# Maine contractor insurance requirements

> What Maine law says about workers' comp, contractor license insurance and indemnity clauses, and what to check on a contractor COI for a project there.

Reviewed Oct 28, 2026 by Forsured. Source: https://forsured.ai/coi-requirements/maine/

## The short version

- Workers' comp required at: 1 employee
- License insurance minimum: No statewide minimum
- Anti-indemnity statute voids: No general statute

## Workers' comp in Maine

Almost every Maine business with one or more employees must carry workers' comp. An owner of at least 20% of a corporation's voting stock can waive coverage for themselves in writing, on a form the Workers' Compensation Board approves.

Agency: [Maine Workers' Compensation Board](https://www.maine.gov/wcb/)

## Contractor licensing and insurance

We found no statewide general liability minimum tied to a general contractor license. Maine has no statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties can set their own licensing and insurance rules, so check where the project is.

## Indemnity and additional insured clauses

Maine has no general construction anti-indemnity statute. Courts there generally enforce a clause that covers a party's own negligence only when the clause says so clearly (see Emery v. Waterhouse Co., 467 A.2d 986 (Me. 1983)).

## What to check on a contractor COI for a Maine project

1. **Workers' comp.** Nearly every contractor with employees needs it in Maine. A contractor with a crew and no workers' comp on its COI is a gap. For an out-of-state contractor, confirm Maine is listed on the workers' comp policy.
2. **General liability.** Maine doesn't set a statewide floor for a general contractor license, so your project requirements set the bar. Compare each limit on the COI with what the contract asks for.
3. **Additional insured.** The endorsement is a separate promise from the indemnity clause, so check both. Ask for the endorsement itself, not just a box ticked on the certificate.
4. **Dates.** Every policy should run through the end of the job. A COI only shows coverage on the day it was issued, so check again at each renewal.

## Common questions

### Do contractors need workers' comp in Maine?

Almost every Maine business with one or more employees must carry workers' comp. An owner of at least 20% of a corporation's voting stock can waive coverage for themselves in writing, on a form the Workers' Compensation Board approves.

### Does Maine require contractors to carry general liability insurance?

We found no statewide general liability minimum tied to a general contractor license. Maine has no statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties can set their own licensing and insurance rules, so check where the project is.

### Can a Maine construction contract make a contractor cover another party's negligence?

Maine has no general construction anti-indemnity statute. Courts there generally enforce a clause that covers a party's own negligence only when the clause says so clearly (see Emery v. Waterhouse Co., 467 A.2d 986 (Me. 1983)).

## Sources

1. [Maine workers' comp requirements](https://onpay.com/insights/workers-comp-requirements-by-state/maine/), OnPay, May 2026
2. [Anti-Indemnity Statutes in All 50 States (2023)](https://grsm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Anti-Indemnity-Statutes-2023.pdf), Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, 2023
3. [State Workers' Compensation Officials](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/wc), U.S. Department of Labor

General information, not legal advice. Confirm with the state agency, your broker or your attorney.

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