Nevada General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) licenses every contractor performing work valued at $1,000 or more under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 624. Nevada issues three top-level classifications: Class A (General Engineering), Class B (General Building), and Class C (Specialty). General contractors typically apply for Class A or Class B and must designate a qualifying individual with at least four years of journeyman, foreman, supervisor, or contractor experience within the last ten years. Every license carries a monetary limit tied to the applicant's CPA-reviewed financial statement, and a surety bond scaled to that limit is required before issuance.

The Licensing Authority

Licensing for this trade is governed by Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 624; Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) Chapter 624. NSCB licenses all contractors performing work in Nevada under NRS 624, sets monetary limits tied to financial capacity, administers trade and business-and-law examinations through PSI, investigates complaints, and conducts disciplinary proceedings statewide.

Official portal: https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/
Address: 2310 Corporate Circle, Suite 200, Henderson, NV 89074 (Southern office); 5390 Kietzke Lane, Suite 102, Reno, NV 89511 (Northern office)
Phone: (702) 486-1100 (Southern); (775) 688-1141 (Northern)

Baseline Eligibility

Eligibility begins with two baseline checks: the applicant must be 18 or older and must provide a valid Social Security Number. No Nevada residency requirement. Out-of-state applicants are accepted.

Good moral character

NSCB conducts a fitness review on every qualifying individual and on every officer, director, partner, member, and 25%+ shareholder. Felony convictions, prior license discipline, and unresolved judgments are reviewed individually.

Background investigation

Mandatory FBI and Nevada DPS fingerprint-based criminal history check for the qualifying individual and every responsible managing officer or member.

Disqualifying conditions

Construction-related fraud convictions within the last ten years
Active license revocation in any jurisdiction
Unsatisfied civil judgments arising out of construction work

Experience and Education Requirements

The experience bar is four years of practical experience at the journeyman, foreman, supervising employee, or contractor level within the last ten years in the classification applied for, and it must be backed by verifiable records — typically payroll, tax, project, or supervisor documentation covering the claimed period.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

NSCB Certificate of Experience signed by each prior employer or supervising contractor
W-2 statements, 1099 records, or certified payroll covering the four-year qualifying period
Notarized affidavits from licensed contractors who personally supervised the work
Project lists with addresses, dates, scope, and dollar value

Education substitution

Up to three of the four years may be substituted with accredited construction-management or engineering coursework on a sliding scale set by NAC 624.190; at least one full year of hands-on field experience is always required.

The Licensing Examination

Testing is handled by PSI Services LLC under contract to NSCB. The applicant has to pass each part listed here before the credential is granted:

PSI Nevada Trade Examination — Class A General Engineering or Class B General Building — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
PSI Nevada Business and Law Examination — 75 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $95 per PSI exam part paid on the day of testing.

Retake policy: Failed parts may be retaken individually after a 30-day waiting period by paying a new $95 fee. The application remains valid for one year; after three failed attempts NSCB may require additional experience documentation.

Financial Security and Insurance

Before the license is issued, the applicant must file a $15,000 contractor license surety bond in the form prescribed by the NSCB.

General liability

NSCB requires proof of $300,000 bodily injury per occurrence, $300,000 property damage per occurrence, and $50,000 aggregate as a minimum before license issuance. Most commercial owners contractually require $1,000,000/$2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation coverage is mandatory under NRS 616B for any contractor with one or more employees, including part-time. Sole proprietors with no employees may file an affidavit of exemption.

Additional financial requirements

CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement required. The monetary limit assigned to the license is tied to working capital and net worth — minimum monetary limit is $15,000 (requiring a $1,000 bond) and unlimited monetary limit requires the maximum $500,000 surety bond. Financial statements older than 12 months are not accepted.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$300
Examination	$190
Initial license	$600
Renewal (every 2 years)	$600

License Renewal

The Nevada Class A (General Engineering) or Class B (General Building) Contractor must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $600. Renewal requires confirmation that the qualifying individual is still actively associated with the licensee.

Continuing education: Nevada does not require continuing education for general contractor renewal, but the bond, insurance, and financial statement must remain current.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Nevada General Contractor License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity Map

Nevada grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Arizona	Trade exam waived	Bilateral NSCB–Arizona ROC reciprocity for active general contractors in good standing for at least four years; Nevada business and law exam still required.
California	Trade exam waived	Bilateral NSCB–CSLB reciprocity for matching A or B classifications held in good standing for at least four years; Nevada business and law exam still required.
Utah	Trade exam waived	Bilateral NSCB–Utah DOPL reciprocity for matching general engineering or general building classifications; Nevada business and law exam still required.

