Oregon General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) licenses every business that performs, bids, or offers to perform construction work in Oregon under ORS Chapter 701. There is no project-value threshold — any construction work for compensation requires an active CCB license. CCB issues four core endorsements: Residential General Contractor (RGC), Residential Specialty Contractor (RSC), Commercial General Contractor (CGC) Level 1 or Level 2, and Commercial Specialty Contractor (CSC) Level 1 or Level 2. All applicants must complete 16 hours of CCB-approved pre-license training, pass the open-book CCB examination at 70% (36 of 50 questions), file a surety bond, and maintain liability insurance.

Regulatory Oversight

This license is issued and enforced by Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 701; OAR Chapter 812 (CCB administrative rules). The CCB licenses all construction contractors in Oregon, sets pre-license training and exam standards, holds bond and insurance filings, and adjudicates contractor disputes through its Dispute Resolution Services program.

Official portal: https://www.oregon.gov/ccb/
Address: 201 High Street SE, Suite 600, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 378-4621

Who May Apply

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number. No Oregon residency requirement. Out-of-state businesses must register with the Oregon Secretary of State.

Good moral character

CCB conducts a background review on every Responsible Managing Individual (RMI). Prior CCB suspensions and unpaid CCB judgments are reviewed individually.

Background investigation

Mandatory disclosure of prior contractor licenses, suspensions, and unsatisfied construction-related judgments on the application.

Disqualifying conditions

Unsatisfied CCB final orders or unpaid construction-related court judgments
Recent contractor license revocations in any state
Construction-related fraud convictions

Required Experience and Education

There is no published year count for this credential in the cited sources. What actually controls eligibility is No prior field experience is required to apply. The Responsible Managing Individual must complete 16 hours of CCB-approved pre-license training and pass the CCB examination..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

CCB-approved pre-license training completion certificate (16 hours)
CCB examination score report at 70% or higher
Business entity registration with the Oregon Secretary of State

Education substitution

No experience-for-education substitution is required because CCB does not impose a field experience requirement at the entry level. Endorsement upgrades to CGC Level 1 require documented commercial project history.

Examination Requirements

CCB Licensing — open-book examination administered through CCB-approved test centers runs the examination for this credential. Issuance is contingent on passing every part below:

CCB Open-Book Examination — Oregon construction law, business practices, lien law, contracts, employment, and tax — 50 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $60 examination fee paid at the test center; $325 application fee paid to CCB.

Retake policy: Failed examinations may be re-taken by paying a new $60 fee. There is no waiting period between attempts. Each application remains valid for one year.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

The CCB requires a $20,000 contractor license surety bond to be on file before the license will issue.

General liability

Mandatory commercial general liability insurance: $500,000 per occurrence for residential endorsements; $1,000,000 per occurrence for CGC Level 2 / CSC Level 2; $2,000,000 per occurrence for CGC Level 1 / CSC Level 1.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Oregon under ORS 656 for any business with employees. Sole proprietors with no employees are exempt but must declare so in writing.

Additional financial requirements

Surety bond requirement varies by endorsement: $20,000 for Residential General Contractor and Residential Specialty Contractor; $75,000 for CGC Level 2 and CSC Level 2; $200,000 for CGC Level 1 and CSC Level 1.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$325
Examination	$60
Initial license	$325
Renewal (every 2 years)	$325

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Oregon CCB Construction Contractor License (RGC, RSC, CGC, or CSC) comes due every 2 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $325. Oregon CCB licenses renew every two years. The bond and insurance must remain continuously in force; any lapse automatically suspends the license.

Continuing education: Residential endorsements: 16 hours of CCB-approved CE for the first renewal, 8 hours for each subsequent renewal. Commercial endorsements have separate CE schedules.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Washington	Pre-license training waived for active WA contractors	Bilateral CCB–Washington L&I recognition for active general contractors in good standing.
Idaho	Limited recognition	Bilateral CCB–Idaho Contractors Board recognition for active contractors in good standing.
Montana	Limited recognition	Bilateral CCB–Montana Department of Labor recognition for active registered contractors.

CCB does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination. All applicants must pass the Oregon-specific CCB open-book examination regardless of credentials held in other states.

