Business & Growth · Contractor Licenses
Contractor License Requirements by State: The 2026 Master Table
22 states license general contractors by exam, 14 by registration only, and 14 have no statewide license. Here is every state’s exam, experience, and bond rule in one table.
Add SimplyWise as a preferred source
What does a contractor license actually require?
A contractor license requirement is not one thing. It is five separate hurdles a state board can set: whether you need a state license at all, whether you sit an exam, how many years of experience you document, how large a bond or insurance policy you carry, and whether another state’s license buys you anything. Some states set all five. Fourteen states set none of them at the general-contractor level, and license locally or by trade instead. This page is the requirements table. It does not repeat fees; our contractor license cost by state guide covers application fees, license fees, and renewal costs for the same 50 states.
The state-by-state requirements table
Every row links to our full guide for that state, sourced directly from the licensing board. Where a state publishes no fixed figure for a column, the cell says so rather than guessing.
Northeast: Connecticut to New Jersey
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | State registration (Home Improvement Contractor and New Home Construction). | No, registration only, no state exam. | No experience requirement for either registration. | No state surety bond; Guaranty Fund funded by annual fees instead. |
| Maine | No statewide license; general contractors are not licensed or regulated. | No. | No state experience requirement (unregulated). | No bond; a $3,000-and-up contract triggers a written-contract law instead. |
| Massachusetts | State license (CSL, exam-based) and HIC (registration, no exam). | CSL yes, exam via PSI; HIC no exam. | 3 years of full-time construction experience for CSL. | No state surety bond for CSL or HIC; HIC pays a one-time Guaranty Fund fee at initial registration. |
| New Hampshire | No statewide license for general contracting (per-trade licensing only). | No for general contracting. | No state experience requirement (unregulated at the general-contractor level). | No state bond for GCs. |
| New Jersey | State registration (Home Improvement Contractor, NJDCA). | No exam, no experience proof, no continuing education. | No experience proof required. | No surety bond; commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
Northeast: New York to Vermont
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Local licensing only (NYC and county Home Improvement Contractor rules; no statewide license). | NYC yes, 30 multiple-choice questions, 21 to pass; Suffolk is documentary with no written exam. | Suffolk reviews experience as part of a documentary application; no fixed year minimum published. | NYC $200 Trust Fund or $20,000 surety bond. |
| Pennsylvania | State registration (HICPA, Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act). | No exam, no experience proof, no continuing education. | No experience proof required. | No surety bond; liability insurance $50,000 personal injury plus $50,000 property damage. |
| Rhode Island | State registration (CRLB). | No competency exam; a state-approved 5-hour pre-registration course instead. | Course-based, not a year requirement. | No surety bond for GC registration; general liability insurance of at least $500,000 naming the board. |
| Vermont | State registration, not a competency license. | No exam. | No experience audit; registration only. | No surety bond; liability insurance $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
Midwest: Illinois to Michigan
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Local licensing only (Chicago BACP; no statewide GC license). | No exam for the Chicago GC license; financial solvency and insurance based. | Principal must show background and prior experience for the class. | No Chicago GC surety bond; CGL insurance $1M to $3M by class. |
| Indiana | Local licensing only (city and county; no statewide GC license). | No exam for the Indianapolis GC application packet. | See state board. | City-set surety bond (Indianapolis $10,000 GC). |
| Iowa | State registration (DIAL). | No competency exam for the base registration. | See state board. | Out-of-state contractors file a $25,000 bond; in-state contractors with employees carry workers comp. |
| Kansas | Local licensing only for general construction (statewide credential exists only for roofing). | No exam; experience statement and insurance for the roofing registration. | Experience statement required for roofing registration; no exam. | No bond at the state level for GCs. |
| Michigan | State license (LARA). | Yes, two-part PSI exam after a 60-hour prelicensure course. | Course-based; the 60-hour prelicensure course is required regardless of prior experience. | No state-level surety bond; general liability practically required though not statutory. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
Midwest: Minnesota to Ohio
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | State license (DLI). | Yes, DLI qualifying exam, 110 questions, 70 percent to pass. | No prerequisite experience or education to sit the exam. | No state surety bond; general liability $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate required. |
| Missouri | Local licensing only (no statewide GC license; state licenses electrical). | No statewide GC exam. | Proof of experience or a qualifier where the jurisdiction requires it. | City or trade-specific bonds; no universal state GC bond. |
| Nebraska | State registration, not a competency license. | No. | No experience requirement; registration only. | No bond; contractors with one or more employees provide workers compensation proof. |
