General Contractor License Requirements by State
Oversees and manages full-scope construction projects. This page compares general contractor licensing requirements across all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. Every row links to the verified state page with statute citations, fees, exam scope, insurance, and renewal rules.
- Published guides
- 51
- Exam pathways recorded
- 23
- Require surety bond
- 12
- Local / scope-specific
- 21
- Avg published experience
- 3.2 yr
Comparison table — all 51 jurisdictions
Scroll horizontally on smaller screens. Use the sort control to compare low-fee states, high-bond states, or the jurisdictions with the heaviest published experience requirements. Click any state to open the verified license page.
21 of these published jurisdictions have no single statewide trade license; local and scope-specific rules may apply.
| State | License | Exam | Experience | Bond | Initial fee | Renewal | NASCLA | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State license | Alabama General Contractor License (prime or subcontractor) | Depends on pathway | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | Prime applications must be received 30 days before a quarterly Board meeting |
| Alaska State registration | Alaska General Contractor Registration with Residential Endorsement | Required | — | $25,000 | — | 2 yr | — | CBPL says complete applications generally take several weeks |
| Arizona Mixed / scope-dependent | Arizona General Contractor (B, B-1, B-2, B-3, KA, KB-1, or KB-2) | Depends on pathway | 4 yr | $9,000 | $320 | 2 yr | Accepted | Varies with examination completion |
| Arkansas State license | Arkansas Commercial Contractor / Residential Builder / Residential Remodeler | Depends on pathway | — | $10,000 | — | 1 yr | — | Varies by classification |
| California State license | California Class B — General Building Contractor | Required | 4 yr | $25,000 | $200 | 2 yr | Accepted | Varies with application completeness |
| Colorado Local / scope-specific | Colorado General Contractor Requirements — Local Jurisdictions | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | Varies by local jurisdiction and application completeness |
| Connecticut Local / scope-specific | Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration and New Home Construction Contractor Registration | No statewide exam | — | — | $220 | 1 yr | — | 14 – 30 days from application to registration number |
| Delaware State license | Delaware Contractor Business License | Confirm with authority | — | — | $75 | 1 yr | — | — |
| District of Columbia State license | DC General Contractor/Construction Manager or Home Improvement Contractor Basic Business License | No statewide exam | — | $25,000 | — | 2 yr | — | DLCP does not publish one standard approval time |
| Florida State license | Florida Certified General Contractor (CGC) | Required | 4 yr | — | $245 | 2 yr | Accepted | Varies with examination scheduling |
| Georgia State license | Georgia General Contractor (Unlimited Tier) | Required | 4 yr | — | — | 2 yr | Accepted | 90 – 180 days from application to wallet card |
| Hawaii Mixed / scope-dependent | Hawaii Class A General Engineering and Class B General Building Contractor License | Depends on pathway | 4 yr | $5,000 | — | 2 yr | — | The Board review |
| Idaho Local / scope-specific | Idaho Contractor Registration and Public Works Contractor License | Required | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | Registration timing depends on complete documents |
| Illinois Local / scope-specific | Illinois General Contractor — No State License (Local Requirements Apply) | No statewide exam | — | — | $300 | 1 yr | — | Illinois has no statewide timeline |
| Indiana Local / scope-specific | Indiana General Contractor — Local License or Registration (No State License) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | No statewide license timeline |
| Iowa Mixed / scope-dependent | Iowa Contractor Registration | No statewide exam | — | $25,000 | — | 1 yr | — | DIAL does not publish a fixed processing time |
| Kansas Local / scope-specific | Kansas General Contractor (Local Licensing — Johnson County example) | Required | — | — | $225 | 1 yr | — | JCCL does not publish a guaranteed issuance timeframe |
| Kentucky Local / scope-specific | Kentucky General Contractor (no state license) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | No state general-contractor license is issued |
| Louisiana State license | Louisiana Commercial / Residential Contractor (LSLBC) | Required | — | — | $100 | 1 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to license issuance at the next Board meeting |
| Maine Local / scope-specific | Maine General Contractor — No State License (Home Construction Contract Rules) | Confirm with authority | — | — | — | — | — | Immediate — no state license to obtain |
| Maryland Mixed / scope-dependent | Maryland Home Improvement Contractor (MHIC) License | Required | 2 yr | — | — | 2 yr | — | MHIC states a complete application generally takes two to three weeks to process |
| Massachusetts Mixed / scope-dependent | Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License (CSL) and Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration | Required | 3 yr | — | $150 | 2 yr | — | Timing depends on documentation review |
| Michigan Local / scope-specific | Michigan Individual Residential Builder License | Required | — | — | $195 | 3 yr | — | LARA states applications may take 3–5 weeks to process |