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.

Application Process, Step by Step

Choose the endorsement. RGC residential general, RSC residential specialty, CGC Level 1 or 2 commercial general, or CSC Level 1 or 2 commercial specialty.
Complete the 16-hour CCB pre-license training. Take a CCB-approved classroom or online course covering Oregon construction law, lien law, business practices, contracts, employment, and tax.
Pass the CCB open-book examination at 70%. Score 36 of 50 questions correct on the open-book exam at a CCB-approved test center.
Register the business entity. Register the LLC, corporation, or sole proprietorship with the Oregon Secretary of State and obtain a business identification number.
File the surety bond. File the $20,000 (residential) or $75,000–$200,000 (commercial) surety bond with CCB.
Obtain liability and workers compensation insurance. Purchase the required commercial general liability policy and workers compensation if employing workers, and file certificates with CCB.
Submit the CCB application. File the CCB application with the $325 fee, the Responsible Managing Individual designation, the bond, and the insurance certificates. CCB issues the license upon approval.

Document Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with CCB:

☐ CCB application with $325 fee and Responsible Managing Individual designation
☐ 16-hour CCB-approved pre-license training completion certificate
☐ CCB open-book exam pass certificate at 70% (36 of 50)
☐ Oregon Secretary of State business registration
☐ Surety bond filing: $20,000 residential or $75,000–$200,000 commercial
☐ Commercial general liability insurance certificate ($500k residential / $1M–$2M commercial)
☐ Workers compensation coverage certificate (or sole-proprietor exemption declaration)

Recommended References

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

Oregon Contractor's Reference Manual — Oregon Construction Contractors Board. Official CCB study reference covering Oregon construction law, lien law, and business practices. Open-book at the CCB exam.
ORS Chapter 701 and OAR Chapter 812 — State of Oregon. Licensing law and CCB administrative rules.
Oregon Construction Lien Law Guide — Oregon CCB / Oregon State Bar. Required reading for the lien law section of the exam.

Frequent Application Errors

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

Assuming a small project does not need a license

Oregon has no dollar threshold. Any construction work for compensation requires a CCB license — there is no $500 or $1,000 carve-out.

Choosing the wrong endorsement level

CGC Level 1 has no project-size cap but requires a $200,000 bond and $2,000,000 liability. Level 2 is capped at $250,000 per project. Bidding above the cap voids the license for that project.

Letting the bond lapse

A lapsed surety bond automatically suspends the CCB license. CCB does not issue grace periods.

Skipping the Responsible Managing Individual designation

Every CCB license requires a designated RMI who completed the training and passed the exam. The RMI must be an owner, partner, officer, or employee actively engaged in the business.

Missing the workers compensation declaration

Sole proprietors with no employees must file a written exemption declaration. CCB rejects applications that omit either a workers compensation certificate or the exemption form.

Other Oregon Trade Licenses

Should the General Contractor path not apply, these other Oregon trade guides from CLR may help:

Questions Applicants Ask

When do I need an Oregon CCB license?

Oregon requires a CCB license for any construction work performed for compensation, regardless of project value. Unlike many states there is no dollar threshold under ORS 701.021. Operating without a CCB license is a Class A misdemeanor and bars the contractor from collecting on contracts.

How hard is the Oregon CCB exam?

The CCB exam is open-book and covers Oregon construction law, lien law, contracts, employment, and tax. Passing requires 36 of 50 questions (70%). Most applicants who complete the 16-hour pre-license training pass on the first attempt.

What endorsement do I need for residential work?

Residential General Contractor (RGC) for full-scope residential work, or Residential Specialty Contractor (RSC) for a single trade. Both require the same 16-hour training, exam, and a $20,000 surety bond.

How much surety bond does Oregon require?

$20,000 for residential endorsements (RGC and RSC), $75,000 for CGC Level 2 and CSC Level 2, and $200,000 for CGC Level 1 and CSC Level 1. The bond is filed with CCB before the license is issued.

How often does the Oregon CCB license renew?

Every two years. Renewal requires continuing education (16 hours for the first renewal cycle, 8 hours for subsequent renewals for residential endorsements; commercial endorsements vary).

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-30 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-28