Maryland · verify on official sites
Maryland: cleaning is not an MHIC license
This page does not list sweep names. CSIA’s finder is the homeowner tool for CSIA credentials, and CSIA says that list is not for marketing. There is no statewide occupational license roster of chimney sweeps to transcribe here. Use the outbound links. Do not treat this page as a referral.
Maryland’s Home Improvement Commission is unusually clear on this trade. From the official FAQ Do You Need a License to Do That?:
Does the Maryland Department of Labor regulate and/or license chimney sweeps operating in the state of Maryland? The Maryland Department of Labor does not regulate chimney sweeps; cleaning chimneys is not considered “home improvement.” However, if additional work is solicited or performed, such as building or reinforcing the chimney, or installing a chimney cap, then a Home Improvement license is required.
So: a cleaning-only visit is not an MHIC-licensed occupation. A cap, rebuild, liner sold as home improvement, or other alteration is. Ask which you are buying. If the quote slides from “sweep” into “we should rebuild the crown,” check MHIC before you sign.
Before you hire, read When to sweep a chimney.
Verify in this order
- CSIA certification (person) — this is the main skill credential available to Maryland homeowners for cleaning and inspection. CSIA finder.
- MHIC contractor license when the work is home improvement (caps, rebuilds, reinforcing, similar). Maryland Home Improvement Public Query.
- MHIC program page: labor.md.gov/license/mhic. FAQ: Do You Need a License to Do That?.