| North Dakota | State registration (Secretary of State, FirstStop portal). | No competency exam. | Sign a statement of experience and qualifications; no minimum year figure published. | No contractor bond required; the prior bond statute was repealed. |
| Ohio | Local licensing plus limited state trade licenses (OCILB covers 5 commercial trades). | OCILB trades require two PSI exams; no state GC exam. | 5 years as a journeyman for the OCILB trade licenses. | No state GC bond; OCILB trade license requires $500,000 contractor liability insurance. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
Midwest: South Dakota to Wisconsin
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | State tax registration only, not a competency license (2 percent excise tax license). | No competency exam. | No experience requirement; tax registration only. | No bond, no financial-responsibility requirement for the excise tax license. |
| Wisconsin | State credential (DSPS qualifier system). | No exam; a 12-hour approved initial qualifier course instead. | Course-based within one year of applying, not a year-of-experience figure. | Surety bond of at least $25,000 or general liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
South: Alabama to Georgia
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | State license (two boards: GC over $100,000 for commercial or industrial work, or $5,000 or more for swimming pools, per Act 2024-277 effective October 1, 2024; HBLB residential over $10,000). | Yes, board exam (Unlimited); Limited/Roofers no exam. | No fixed statewide year minimum published; qualifier experience reviewed at application. | No blanket bond for GC; HBLB Roofers tier $10,000 bond. |
| Arkansas | State license (Contractors Licensing Board). | Yes, Business and Law exam; waived with an equivalent out-of-state license. | See state board. | Commercial $10,000 surety bond plus a class-specific net worth statement. |
| Delaware | State business license (Division of Revenue), no competency license. | No. | No state experience requirement. | Resident none; non-resident surety or cash bond of 6 percent of total contracts over $20,000. |
| Florida | State license (DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board). | Yes, 3-part state exam (Business and Finance, Contract Admin, Project Mgmt). | 4 years of qualifying experience. | No state surety bond; financial stability shown by a FICO credit score of 660 or higher, or by completing a Board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course. |
| Georgia | State license (State Licensing Board). | Yes, Business and Law exam plus trade exam via PSI, unless exempt. | Documented construction experience per the class you target, plus age 21 and good character. | $150,000 net worth (full General Contractor tier) or $25,000 (Limited tier); liability insurance $300,000 to $500,000. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
South: Kentucky to North Carolina
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Local licensing only (no statewide GC license; state licenses HVAC, electrical, plumbing). | No statewide GC exam; state trades require exams. | Documented experience required for the trade licenses. | No universal state GC bond; local or project specific. |
| Louisiana | State license (LSLBC). | Yes, Business and Law course plus a trade exam per classification. | See state board. | No surety bond; net worth $50,000 (commercial or residential) or $25,000 (home improvement). |
| Maryland | State license (MHIC). | Yes, PSI exam. | 2 years of experience. | No standalone state surety bond; a bond or indemnitor is an alternative path; Guaranty Fund fee applies. |
| Mississippi | State license (MSBOC). | Yes, Mississippi Law and Business Management exam plus trade exam. | Licensed for the classifications you qualify for by exam and experience. | No surety bond; general liability insurance required, $300,000 per occurrence. |
| North Carolina | State license (NC Licensing Board for General Contractors). | Yes, Business and Law exam plus classification trade exam; NASCLA can substitute the trade exam. | 2 years of qualifier experience in the trade you are applying for. | Financial responsibility: $17,000 working capital (Limited) up to higher tiers by classification. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
South: Oklahoma to Virginia
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Local licensing plus state trade licenses (CIB). | CIB trades require a PSI exam; no statewide GC exam. | Documented experience required for CIB trade classifications. | CIB trade license requires a license bond plus general liability insurance. |
| South Carolina | State license (LLR). | Yes, Business Management and Law exam plus a technical or trade exam. | 2 years of experience in the past 5 (CLB primary qualifying party); 1 year in the past 5 for residential builder. | Residential builder $15,000 surety bond; commercial by financial statement. |
| Tennessee | State license (Board for Licensing Contractors). | Yes, PSI Business and Law exam plus a trade exam for most classifications. | Documented construction experience for your classification. | Financial responsibility calculated as 10 times the lesser of working capital or net worth. |
| Texas | Local licensing only (no statewide GC license; TDLR and TSBPE license specific trades). | No GC exam; trade exams only via TDLR and TSBPE. | Trade experience hours: 8,000 for Journeyman Plumber, 4,000 for Tradesman Plumber, 7,000 to sit the Journeyman Electrician exam. | No state-level GC bond. |
| Virginia | State license (DPOR, Class A/B/C). | Yes, PSI law portion for Class A and B, plus trade portion for the qualified individual. | 5 years for Class A, 3 years for Class B, 1 year for Class C. | $45,000 net worth (Class A) or $15,000 (Class B) or a $50,000 surety bond. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
South: West Virginia
