do I need a certificate of insurance to get a contractor license in New York

The NYS Workers' Compensation Board says Workers' Compensation Law §57 and §220[8] require heads of State and municipal entities to ensure that businesses applying for permits, licenses or contracts have appropriate workers' compensation and disability and Paid Family Leave coverage. An applicant therefore provides proof of coverage, self-insurance or a legal exemption. A carrier certificate (C-105.2) is one of four forms the WCB lists. The WCB page speaks of permits, licenses and contracts generally and names no contractor license, so the office issuing your license decides its own paperwork list.

The WCB says the requirement applies to original issuances and renewals. It also applies whether the agency is having the work done or is simply issuing the permit, license or contract.

The WCB says a business requesting a permit, license or contract from a State or municipal entity must provide ONE of the following:

• C-105.2, the Certificate of Workers' Compensation Insurance. The WCB says the business's carrier sends it to the government entity on request. The State Insurance Fund provides its own version of this same form, the U-26.3.
• SI-12, the Certificate of Workers' Compensation Self-Insurance, for businesses self-insured in New York. The WCB says to call its Self-Insurance Office at (518) 402-0247 to obtain it.
• SIG-105.2, the Certificate of Group Workers' Compensation Self-Insurance, which the Group Self-Insurance Administrator sends on request.
• CE-200, the Certificate of Attestation of Exemption, for showing a government agency that the business is not required to carry New York workers' compensation and/or disability and Paid Family Leave benefits insurance.

According to the WCB, ACORD forms are not acceptable proof of New York workers' compensation coverage under WCL §57. The WCB also says the CE-200 may not be used to prove exemption to another business or that business's insurance carrier. An out-of-state employer may file a CE-200 only if all work for the permit, license or contract is done outside New York and none of its employees work in the state.

A business unsure whether it must obtain a New York workers' compensation policy should contact the WCB's Bureau of Compliance at (866) 298-7830, the WCB says. For a related walkthrough of the form choice, see New York C-105.2: Workers' Comp Proof for a Permit or Contract.

The U.S. Small Business Administration says the licenses and permits needed from the state, county or city depend on a business's activities and location, and that some expire after a set period. For a contractor license, the issuing office for your trade and municipality is the place to learn its complete application list, including whether it asks for any coverage beyond the workers' compensation proof the WCB describes. The WCB page does not address other coverages such as general liability.

As one insurer's example, Travelers says in its premium audit guidance that a valid certificate identifies the existence of a policy, the carrier, the policy number and term, who is insured and the certificate holder. That describes Travelers' own audit practice, not a New York licensing rule. Because a certificate identifies a policy, the policy and its coverage parts are what show what is actually covered. For the roles on a certificate, see Business Insurance Certificates: Named Insured vs. Holder.

Ask the licensing office, your carrier or agent, or the WCB:

1. Which office issues this license, and which of the C-105.2 (or the State Insurance Fund's U-26.3), SI-12, SIG-105.2 or CE-200 does it accept for my situation?
2. Will my carrier or agent send the certificate directly to that office, and how long does that take?
3. Does the application need proof of disability and Paid Family Leave benefits coverage as well as workers' compensation?
4. If I believe I am exempt, does the CE-200 fit my situation, and should I check with the Bureau of Compliance first?
5. Does the office ask for anything beyond workers' compensation proof, and when must proof be refreshed at renewal?

The COI & Contract Insurance Checklist turns a customer, landlord or project insurance request into an organized checklist to review with an insurance professional. Background reading: Workers' Compensation Insurance: Requirements, Coverage and Cost Factors, the New York Business Insurance Guide 2026 and Business Insurance for Contractors: A Buying Checklist. The business insurance quiz is a free educational assessment that turns your answers into an editable checklist with an on-device print/PDF option.

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