Contractor licensing. State-by-state requirements.
General contractor licensing varies dramatically by state: some require state-level license; others delegate to counties/cities. Bonding, insurance, financial qualifications, and exams typical.
Start here.
Some states (CA, FL, NV) have strict state licensing. Others (TX, KS) delegate to localities.
General Contractor, specific trades (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc.).
Most states require surety bond ($5k-$25k typical).
General liability + workers compensation typically required.
Some states require minimum working capital.
The full picture.
Strict state licensing
California Contractors State License Board (CSLB): exam, bond ($25k), insurance, fingerprinting, financial. Florida: state contractor license required for projects over $5,000 in many counties. Nevada: similar strict state requirements.
State + local
Some states have state-level requirement plus local (city/county) licensing. Hawaii, North Carolina, Virginia common examples.
Local-only licensing
Texas: no state contractor license; cities and counties handle. Kansas, Wyoming similar. Local rules vary widely.
Classifications
General Contractor (GC) license for general building. Specialty contractor classifications: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, painting, others. Some states require separate license per classification.
Bonding
Most states require surety bond ($5,000-$25,000+). Bond protects clients and creditors against contractor default or fraud. Cost: 1-5% of bond amount annually.
Insurance
General liability ($1M typical) + workers compensation (required in most states). Some states require additional coverage.
Financial qualifications
Some states require minimum net worth or working capital. California: $2,500 minimum operating capital. Other states have similar thresholds.
Exam requirements
Most state-licensing states require exam: trade-specific knowledge, business and law, applicable codes. California CSLB exam typical example.
Multi-state operations
Each state requires separate licensure. Reciprocity exists in some cases (NASCLA accreditation simplifies multi-state work).
Renewal
Annual or biennial. Continuing education in some states. Bond and insurance must remain current.
Common questions.
Do I need a state contractor license?
What is bonding?
Cost of bonding?
Insurance required?
What is NASCLA?
Specialty contractor licenses?
How long does licensing take?
Can I work without a license?
Set up your professional firm.
PLLC formation, registered agent, ongoing compliance. We handle entity-level requirements; you handle the professional practice.
Professional licensing is handled by state boards. File.Business handles entity formation and ongoing compliance.
On the $129/yr Compliance Annual Filings plan, we cover state late fees.
When you autofile your annual report through the $129/yr plan and we miss the deadline, we pay the state's late fee. The guarantee applies to that specific plan and the filings it includes. Other File.Business services are billed at the prices on this page.