What the law says
New York licenses mold assessment, mold remediation and mold abatement under New York Labor Law, article 32 (§§ 930–948). The trigger is more than 10 square feet. The text (N.Y. Labor Law § 930(6)): ““Project” means mold remediation, mold assessment, or mold abatement, of areas greater than ten square feet, but does not include (a) routine cleaning”.
Measured against federal guidance, that is the same 10 square feet that EPA uses as its homeowner line, so in New York the point where EPA stops calling a job a homeowner job is also the point where a hired company needs a license. EPA's remediation guide moves from limited containment to full containment above 100 square feet; New York law does not change the license requirement at that size.
Worked check: 10 sq ft is below the line (EPA medium category), 11 sq ft is licensed work (EPA medium category) and 100 sq ft is licensed work (EPA medium category). Arithmetic on Angi's published $10–$25 per-square-foot mold rate puts the first licensed size at about $110–$275.
Assessor and remediator are kept apart: “No licensee shall perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same property,” and no person may own an interest in both the assessment licensee and the remediation licensee on the same property (N.Y. Labor Law § 936(2)–(3)).
It is unlawful for a contractor to engage in mold assessment on a project without a valid mold assessment license issued by the commissioner; remediation and abatement licenses follow in subdivisions 2 and 3 (§ 931).
A mold assessment licensee must give a written report to each person it assesses for (§ 936(1)).
Who does not need a license
- Routine cleaning is outside the definition of a project (§ 930(6)).
- Construction, maintenance, repair or demolition done for purposes other than mold remediation or abatement is outside the definition (§ 930(6)).
Compared with the other jurisdictions on this site: Florida draws the line at more than 10 square feet, Texas draws the line at 25 contiguous square feet or more, Louisiana draws the line at jobs valued over $7,500 and the District of Columbia draws the line at a contamination level set by regulation.
Sources: N.Y. Labor Law § 930 (Definitions), New York State Senate; N.Y. Labor Law § 931 (Licensing requirements); N.Y. Labor Law § 936 (Licensee duties; prohibited activities) · last checked October 20, 2026.
Before hiring
The free check is the state licensing board's public license lookup: confirm the company holds the license the statute names before work starts. EPA's homeowner guidance also suggests checking references and asking the contractor to follow EPA's remediation guide or the guidelines of professional bodies such as ACGIH or IICRC. Cost ranges for the work itself are on the mold removal cost pages.
Questions
Does New York require a license for mold remediation?
Yes. New York Labor Law, article 32 (§§ 930–948) covers mold assessment, mold remediation, mold abatement; the trigger is more than 10 square feet (N.Y. Labor Law § 930(6)). Checked 2026-10-20.
Can the company that tests for mold in New York also remove it?
No licensee shall perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same property, and no person may own an interest in both the assessment licensee and the remediation licensee on the same property (N.Y. Labor Law § 936(2)–(3)).
Can a homeowner remove mold without a license?
Routine cleaning is outside the definition of a project (§ 930(6)).