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General Contractor — License Requirements by State
Bids and manages construction projects. Most states license contractors through a state board; requirements range from registration to a written exam (e.g. California CSLB).
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your General Contractor license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your General Contractor license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | · 70% | — | App $200 | — | Trade-exam waiver available to licensees from CA, NV and UT with 5+ years active; AZ Statutes & Rules exam still required | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) — General Contractor (B / B-1 / KB classifications) ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | · 72% | — | App $450 · Lic $200 | — | Trade exam waiver available to licensees from some states (e.g. AZ, NV, UT) with 5+ years active | California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) — Class B General Building Contractor ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | · 70% · $199 | — | App $249 · Lic $209 | — | NASCLA-accredited exam accepted for trade parts; trade-exam waivers with some states (e.g. NC, LA, MS) | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Construction Industry Licensing Board, Certified General Contractor (CGC) ↗ |
| GA | — | · 70% | — | App $200 | — | Reciprocity with LA, MS and SC (residential qualifying agent); Georgia Business & Law exam still required | Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (SLBRGC) ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | — | — | — | — | No state general contractor license — Illinois has no statewide contractor licensing; some municipalities (e.g. Chicago) require local registration | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | — | — | — | — | No state general contractor license — general contractor licensing is local in Michigan (LARA licenses specified trades only) | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | — | — | — | — | No state general contractor license — NYC DOB licenses general contractors locally; New York home-improvement contractors are covered by consumer-protection law rather than a state license | New York City Department of Buildings (no state-level general contractor license) ↗ |
| NC | — | 90N · 70% | — | App $75 | — | Trade-exam waiver with 7 southeastern states (SC, TN, LA, GA, MS, AL, FL); NC Business & Law exam always required | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | — | — | — | — | No state general contractor license — Ohio does not license general contractors at the state level (OCILB covers specified trades only) | Ohio Department of Commerce ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | — | — | — | — | No state general contractor license — PA requires Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Office of Attorney General (no exam); some cities (e.g. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh) license locally | Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | — | — | — | — | No state general contractor license — Texas does not license general contractors at the state level (only specified trades such as electricians, plumbers and HVAC are licensed by TDLR) | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | — | — | — | — | Registration, not a license — no exam, no experience verification and no CE; L&I requires a $30,000 surety bond (GC, since July 1, 2024) plus general liability insurance; renewed biennially | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) — Contractor Registration ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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