Can a handyman hang a chandelier in Maryland?

A handyman can assemble it and help lift it, but the wiring and the box rating are electrician work. Heavy fixtures need a box rated for the weight, and the electrician confirms that.

Do I need a permit to replace a light fixture?

A like for like swap on an existing box usually does not need one. A new box or a new circuit does. The county decides and we check first.

Can you replace several fixtures in one visit?

Yes. Most houses have three or four that are due at once, and one visit is cheaper than three.

Can a handyman replace a light fixture in Maryland?

Swapping a light fixture is electrical work under Maryland law, so the wire connections go to a licensed electrician or someone working under one. A handyman can assemble the fixture, patch and paint the ceiling and hang a fixture that the electrician has wired, and that split is how we run it.

What Maryland law says

Maryland requires a Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) contractor license for anyone who performs, or offers to perform, home improvement work for a homeowner (Business Regulation Article, section 8-301(a)). Repair and replacement of part of a house counts as home improvement under section 8-101(g), and the statute sets no dollar minimum. A handyman who charges for the work needs the license.

Wiring is a separate trade. Under the Business Occupations and Professions Article, section 6-101(k), electrical services means installing, repairing, maintaining or altering any electrical equipment, wiring or fixture. That work belongs to a licensed master electrician or someone working under one, and an MHIC license by itself does not cover it. Section 8-301(c)(4) exempts licensed electricians from the MHIC rule, not the other way around.

How we handle it

The jobs we see most are a dated dining fixture, a bath vanity bar, and a flush mount in a hallway that lost its glass. The electrician checks the box can carry the weight, adds a brace when a heavy pendant needs one, and makes the connections. One visit for a few fixtures is the norm.

Send a photo of the old fixture and the new one still in the box. If the ceiling needs a patch where the old canopy was bigger, we quote that line too so there is one price for the whole thing.

On our side this falls under fixture and appliance installs. The finished jobs with real prices are on the price list.

Questions we get about this job

Can a handyman hang a chandelier in Maryland?: A handyman can assemble it and help lift it, but the wiring and the box rating are electrician work. Heavy fixtures need a box rated for the weight, and the electrician confirms that.
Do I need a permit to replace a light fixture?: A like for like swap on an existing box usually does not need one. A new box or a new circuit does. The county decides and we check first.
Can you replace several fixtures in one visit?: Yes. Most houses have three or four that are due at once, and one visit is cheaper than three.

The other jobs people ask about

Call or text (240) 858-0149, 8 to 6, Monday through Saturday.