Nevada does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for general contractor licensure. Reciprocity waives only the trade exam — the Nevada business and law exam, fingerprinting, financial statement, and bond are required from every applicant.

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

The Licensing Roadmap

Choose Class A or Class B. Class A covers heavy civil and engineering. Class B covers vertical building construction with at least three unrelated trades. Each classification has its own trade exam.
Document four years of qualifying experience. Four years at journeyman level or above within the last ten years, verified on the NSCB Certificate of Experience by each prior employer.
Prepare a CPA-reviewed financial statement. NSCB sets the monetary limit based on working capital and net worth. The statement must be no more than 12 months old at submission.
Submit the NSCB application. File with the $300 application fee, qualifying individual designation, financial statement, fingerprint cards, and trade and business-law exam requests.
Pass FBI and Nevada DPS background checks. Submit fingerprints for the qualifying individual and every responsible managing officer or member.
Pass both PSI exams at 70%. Trade exam for the chosen classification plus the Nevada Business and Law exam. Both must be passed within one year of application approval.
Post the surety bond and proof of insurance. Bond amount scales from $1,000 (at the $15,000 minimum monetary limit) to $500,000 (unlimited). File the certificate of insurance and workers compensation certificate before issuance.

Before Filing: A Checklist

Ahead of submission to NSCB, confirm every item on this short list:

☐ NSCB application with $300 fee and qualifying individual designation
☐ NSCB Certificate of Experience covering four years within the last ten
☐ CPA-reviewed financial statement no more than 12 months old
☐ FBI and Nevada DPS fingerprint cards for every officer, member, and qualifier
☐ PSI Nevada trade exam pass certificate at 70%+
☐ PSI Nevada business and law exam pass certificate at 70%+
☐ Surety bond ($1,000 to $500,000), $300k/$300k/$50k liability insurance, and workers compensation certificate

Common Application Pitfalls

These are the recurring mistakes that most often delay or reject a Nevada General Contractor application, based on the official instructions cited here.

Underestimating the financial statement

A self-prepared balance sheet is rejected. NSCB requires a CPA review or audit performed within the last 12 months, and the working capital figure directly caps the monetary limit.

Bidding above the assigned monetary limit

Each license has a dollar cap per project. Bidding above the limit triggers discipline and voids the contract under NRS 624.320. Upgrading the limit requires a new financial statement and a higher bond.

Mismatching the classification to the work

A Class B holder cannot self-perform a project that is purely engineering (Class A) work, and vice versa. Multi-classification licenses require separate exams.

Forgetting the qualifying individual must be a bona fide employee or owner

NSCB audits W-2s and corporate records. A borrowed or paper-only qualifier is grounds for revocation under NRS 624.3013.

Letting the bond or insurance lapse

Any lapse in the surety bond, liability insurance, or workers compensation triggers automatic suspension. NSCB receives notification directly from the insurer.

Preparation Resources

The list below collects the board's cited references and the materials applicants typically study from. CLR is not paid to recommend any of them.

NSCB Contractor Reference Manual (current edition) — Nevada State Contractors Board. Official statute, regulation, and policy reference. Open-book at the PSI test center.
NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Nevada edition — NASCLA. Standard reference for the Nevada business and law exam.
NRS Chapter 624 and NAC Chapter 624 — State of Nevada. Licensing law and administrative code — both are open-book at PSI.

Other Nevada Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these Nevada licensing guides:

Answers to Common Questions

When do I need a Nevada contractor license?

Any construction project valued at $1,000 or more (including labor and materials) requires an NSCB license under NRS 624.020. Smaller handyman work below $1,000 does not require a license but must still comply with local permits.

What is the difference between Class A, B, and C in Nevada?

Class A is General Engineering (heavy civil, utilities, roads). Class B is General Building (vertical construction involving at least three unrelated trades). Class C is Specialty, broken into subclassifications such as C-1 Plumbing and Heating, C-2 Electrical, and C-21 HVAC.

How is my Nevada monetary limit determined?

NSCB assigns a monetary limit based on the working capital and net worth shown on your CPA-reviewed financial statement. The minimum is $15,000. Higher limits require stronger statements and larger surety bonds, scaling up to a $500,000 bond for an unlimited license.

Does Nevada accept the NASCLA exam?

No. NSCB does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination. The PSI Nevada trade exam and the Nevada business and law exam are required for every applicant, including reciprocity applicants from Arizona, California, and Utah.

How often does the Nevada contractor license renew?

Every two years. Renewal requires payment of the $600 fee, a current bond and insurance certificate, and disclosure of any judgments, liens, or criminal matters since the prior renewal.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-06-05 · Next scheduled review 2026-09-03