Missouri has no statewide contractor license, so licensing happens city by city and county by county. But nearly every local contractor license comes with one insurance string attached: to get or renew it, a construction contractor must show proof of workers comp coverage or file a signed affidavit stating that they are exempt. That rule is set by state law and applies wherever the local license is issued.
Who this is for: Missouri contractors and trades getting or renewing a local license and wondering what insurance they must show.
The short version
- There is no statewide contractor license; cities and counties license contractors locally.
- Registering your company with the Secretary of State is entity registration, not a contractor license.
- State law makes a local license office require proof of workers comp or an exemption affidavit.
- If you have even one employee in construction, you must actually carry a policy.
- An exemption affidavit and real coverage are two different things; do not confuse them.
There is no statewide license
Unlike some states, Missouri does not run a single statewide contractor license. Requirements are set locally, so Kansas City, St. Louis, and individual counties each have their own contractor licensing or registration rules. If your business is not a sole proprietorship or general partnership, you also register the entity itself with the Missouri Secretary of State, but that is company registration, not a license to do construction work. Always check the specific city or county where you will work.
The workers comp string on your license
Wherever the local license is issued, Missouri law requires the license office to see one of two things from a construction contractor.
| Your situation | What the license office wants |
|---|---|
| You have employees | Proof of workers comp coverage, shown on a certificate of insurance |
| You have no employees and are exempt | A signed affidavit of exemption on the state's form |
| You use subcontractors | Proof of your own coverage, plus certificates from your subs |
One employee means you must actually carry it
Filing an exemption affidavit to get a license is not the same as being allowed to work uninsured. Construction has a one-employee coverage rule: the moment you employ a single worker in construction, a policy is mandatory, regardless of what you told the license office. So the affidavit path is only for genuinely solo contractors with no employees. If you sign an affidavit and then hire a crew, you need real coverage right away, or you face the criminal charge and the civil penalty for going uninsured.
A plumbing example
Illustrative, not a quote. A plumber in Kansas City applies for a city contractor license. Working solo with no employees, he files the state's exemption affidavit and gets licensed. A year later he hires two apprentices, which puts him under the one-employee construction rule, so he buys a workers comp policy before they start and gives the city a certificate at renewal. Skipping that step would have exposed him to the penalty and to a lawsuit if an apprentice got hurt. See our workers comp for plumbers page.
Real questions Missouri owners ask
What insurance do I need for a Missouri contractor license?
To get a local contractor license, you must show proof of workers comp coverage or file a signed affidavit that you are exempt. There is no single statewide license, so also check the local rules where you work.
Does Missouri have a statewide contractor license?
No. Licensing is handled by cities and counties, so requirements vary by place. Registering your company with the Secretary of State is separate and is not a contractor license.
Can I get a contractor license without workers comp in Missouri?
Only if you genuinely have no employees, by filing the state's exemption affidavit. The moment you employ even one construction worker, a policy is mandatory and the affidavit no longer fits your situation.
What is the exemption affidavit for a Missouri contractor?
It is a signed statement, on the Division's form, that you are exempt from carrying workers comp, generally because you have no employees. A license office accepts it in place of proof of coverage for a solo contractor.
Do I need coverage if I use subcontractors?
Yes, in practice. You should carry your own policy and collect a certificate of insurance from each subcontractor, because an uninsured sub's injured worker can become your responsibility as the statutory employer.
What happens if I sign the affidavit then hire workers?
You must buy coverage right away, because one construction employee triggers the requirement. Working uninsured after that exposes you to the criminal charge, the civil penalty, and a lawsuit if a worker is hurt.
Is registering with the Secretary of State the same as a license?
No. Registering your LLC or corporation with the Secretary of State creates the entity. A contractor license is separate and comes from the city or county where you do the work.
Why Missouri owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Missouri you buy workers' comp on the open, competitive market from any private insurer licensed in the state, because Missouri has no state fund after Missouri Employers Mutual became a fully private company in 2025, and if no private carrier will take you, the insurer-of-last-resort pool run by NCCI and serviced by Travelers is the guaranteed backstop, so we can shop your rate freely and still have a fallback for hard-to-place work.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related Missouri guides
Every Missouri business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in Missouri (start here)
- Workers comp: the owner's overview
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a partnership: do we need workers comp?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- Remote or out-of-state staff: do I need coverage?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- Do I need workers comp for 1099 contractors?
- Hiring your first employee: what changes
- Missouri plumber workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Missouri rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.