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | State license (Contractor Licensing Board). | Yes, written exam per classification plus a Business and Law exam via PSI. | See state board. | No statewide contractor surety bond; a wage bond may apply to some employers. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
West: Alaska to Hawaii
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | State registration (Registrar of Contractors). | No for base registration; exam only for optional Residential Contractor Endorsement. | See state board. | $25,000 surety bond plus public liability and property damage insurance. |
| Arizona | State license (ROC). | Yes, Statutes and Rules exam plus trade exam. | 4 years of practical or management trade experience in the classification requested (a trade-exam waiver, not the experience requirement, applies if you held a comparable license within the last 5 years). | License bond set by license class and estimated annual volume on the ROC bond schedule. |
| California | State license (CSLB). | Yes, Law and Business exam plus a classification trade exam. | 4 years of journey-level experience within the last 10 years. | $25,000 contractor bond; plus $100,000 LLC worker bond if organized as an LLC. |
| Colorado | Local licensing only (no statewide GC license). | No statewide GC exam; cities use ICC exams matched to class. | See state board. | No universal state bond; city or project specific. |
| Hawaii | State license (Contractors License Board). | Yes, two-part PSI exam (Business and Law plus Trade). | See state board. | Discretionary; the board may require a bond with no fixed statewide amount. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
West: Idaho to Oregon
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | State registration (no competency license). | No. | No state experience requirement. | No state-required bond; homeowners may require one at their own election. |
| Montana | State registration (Construction Contractor Registration), not a competency license. | No test required. | No experience requirement; registration only. | No bond; contractors with employees carry workers compensation. |
| Nevada | State license (NSCB). | Yes, two PSI exams (Construction Management Survey plus trade exam). | 4 years of journeyman, supervisor, or contractor experience, earned within the preceding 15 years. | Board-set surety bond, $1,000 to $500,000, tied to monetary limit. |
| New Mexico | State license (CID). | Yes, trade or technical exam plus Business and Law exam. | See state board. | $10,000 surety bond as proof of responsibility, plus workers compensation. |
| Oregon | State license (CCB, registration with exam). | Yes, open-book CCB test, 80 questions, 70 percent to pass, after 16 hours of pre-license training. | No years-of-experience prerequisite for residential registration. | Surety bond by endorsement: RGC $25,000, RSC $20,000, RLC $15,000, plus commercial general liability. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
West: Utah to Wyoming
| State | State license level | Exam | Experience | Bond or insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | State license (DOPL). | Yes, Utah Business and Law exam via Prov, 60 questions, after a 30-hour pre-licensure course. | 2 years (4,000 hours) of paid construction experience. | No single statewide surety bond; bonding set by municipality or trade. |
| Washington | State registration (L&I). | No exam required at the base registration level. | No experience requirement for base registration. | Continuous surety bond, $30,000 general or $15,000 specialty. |
| Wyoming | Local licensing only (no statewide GC license). | No statewide GC exam; localities may require one. | Local class-based experience requirements range from 8 years (Class I) down to 1 year for demolition, roofing, and mobile-home trades in jurisdictions that set them. | No bond at the state level; localities set their own. |
Rates and rules current as captured on each linked state guide; check the board directly before you file.
Turn a job photo into an itemized estimate, free →
How the exam requirement varies by state
22 states require a state competency exam before they issue a general contractor license, almost always a business and law exam plus a trade or classification exam. Another 14 use registration instead: no test, just a filing, a fee, and sometimes an insurance minimum. Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wisconsin gate the license behind a pre-license education course rather than pure years of experience. Read the exact exam format, vendor, and passing score for your state on our contractor license exam guide.
Experience requirements: what boards actually check
Where a state fixes an experience minimum in years, it usually ties to your classification, not a flat number for every applicant. Virginia scales from 1 year (Class C) to 5 years (Class A). South Carolina asks 1 to 2 years within the past 5. California and Florida both set 4 years. Nevada extends the lookback window to 15 years for its 4-year requirement. Where the table says “see state board,” the board reviews experience case by case at application rather than publishing a fixed year count, or the state has no general-contractor experience requirement at all because it licenses by registration.
Bond and insurance minimums, in plain terms
A bond protects the client if you walk off the job or do defective work: the client files a claim, the surety company pays it, then comes after you to repay it. An insurance minimum is a floor on your general liability policy. States rarely require both at the same dollar figure. California sets a flat $25,000 contractor bond regardless of class. Georgia instead sets a net worth test, $150,000 for its full General Contractor tier. New Mexico, Arkansas, and the Alabama HBLB roofer tier each set a flat $10,000 bond; Minnesota and Mississippi skip the bond and set a general liability minimum instead. Read your state’s exact bond form, carrier requirements, and renewal cycle on that state’s linked guide.
