Does Michigan license mold remediators? What the State says

The one statement the State makes

The Michigan health department’s mold page says: “The State of Michigan does not provide certification for ‘mold remediators’ or mold testing companies.” That is the primary state statement we could read, and it contradicts the pages that tell homeowners to hire a state-licensed mold remediator. It says certification, though, not license, so we do not write that no law of any kind touches mold.

The gaps matter just as much. No LARA or EGLE page on a mold assessor or remediator license turned up in our search, and guessed addresses returned errors. The legislature’s site could not be searched, so we cannot tell you if a mold licensing bill exists or what happened to it. If a company says it holds a Michigan mold license, ask which agency issued it and for the number, and check with that agency.

The licenses that do apply

Rules attach to the work around mold. Michigan’s residential maintenance and alteration license covers a person who, for compensation, undertakes the repair, alteration, addition, improvement, wrecking or demolition of a residential structure, meaning a detached one- or two-family dwelling or a townhouse of up to three stories. Mold remediation often ends in tearing out and replacing drywall, trim or flooring, and that rebuilding falls under the license once a single project reaches $600. The crafts list does not include mold work itself, so the license attaches to the construction.

Licensed electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors need no builder license for their own trades. If remediation involves old materials, two more rules matter. Anyone hired to remove or encapsulate friable asbestos on another person’s premises must be licensed by the state asbestos program, with exempt trades allowed limited work if trained and accredited. EPA’s lead rule requires firm certification and trained renovators for paid work disturbing painted surfaces in homes built before 1978, and EPA’s online firm search lets you check one.

IICRC S520 is a standard, not a license

ANSI/IICRC S520 is the Standard for Professional Mold Remediation. Its current edition is the fourth, from 2024, and earlier editions date from 2015, 2008 and 2003. It is a procedural standard for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Pages quoting the 2015 edition as current are out of date.

IICRC also offers technician credentials. The Applied Microbial Remediation Technician credential covers mold and sewage and requires the Water Damage Restoration Technician credential first. EPA lists IICRC among professional organizations whose certification a contractor may hold, and says EPA does not have a certification program for flood cleanup. So IICRC credentials are voluntary and come from a private body. Our guide to what IICRC certification means shows how to check one.

Testing: what MDHHS and EPA say

MDHHS says it cannot test your home for mold and does not recommend testing, and it runs a hotline at 800-648-6942. EPA says that if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary, and that no EPA or federal limits exist for mold or spores. In practice that means a test is not what tells you to clean: seeing mold, or smelling it, is enough, and the question becomes where the moisture comes from.

MDHHS describes the health reasons for cleaning in plain terms. Mold in homes needs to be cleaned up so that it does not cause health problems such as headaches, runny eyes and noses, and coughing, or complications in children and adults with asthma. MiReady adds that people with asthma, lung conditions or immune suppression should not enter buildings with visible or smelled mold.

Do it yourself or hire

EPA says that if the moldy area is under about 10 square feet, roughly 3 feet by 3 feet, most people can handle it, and that for larger areas or after a lot of water damage you should consult its remediation guide. EPA also says that if you hire a contractor, choose one with mold experience, check references and ask the contractor to follow EPA’s remediation guide, ACGIH, IICRC or similar guidelines.

Whatever the size, drying comes first. EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. A cleanup that does not find and stop the moisture is a cleanup you will repeat.

Mold after a flood or sewage

Mold that follows floodwater or sewage is a bigger question than a patch on a bathroom ceiling. EPA says mold can grow on wood, drywall, carpet and furniture if they stay wet for more than 24 hours after a flood, that materials which soak up water and cannot be cleaned and dried should be thrown away, and that you should wear an N-95 respirator, goggles and gloves for cleanup. Children, pregnant people and people with asthma or weak immunity should not do it. If sewage was involved, the job is Category 3 work, and the sewage cleanup page is the place to start.

Questions to put to a company

Ask what written procedure it follows and which edition. Ask how it contains the work area and what it does with removed material. Ask if it found the moisture source and who will fix it. Ask for the scope and the price in writing before work starts, and for proof of any license it claims, including the builder license number if rebuilding is in the quote. Treat a company that leads with a test result and a package price as one to question: MDHHS does not recommend testing.

Insurance and mold

DIFS pages state no Michigan mold coverage limit, so we give none. Standard NFIP flood policies do not cover mold damage. The insurance industry’s category of water damage and freezing includes mold damage if covered. The only reliable answer is in your policy’s text, so ask your agent in writing what it says about mold and what it requires you to do after a water event.

The mold remediation page has the first-hour list.