| Minnesota Mixed / scope-dependent | Minnesota Residential Building Contractor / Residential Remodeler | Required | — | — | $180 | 2 yr | — | Varies with exam scheduling and complete DLI application processing. |
| Mississippi State license | Mississippi Commercial Contractor / Residential Builder or Remodeler | Depends on pathway | — | — | — | 1 yr | Accepted | MSBOC says completed |
| Missouri Local / scope-specific | Missouri General Contractor (local licensing and permits) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | Set by the city or county that will issue the relevant business license |
| Montana State license | Montana Construction Contractor License | No statewide exam | — | — | $70 | 1 yr | — | — |
| Nebraska Local / scope-specific | Nebraska Contractor Registration | No statewide exam | — | — | $40 | 1 yr | — | — |
| Nevada State license | Nevada Class A (General Engineering) or Class B (General Building) Contractor | Required | 4 yr | $15,000 | $600 | 2 yr | — | 90 – 150 days from application to issued license |
| New Hampshire Local / scope-specific | New Hampshire General Contractor (local permits and state trade licensing) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | No statewide general-contractor license is issued |
| New Jersey Mixed / scope-dependent | New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor Business (HICB) Registration | No statewide exam | — | $10,000 | $110 | 1 yr | — | The Division does not publish a guaranteed initial-registration processing time |
| New Mexico State license | New Mexico GB-98 General Building Contractor | Required | 4 yr | $10,000 | $306 | 3 yr | Accepted | Allow time for CID/PSI experience review |
| New York Local / scope-specific | New York General Contractor — No State License; Local Requirements Apply | No statewide exam | — | — | $300 | 3 yr | — | No statewide timeline |
| North Carolina State license | North Carolina General Contractor (Limited, Intermediate, or Unlimited) | Required | — | — | $75 | 1 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| North Dakota State license | North Dakota Contractor License (Class A, B, C, or D) | No statewide exam | — | — | $450 | 1 yr | — | — |
| Ohio Local / scope-specific | Ohio General Contractor — No State License (Local Requirements Apply) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | No statewide license timeline |
| Oklahoma Local / scope-specific | Oklahoma General Contractor (Municipal Registration — No State License) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | No statewide license timeline |
| Oregon Mixed / scope-dependent | Oregon Construction Contractors Board General Contractor License | Required | — | $25,000 | — | 2 yr | Accepted | CCB states complete applications may take six to eight weeks to complete |
| Pennsylvania Local / scope-specific | Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor Registration — No General Contractor License | No statewide exam | — | — | $100 | 2 yr | — | The OAG online system provides status after submission |
| Rhode Island State registration | Rhode Island General Contractor Registration | No statewide exam | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | RICRLB does not publish a standard approval time |
| South Carolina State license | South Carolina Commercial General Contractor License (Classification and Group) | Confirm with authority | 2 yr | — | — | 2 yr | Accepted | Timing depends on the PQP’s experience documentation |
| South Dakota Local / scope-specific | South Dakota Contractor's Excise Tax License (no state contractor license) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | 1 – 2 weeks for the excise tax license to issue after application |
| Tennessee State license | Tennessee Contractor License — Building Classifications (TBLC) | Depends on pathway | — | — | $250 | 2 yr | Accepted | TBLC processing depends on the completeness of the application |
| Texas Local / scope-specific | Texas General Contractor — No State License (Local Registration Only) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | No statewide license timeline |
| Utah State license | Utah General Contractor — B100 or R100 | Confirm with authority | 2 yr | — | — | 2 yr | Accepted | Varies with course completion, examination scheduling, and DOPL review |
| Vermont Local / scope-specific | Vermont Residential Contractor Registration | No statewide exam | — | — | $250 | 2 yr | — | 2 – 6 weeks from application to active registration |
| Virginia State license | Virginia Class A, B, or C Contractor (RBC, CBC, or BLD) | Depends on pathway | 1 yr | — | $274.5 | 2 yr | Accepted | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Washington State license | Washington Registered General Contractor | No statewide exam | — | $30,000 | — | 2 yr | — | — |
| West Virginia State license | West Virginia Contractor License | Depends on pathway | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | Timing depends on classification |
| Wisconsin Local / scope-specific | Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Certification and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier | No statewide exam | — | — | — | 1 yr | — | Allow time to complete the 12-hour course |
| Wyoming Local / scope-specific | Wyoming General Contractor — Local Licensing and Permits | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | No statewide timeline |
National picture for general contractor
Of the 51 jurisdictions currently published in this dataset, 23 record required or conditional examination pathways, 12 record a positive license-bond amount, and 13 record NASCLA acceptance. Among entries with a positive numeric experience threshold, the average recorded value is 3.2 years.
