How to Obtain Your North Carolina Highway Contractor License

The state of North Carolina depends on highway contractors to construct and preserve essential infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, culverts, and guardrails for all drivers and travelers. A North Carolina heavy highway contractor's license stands as an absolute requirement for anyone who wants to perform this work.

The license enables you to follow state regulations while fulfilling safety and financial obligations, which allows you to pursue public (NC DOT) and private highway construction projects. This guide provides a complete overview of North Carolina highway contractors' work activities and licensing process, including examination requirements, maintenance obligations, and the benefits of obtaining a license.

What Does an NC Highway Contractor Do?

Before getting into licensing, it helps to understand what being a highway contractor involves.

Work on transportation-related infrastructure: paving roads, grading terrain, building or repairing bridges and culverts, installing guardrails, signage, lighting, etc.
Projects often under NC DOT, municipalities, or federal/state aid programs
Heavy civil work: large-scale earthmoving, drainage, stormwater infrastructure, utility line relocation when tied to road work

This differs from building or residential contractors:

Residential contractors focus on houses and small dwellings.
Building contractors may cover commercial buildings or other vertical construction.
Highway contractors specialize in horizontal (road) infrastructure and transportation features.

Step 1: Understand North Carolina’s Highway License Requirements

To hold a North Carolina heavy highway contractor's license, you’ll need to meet certain qualifications.

Here are baseline eligibility requirements from the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC):

Be at least 18 years old.
Possess good moral character. The Board will review background checks.
Demonstrate financial responsibility. That could mean certain working capital, net worth, or surety bonds, depending on the license limitation.
Provide documentation of relevant highway or heavy‐civil construction experience. Substantial experience helps ensure your qualifier, the person responsible for exams, can vouch for your capability.

You will also need to understand license classifications and limitations:

NC issues different “limitations” based on how large your projects can be. For example, Limited, Intermediate, or Unlimited licenses. Each has financial thresholds (working capital, or bond or financial statements) tied to what you can legally bid on.
The “Highway Contractor” classification is one of several under general contractors, designating work specific to roads, paving, grading, bridges, etc.

Step 2: Apply to the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors

Once you verify that you meet those requirements, you’ll begin the application process. Here are the steps:

Pick the Highway Contractor classification and decide which limitation level (Limited, Intermediate, or Unlimited) best suits your business goals and finances.
Fill out the application via the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors. This includes:
Application form.
Financial statements or surety bond (or certification thereof).
3 character references
Background check/disclosure of criminal record if required.
Pay the application fee. The exact cost depends on classification and limitation. (Check current fees with NCLBGC because they change.)
Wait for processing and eligibility. Once your application is reviewed and accepted, you're granted eligibility to take the highway contractor exam.

Step 3: Pass the Highway Contractor Exam

Passing the categorization exam for highway contractors is a key step to obtaining your license. Here’s what to expect:

Exam structure: The NC Highway Contractor exam covers topics like excavation and grading, NC DOT standards and specifications, estimating, safety (OSHA standards), contracts/business and law, project management, and other highway‐specific methods.
Number of questions: The exam has about 100 questions, though only a subset (e.g. 90) may be scored.
Open-book format: permitted reference texts (standards, specifications, safety codes etc.) are allowed; you can highlight and tab them but not write in them during the test.
Time allotted: approximately 265 minutes (a little over 4 hours) to complete the exam.
Passing score: 70% correct on scored items.

Tip to prepare for the Highway Exam:

Review NC DOT’s Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures. Know it well.
Understand construction planning and equipment methods (how heavy machinery is used, earth work, compaction, etc.)
Study safety and OSHA regulations.
Brush up on business and law topics: contracts, bidding, lien law, license law.
Make use of study guides and practice tests (books, manuals, sample questions).

Step 4: Maintain Your Highway Contractor License

Getting the license isn’t the end, you’ll need to maintain it properly:

Renew annually: Pay renewal fees, keep your qualifier status, and ensure financial statements or bond requirements are still met.

Stay current with NC DOT / Safety Codes: Because highway work is heavily regulated (bridges, paving, drainage, signage, guardrails, etc.), any changes in DOT standards, environmental and safety law must be reflected in your work.

Document and keep as-built drawings/project records: Good documentation helps with future inspections, claims, or project expansions/maintenance.

Benefits of Earning a NC Highway Contractor License

Holding a North Carolina heavy highway contractor license gives you certain advantages:

You legally qualify for bidding on highway and transportation projects of a higher dollar value. Often public bids require properly classified, licensed contractors.

The company receives work opportunities through NC DOT and municipal government contracts and other public sector agreements.
Your business can expand into bigger infrastructure projects through this capability. The revenue potential of large projects tends to be higher than smaller ones.
More legal protection if offered when your licensing and qualification are in good order

Your Path to Becoming a Licensed Highway Contractor in North Carolina

North Carolina highway contractor status requires more than test success because it demands financial stability, work experience, legal compliance, and technical expertise for safe and responsible transportation infrastructure construction. Your path to business growth and project access and professional credibility starts with understanding requirements followed by proper application and exam success as well as ongoing license maintenance.

You have entered a significant path toward a vital industry that needs skilled professionals. CTC will assist you through preparation and success in creating the transportation links which unite North Carolina communities.

Ready to start your journey toward becoming a licensed Highway Contractor in North Carolina? Explore our NC Highway Contractor Exam Prep Programs.

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