there is an extra $10,000 penalty for fraud against an elder, and home improvement fraud is a felony.
Delaware licenses through business registration and the trades
Delaware does not run a single statewide skills license for general contractors. Instead, it uses two layers you can check.1 Every contractor doing business in Delaware must register as a construction contractor and hold a business license from the Division of Revenue. And the skilled trades, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC, are licensed by the Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), which does test competence.
For a senior, that means you confirm the business license, verify any trade license, and lean on a written contract for the rest.
| What you want done | Who licenses it in Delaware |
|---|---|
| Any contractor doing business | Business license (Division of Revenue) |
| Electrical, plumbing, HVAC | Trade license (DPR) |
This is the Delaware-specific companion to our national state contractor license lookup guide. For the full pre-hire workflow, see How to Find a Senior-Friendly Contractor.
How to verify: DELPROS and the business license
For the trades: use the DELPROS License Look-Up at delpros.delaware.gov.1 Search by name or license number, and confirm the electrician, plumber, or HVAC license is active. A Delaware electrician license requires four years of experience, so it is a real competence check.
For the business license: ask the contractor for their Delaware business license and confirm they are registered as a construction contractor with the Division of Revenue. A contractor with no business license is not operating legally.
If your senior project includes new wiring for a stair lift or plumbing for a curbless shower, verify the trade license before any work starts.
Some of the strongest senior protections in the country
Here is where Delaware stands out. The Consumer Fraud Act, enforced by the Attorney General, gives older homeowners real teeth.2
The senior remedy: a victim who was 65 or older when the violation occurred can recover triple their compensatory damages in a private lawsuit, and a court can add a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation for fraud committed against an elder or a person with a disability.2 Those penalties even fund the prosecution of elder fraud.
On top of that, home improvement fraud is a felony in Delaware, with the class of felony rising with the amount involved.3 A contractor who takes a senior’s money and intentionally fails to perform can face criminal charges. Get scope, materials, total price, and dates in writing before any deposit, and pay by check or card, never cash.
Delaware senior scam patterns
- Post-storm roofers After coastal storms and nor’easters, out-of-state crews solicit older homeowners, take deposits or insurance money, and disappear.
- Insurance-claim steering Crews that push you to sign over your claim. Keep control of your own money.
- Door-to-door pressure A knock-and-sign pitch demanding a decision today is a warning sign.
- Your defenses the DELPROS trade lookup, the business license check, and Delaware’s strong Consumer Fraud Act remedies and criminal home improvement fraud law.3
If something goes wrong
- Contractor fraud: file with the Delaware Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit at attorneygeneral.delaware.gov, which can pursue home improvement fraud.
- Trade license issues: contact the Division of Professional Regulation.
- Elder financial abuse: contact local law enforcement and Adult Protective Services.
- Every contractor needs a Delaware business license (Division of Revenue)
- Verify electrician, plumber, and HVAC licenses at delpros.delaware.gov
- Get scope, price, and dates in writing before any deposit
- Verify insurance with the carrier directly ($1M general liability for $10K+ jobs)
- A defrauded senior (65+) can recover triple damages, plus a $10,000 penalty
- Home improvement fraud is a felony in Delaware
- After a storm, verify first and never sign over your insurance claim
Related coverage
- State Contractor License Lookup: All 50 States — national hub
- Maryland Contractor License Lookup (MHIC)
- New Jersey Contractor Registration (HIC/DCA)
- Pennsylvania Contractor Registration (HICPA)
- Virginia Contractor License Lookup (DPOR)
- New York Contractor License Lookup (HIC/DCWP)
- Connecticut Contractor License Lookup (DCP)
- How to Find a Licensed Electrician for Senior Homes
- How to Find a Senior-Friendly Contractor — master pillar
Citations
- DELPROS License Look-Up and Business License. Delaware Division of Professional Regulation and Division of Revenue, retrieved July 10, 2026. delpros.delaware.gov.
- Enhanced Penalties When Elder or Disabled Person Targeted (6 Del. C. 2581). Delaware Code, retrieved July 10, 2026. 6 Del. C. 2581.
- Fraud and Consumer Protection (Home Improvement Fraud). Delaware Department of Justice (Attorney General), retrieved July 10, 2026. attorneygeneral.delaware.gov fraud.
- Home Improvement Scams Targeting Older Adults. AARP Fraud Watch Network, June 2024. aarp.org/fraud-watch.