Michigan Carpentry License Requirements (2026)

Michigan licenses residential builder and maintenance-and-alteration contracting through LARA under Article 24 of the Occupational Code. An Individual Residential Builder may build a complete residential structure and perform maintenance and alteration work. An M&A contractor is licensed in one or more selected trades, including carpentry. Both initial paths require 60 hours of approved prelicensure education, application approval, and the applicable PSI examination. This is a residential-builder/M&A credential; confirm commercial and local permit requirements separately.

Regulatory Body

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (LARA BCC) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Michigan Occupational Code, MCL 339.2401 et seq. (Article 24 — Residential Builders); Skilled Trades Regulation Act, MCL 339.5101 et seq.. LARA Bureau of Construction Codes administers Michigan licensing for residential builders, electricians, plumbers, and mechanical contractors through its trade-specific boards, adopts the Michigan building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes, and conducts disciplinary proceedings.

Official portal: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc
Address: P.O. Box 30254, Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 241-9313

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No Michigan residency requirement.

Good moral character

Criminal history is reviewed case-by-case by the licensing authority.

Background investigation

Criminal history disclosure required on the application.

Experience and Education

No fixed number of years of experience is set out in the cited sources for this credential; instead, the controlling requirement is No experience years required, but the 60-hour LARA-approved pre-license course is mandatory..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

60-hour LARA-approved prelicensure course completion certificate
Current individual application, state-issued photo ID, and required Michigan business address information

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI, after LARA approves the Residential Builder or M&A application. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

Residential Builder examination, or the selected M&A Carpentry examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin

Examination fee: LARA’s current initial application fee is $195. PSI lists $117 for the Residential Builder exam and a $70 one-portion fee for M&A trades; confirm the current selected examination charge when scheduling.

Retake policy: Follow current LARA/PSI retesting instructions. Veterans using the prelicensure-course waiver must complete the 60 hours before retesting if they do not pass the first examination.

Insurance and Bonds

This credential carries no state-level surety bond requirement under the cited sources. Individual jobs may still trigger a permit or public-works bond, which should be verified before bidding.

General liability

The current individual builder/M&A application materials reviewed do not list a statewide general-liability certificate as an initial application item. Project owners, companies, and local authorities may impose separate requirements.

Workers' compensation

Workers’ compensation obligations are separate from the individual LARA builder/M&A application. Verify coverage obligations with Michigan’s Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency for the actual workforce arrangement.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement required.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$195
Examination	$117
Initial license	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Renewal (every 3 years)	$150

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Michigan carpentry.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Renewal of the Michigan Residential Builder License (Carpentry) comes due every 3 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $150. Individual builder/M&A licenses renew every three years by May 31. LARA lists $150 renewal, $170 late renewal, and $185 relicensure fees.

Continuing education: First and second renewal cycles require 21 hours of approved CE. Third and later renewal cycles require three hours; retain records in case of audit.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Michigan Carpentry License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Michigan for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

The current application allows an out-of-state photo ID with a notarized Consent to Service of Process form, but it still requires the current Michigan application path. The reviewed materials do not identify a general reciprocity pathway.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Carpentry license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Carpentry Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Michigan's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Indiana Carpentry License Requirements — Indiana Carpentry — No State License (Local Contractor Registration)
Ohio Carpentry License Requirements — Ohio Carpentry (no state license; municipal contractor registration)
Wisconsin Carpentry License Requirements — Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Certification (carpentry under dwelling contractor)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Complete the 60-hour LARA-approved pre-license course. Online or classroom.
Choose the license path. Choose Individual Residential Builder for complete residential structures and maintenance/alteration work, or M&A with the selected carpentry trade.
Submit the LARA individual application. Submit the current application, ID, course certificate, required Michigan business address, and $195 fee. An out-of-state ID requires the current Consent to Service of Process form.
Pass the applicable PSI examination. After LARA approval, schedule the Residential Builder examination or the selected M&A Carpentry examination with PSI.
Meet company and project requirements. A company needs its own company application and qualifying officer; separately confirm permits, insurance, and local requirements for each job.
Renew the individual license. Renew every three years by May 31. The first and second renewal cycles require 21 hours of CE; the third and later cycles require three hours.

Application Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with LARA BCC:

60-hour LARA pre-license course completion certificate
LARA Residential Builder or selected M&A Carpentry application with $195 fee
Applicable PSI examination result
State-issued photo ID, Michigan business address, and Consent to Service of Process if using an out-of-state ID
Company application and qualifying officer if operating through a company
Project-specific permits, insurance, and local requirements

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Michigan Carpentry application.

Skipping the 60-hour course

Complete the 60-hour approved course before examination or application unless an applicable veteran waiver has been granted.

M&A vs. Residential Builder

M&A is licensed by selected trade; the application states that an Individual Residential Builder can build a complete residential structure and perform maintenance/alteration work.

Using an out-of-state ID without the extra form

The current application calls for the notarized Consent to Service of Process form when the applicant presents an out-of-state photo ID.

Forgetting company qualification

An individual license is not a company application. A company needs its own filing and a qualifying officer who maintains the individual credential.

Assuming every renewal needs 21 hours

The first and second cycles require 21 CE hours, but the third and later cycles require three hours.

Study and Reference Materials

These are the preparation and reference materials tied to this credential — cited by the regulator or widely used by applicants. CLR earns nothing from listing them.

LARA approved Residential Builder prelicensure and CE courses — Michigan LARA. Use the current provider list and subject requirements.
Michigan Residential Builders and M&A application materials — Michigan LARA. Use the current application and PSI scheduling guidance.

Other Michigan Trade Licenses

If the Carpentry license is not the right fit, the following published Michigan trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Michigan have a carpentry license?

Carpentry is one of the Maintenance and Alteration (M&A) Contractor trade categories, but most residential carpenters obtain the broader Residential Builder license that covers all trades.

What is the 60-hour pre-license course?

It is 60 hours of LARA-approved education, including specified hours in business management, design/building science, contracts/risk, marketing, project management, the Michigan Residential Code, MIOSHA standards, and electives. It is required before examination or application.

What is the project value threshold?

This guide does not use the former $600 statement. Determine whether the Article 24 Residential Builder/M&A license applies to the planned residential activity and confirm any statutory exemptions with LARA.

Does Michigan accept NASCLA?

The reviewed LARA materials do not identify a NASCLA reciprocity path. Use the current Michigan application, education, and PSI process.

How often does the license renew?

Every three years by May 31. The first and second renewal cycles require 21 hours of CE; the third and later cycles require three hours.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.