Does Michigan license radon contractors?

No. Michigan does not license or regulate the people who test for radon or install mitigation systems. Which means the verification is on you.

There is no Michigan radon licence

Michigan has no state-issued, radon-specific contractor licence. The state's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy runs a radon programme focused on public education and testing, and it points homeowners toward nationally certified professionals rather than licensing them itself. Roughly twenty states do license radon work. Michigan is not one of them.

So if a company advertises that it is "licensed for radon in Michigan," that phrase does not describe anything the state issues.

What does exist: national certification

Two national bodies certify radon professionals: the National Radon Proficiency Program, administered by AARST, and the National Radon Safety Board. Certification requires approved training, a proctored exam, device calibration compliance, and ongoing continuing education. Both maintain public directories, so a certification number can be checked before anyone comes to your house.

Ask for the number. Then look it up. It takes about thirty seconds and it is the only formal credential check available to you in this state.

The part most homeowners miss: the building licence

Installing a radon system means cutting a hole through a structural slab, running pipe through the building envelope, and wiring a fan. Many Michigan municipalities require a permit for that work, and in Michigan only a licensed residential builder or a licensed maintenance and alteration contractor can pull one.

This is where a lot of radon companies come up short. They hold a national certification, which is real, but they do not hold a Michigan building licence, which is what the permit office asks for. Ask any radon contractor for both: their NRPP or NRSB number, and their Michigan builder or trade licence number, which you can verify through the state's licensing records.

Insurance

Michigan does not require a contractor to carry insurance in order to hold a builder licence. Ask for a certificate of general liability insurance, and workers' compensation if the company has employees. If someone is hurt in your house and the contractor is uninsured, that can land on you.

A short checklist before you hire

• NRPP or NRSB certification number, verified in the national directory
• Michigan builder or maintenance & alteration licence number, verified with the state
• Certificate of general liability insurance, current
• Confirmation that a post-installation test is included in the price
• A written warranty, with the term and what it covers stated plainly

This page describes Michigan's regulatory situation as we understand it and is not legal advice. Verify current requirements with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and with EGLE's radon programme.