Reciprocity: can you use one state’s license in another?
No. Every board still runs its own background check, financial review, and fee, no matter which state licensed you first. What an agreement buys is a waived exam, usually the trade portion, while the business and law exam stays required almost everywhere. California waives the trade exam for Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and North Carolina licensees. North Carolina waives its qualification exam for seven named states. Tennessee waives its trade exam for eight. The route that actually travels is the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam: 17 states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands accept a single passing score in place of their own trade exam. Full state-by-state waiver language, board citations, and the moving-your-license checklist live on our contractor license reciprocity guide.
States with no statewide general contractor license
Fourteen states set no state-level general contractor license at all: Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming. Licensing in these states runs through the city or county building department, or through a trade board that licenses electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians but not general contracting itself. Some, like Ohio and Oklahoma, layer a handful of state trade licenses on top of local general-contractor rules. Check the linked guide for your state and your city before you bid; “no state license” is not the same as “no license anywhere.”
SimplyWise Cost Estimator while you get licensed
Licensing takes weeks in a registration state and months in an exam state. Bidding does not have to wait. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job-site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material, labor, and fee lines you can edit before you send a branded quote the client signs to approve. It is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.
Keep reading
- Contractor License Cost by State: application fees, license fees, and renewal costs for the same 50 states.
- Contractor License Exam Guide: exam vendors, formats, and passing scores by state.
- Contractor License Reciprocity: which states honor which, and how to move a license.
Sources
Our own state-by-state guides (primary source for this table)
- Every state row above links to our own guide for that state, each independently sourced from the state licensing board or, where a state has no statewide license, the relevant board or state statute confirming that absence. Guides captured live 2026-09-26; each linked guide lists its own board citations.
- Contractor License Cost by State, captured 2026-09-26 for cross-reference on fee figures.
Reciprocity and multi-state agreements
- SimplyWise, Contractor License Reciprocity: Which States Honor Which, captured 2026-09-26; underlying board sources verified 2026-08-22 per that guide’s own Sources section (NASCLA Commercial Exam Participating State Agencies; CSLB General Information on Reciprocity; CSLB Industry Bulletin 25-02; NCLBGC FAQ for Contractors; Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors; Virginia DPOR Reciprocity).
Exam formats
- SimplyWise, Contractor License Exam Guide, captured 2026-09-26.
Product
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator on the App Store, 4.8 rating, verified 2026-09-25.
Frequently asked questions about contractor license requirements by state
Licensing basics
How many states require a general contractor license?
22 states issue a state-level general contractor license backed by a competency exam. Another 14 use registration only, no exam. The remaining 14 have no statewide general contractor license at all; licensing runs through the city, county, or a trade-specific board instead.
What is the difference between a contractor license and a contractor registration?
A license is exam-gated: you prove competency on a state test before the board issues it. A registration is a filing: you pay a fee, sometimes carry a bond or insurance minimum, and the state lists you, with no competency test attached. Connecticut, Montana, Nebraska, and Vermont are registration states; California, Florida, and Virginia are license states.
Experience and exams
How many years of experience do I need for a contractor license?
It depends on the state and the classification. California and Florida both set 4 years. Virginia scales from 1 year (Class C) to 5 years (Class A). Several states publish no fixed year count and instead review your application and qualifier’s background case by case. Check the experience column for your state in the table above.
Can I get a contractor license without taking an exam?
Yes, in the 14 states that license by registration rather than exam, including Connecticut, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Rhode Island and Wisconsin swap the exam for a required pre-license education course instead; Michigan, Oregon, and Utah still require a competency exam on top of their own pre-license course.
Reciprocity
Does my contractor license work in another state?
No board lets you contract on another state’s license directly. A reciprocity agreement waives an exam, usually the trade portion, not the license itself; the business and law exam almost always stays required. Our contractor license reciprocity guide lists which states name each other.
Estimating while you wait
Can I price a bid before my license clears?
Yes. You can walk a job site, take your measurements, snap a photo, and price it while your application is still moving through the board. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns that photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material, labor, and fee lines you can edit before you send anything.
Does SimplyWise Cost Estimator check my state’s license requirements?
No. SimplyWise Cost Estimator builds estimates and branded quotes; it does not verify licensing. Use the state table above, and check your state board directly before you bid or sign a contract, since some states require an active license before you can legally submit a bid.
Turn a job photo into a bid your client can sign today.
Snap a photo and get an itemized estimate with editable material, labor, and fee lines. Send a branded quote before the next site visit. Free to try, then $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr after a 7-day trial.