The comparison above is generated at build time directly from the state license entries on this site. Every value is traceable to the regulator's published rule. If you spot a discrepancy, the state page is the source of truth and will be re-verified against the official source set.
Choosing where to license first
- Lowest barrier to entry: compare the recorded fee and examination pathway, then read the guide for local obligations and missing costs. A local-only label does not mean the work is unregulated.
- Strongest reciprocity downstream: states marked NASCLA Accepted, because the same exam can unlock multiple jurisdictions later.
- Lowest upfront cost: focus on combinations with the smallest initial fee and no bond requirement.
- Fastest path to wallet card: compare the Time column, but remember that municipal programs can still involve multiple city registrations.
Related trades
Scope of work overlaps at the edges of every classification. Contractors researching general contractor licensing often also need the comparison hub for these adjacent trades:
- Carpentry Contractor by state
- Masonry Contractor by state
- Roofing Contractor by state
- Handyman by state
Local requirements and practical guides
- Houston General Contractors: Licensing, Trade Registration, and Permits
Understand Houston’s general-contractor rules, separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing registrations, and the building-permit application route.
- Dallas Contractor Registration: DallasNow, Business Records, and Permits
Register a general contractor in DallasNow, distinguish registration from permits and housing-program approval, and understand the city’s fee guidance.
- Austin Contractor Registration: AB+C Accounts, Authorization, and Activation
Prepare Austin’s AB+C account and authorization, register a general or trade contractor, activate approved permits, and keep registration details current.
- Denver Contractor Licensing: Supervisor Certificates, Applications, and Fees
Choose a Denver construction class, document supervisor experience, apply for the business license, and distinguish certificate fees from license renewal.
- NYC Home Improvement Contractor License: Documents, Exam, and Costs
Prepare the NYC DCWP home-improvement application: address evidence, workers’ compensation, EPA documents, trust fund or bond, fingerprints, and exam.
- Do Subcontractors Need a License? California, Tennessee, and Texas Examples
Learn why a prime contractor’s license may not cover a subcontractor, using California’s triggers, Tennessee’s trade thresholds, and Texas electrical rules.
- When Your Qualifying Agent Leaves: California and Texas Electrical Rules
Compare California qualifier replacement with Texas electrical master-of-record changes, including deadlines, forms, records, and license-status checks.
- How to Add a California Contractor License Classification
Prepare a California additional-classification application: scope selection, qualifier experience, the $230 fee, exams, fingerprints, and returned applications.
Related reading
Original cross-state analyses from our dataset that add context to the general contractor table above — who runs the exams, where the burden is heaviest, and what a criminal record means for eligibility.
The Contractor Licensing Atlas
What mapping 918 licenses revealed about exam providers, bonds, and where a trade needs no state license at all.
Contractor license difficulty index
Where each state ranks on exam, experience, and bond burden — hardest to easiest.
License costs ranked by state
Cheapest to most expensive states once fees, bond, and first-year insurance are counted.
Licensing with a criminal record
A 50-state look at background checks and which convictions actually block a license.
Data is sourced from the issuing boards' published rules. Latest completed source-check date represented in the dataset: 2026-09-30.