Data
Ownership & License Rules by Industry
Which industries restrict who can own the business, in one table. Patterns, not state law; verify yours with counsel.
HVAC
Most states require a licensed qualifier to hold the contractor license the business operates under.
Employ or retain a qualifying license holder; buyer licensure timelines vary by state.
Plumbing
A master plumber typically must qualify the business; the license is personal, not corporate.
Retain the selling master or employ another; confirm transferability rules in your state.
Electrical
Most states require a master electrician to pull permits and supervise work.
Non-owner masters are the scarce asset; retention agreements are part of the deal.
Pest Control
Applicator and certified-operator credentials are issued to individuals and do not transfer with the company.
Retain licensed technicians and the certified operator; map every license before close.
Restoration
Several states license mold assessment and remediation work specifically.
Verify state licensing and certification coverage for every service line offered.
Moving
Interstate moves require federal operating authority; many states license intrastate movers separately.
Authority and insurance filings must transfer or be re-established cleanly at close.
Accounting (CPA firms)
Licensed CPA firms performing attest work must keep majority CPA ownership in nearly every state.
Non-CPAs buy non-attest practices (bookkeeping, most tax prep) or partner with a CPA majority owner.
Dental
Most states restrict practice ownership to licensed dentists; the license never transfers.
Non-dentists use management-company (DSO-style) structures with specialist counsel, or partner with a dentist owner.
Veterinary
Roughly eighteen states restrict or prohibit non-veterinarian ownership.
Management-company structures with a licensed-vet clinical entity where restricted; conventional purchase elsewhere.
Med Spas
Corporate-practice-of-medicine rules in many states restrict non-physician ownership of medical services.
Management services organization (MSO) split: physician-owned clinical entity, buyer-owned operations.
Home Care
States license home-care agencies; Medicaid personal care adds federal visit-verification requirements.
Confirm every state license matches services delivered; W-2 caregiver models are what buyers and lenders expect.
Childcare
State licenses set capacity through space and staff-ratio rules; director qualifications are often license-critical.
Director retention treated as a closing condition; read the license and floor plan together.
Property Management
Most states require a real estate broker's license to manage property for a fee, with a few exceptions.
Retain the selling broker, employ a qualifying broker, or get licensed on a realistic timeline.
Liquor Stores
Sales require a state or local license; quota jurisdictions cap license counts and transfers need regulatory approval.
License transfer is a closing condition with a months-long timeline in many jurisdictions; verify class and violations history.
Every rule here is sourced in its guide. Before any offer, verify the current rule in your target state with licensing counsel; these regimes change, and the structures that satisfy them are state-specific legal work.
Everything here is educational information, not financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Figures are estimates or cited third-party data; verify anything that matters against primary sources and your own advisors before acting on it.