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.

Regulatory Body

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)

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a 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

The experience bar is 4 years of four full years of practical experience as a journeyman, supervising employee, or contractor in the requested classification within the 15 years immediately before filing, 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

Use the current NSCB application and experience rules to determine any acceptable education credit; unsupported fixed substitution claims have been removed.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Services LLC under contract to NSCB. 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:

• 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.

Insurance and Bonds

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 compliance with industrial-insurance requirements before issuance. Confirm any current liability-insurance requirement with NSCB; unsupported fixed state liability limits have been removed.

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

A financial statement is required for every application. For limits up to $25,000, NSCB permits a current self-prepared or CPA statement; above $25,000 it specifies CPA-prepared statements, with review/audit required from $1,000,000. A Class B or B-2 license has a $200,000 minimum limit. Use NSCB’s current financial-statement table for the requested limit.

Fee Schedule

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 Nevada general contractor.

Renewal and Continuing Education

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.

Reciprocity

Nevada grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

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 published General Contractor license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

General Contractor Licensing in Neighboring States

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

• Arizona General Contractor License Requirements — Arizona General Contractor (B, B-1, B-2, B-3, KA, KB-1, or KB-2)
• California General Contractor License Requirements — California Class B — General Building Contractor
• Idaho General Contractor License Requirements — Idaho Contractor Registration and Public Works Contractor License
• Oregon General Contractor License Requirements — Oregon Construction Contractors Board General Contractor License
• Utah General Contractor License Requirements — Utah General Contractor — B100 or R100

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Submit the NSCB application. File with the $300 application fee, qualifying individual designation, financial statement, fingerprint cards, and trade and business-law exam requests.
5. Pass FBI and Nevada DPS background checks. Submit fingerprints for the qualifying individual and every responsible managing officer or member.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Application 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

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

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.

Study and Reference Materials

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:

• Nevada Electrician License Requirements
• Nevada Plumber License Requirements
• Nevada HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Nevada Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Solar Installer License Requirements
• Nevada Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Nevada Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Home Inspector License Requirements
• Nevada Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Nevada Handyman License Requirements
• Nevada Pest Control License Requirements
• Nevada Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked 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.

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