Does my contractor have to be licensed?

[Omar Butler]

I have found a guy who is reliable but he is not licensed, will that be an issue? Also are they're any reliable/well trusted general contractors in the DMV area? 

[Will Fraser]

Hey @Omar Butler!  This is going to present more liability for you than a licensed person would, but at the end of the day it will depend a lot on what trade you are talking about.  If it is plumbing, electrical, or mechanical then IMO you'll want to hire a licensed tradesman, but other things like trim carpentry, sheetrock, etc usually do not have licenses and, even if they did, may not constitute a big enough risk to worry with.