Obtaining a Contractor’s License in North Carolina

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How to Become a General Contractor in North Carolina

A contractor’s license is required in North Carolina for anyone who perform work on any commercial, industrial, and residential building projects valued over $40,000. The state issues building and residential licenses depending on whether you’re working in commercial or residential construction.

The requirements to obtain your NC contractor license are based on licensing limitations related to construction costs and the contractor’s financial ability.

In this article, we’ll explore how to become a general contractor in North Carolina, including the license classifications, limitations, examinations, and renewals (license renewal is due 11/30/25, be sure to fulfill your North Carolina contractor license continuing education requirements before then!).

Steps to Earn Your NC General Contractor License

Determine if you'd like to earn a limited, intermediate, or unlimited license
Obtain and fill out the contractor license application form from the Board's website
Gather the necessary documents, financial reports, and letters of recommendation
Provide evidence of your net worth, assets and liabilities, or contractor license bond
Fill out your contractor application form and submit it
After receiving your exam eligibility letter, schedule your licensing exam

Requirements to Becoming a Licensed NC Contractor

To begin with, for contractor license classifications in North Carolina, you will need to meet some basic requirements and pass an exam. You must:

Be at least 18 years old
Have good moral character (to be determined by the State Board)
Provide evidence of financial responsibility
Submit the appropriate application fee
Consent to a criminal background check

The person earning the license does not necessarily need to be the same person who will be sitting for the contractor exam. The one taking the exam is technically known as the "qualifier" while the party obtaining the license and maintaining responsibility for it is called with "licensee".

General Contractor License Limitations in North Carolina

Under each license type, a contractor can hold a Limited, Intermediate, or Unlimited License. License limitations are based on the total project costs and required assets of the contractor.

Limited License

Single project cost limited to $750,000, excluding lands costs and ancillary costs to improve the land.
A net worth of $80,000, or assets must exceed liabilities by $17,000.
Surety bond of $175,000 in lieu of demonstrating sufficient working capital.

Intermediate License

Single project cost limited to $1.5M, excluding lands costs and ancillary costs to improve the land.
Assets that exceed liabilities by $75,000.
Surety bond of $500,000 in lieu of demonstrating sufficient working capital.

Unlimited License

No project size or costs restrictions.
Assets that exceed liabilities by $150,000.
Surety bond of $1M in lieu of demonstrating sufficient working capital.

Applying for Your General Contractor License in North Carolina

Your first step is to submit your license application on the NCLBGC application page. To do this, gather the required documents to meet the license requirements so you can submit your application.

These documents are:

Contact information
Business name (if applicable)
Licensing fee
Financial statements demonstrating financial responsibility
Social Security Number
Disclosure of any criminal convictions along with copies of court records (if applicable)
Type of license and classifications

You also need to submit three character references. These need to include the name, address, phone number, and email address of the individual submitting the reference, along with the date and details regarding the reference’s experience with the applicant. The references cannot be dated more than 12 months prior to submission.

Your licensing fee will depend on the license level you are applying for:

Limited: $75
Intermediate: $100
Unlimited: $125

How long does it take to obtain my North Carolina general contractor license?

There is no exact timetable, but you can expect the processing period to take about 2 weeks for your application to be processed once received. The Board will receive your application and exam, and the lists for Board approval are set for twice a month. Licensing takes roughly 30 days if you submit your application with a completed exam.

Get help navigating the complexities of applying for your license with our 30-minute Contractor Licensing Start-Up Consultation where we’ll guide you through all the steps of applying!

North Carolina Contractor License Classifications

The North Carolina Licensing Board has multiple contractor classifications. Here’s a closer look at each.

Residential Contractors

These contractors are licensed to work on residential dwellings, including construction and demolition, site work, driveways, sidewalks, and water and wastewater systems necessary for residential construction.

An NC residential contractor license also permits you to perform specialty work such as:

Insulation
Interior construction
Masonry
Roofing
Swimming pools
Asbestos removal

Building Contractors

Building Contractors work in commercial, industrial, institutional, and all types of construction. Under this license, contractors perform site work, parking structures, driveways, and sidewalks, storm drainage, retaining walls, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, and hardware and accessory structures.

Building contractors also complete specialty work such as concrete, insulation, interior construction, marine, asbestos removal, and wind turbine farms.

You can learn all about earning your NC building contractor license in our recent blog!

Public Utilities

Contractors working in public utilities in North Carolina often operate in wastewater facilities or other facilities included in the state code. They are designated by letter:

S—Boring and Tunneling
PU—Communications
PU—Fuel Distribution
PU—Electrical-Ahead of Point Delivery
PU—Water Lines and Sewer Lines
PU—Water Purification
S—Swimming Pools

Highway Contractors

This classification allows contractors to work in highway construction activity, which can include fixing bridges, laying down pavement, installing guard rails, fencing, and lights, and moving utility lines.

Interested in this classification? Prepare for the certification with our North Carolina Highway Contractor Exam Prep Course!

Heating Group (HVAC)

Heating Groups 1, 2, and 3 have to do with heating systems. Earning an HVAC license in North Carolina means studying different types of forced air and comfort heating systems work . These licenses are further divided based on whether they will work in a residential or commercial space and the tonnage of cooling capacity.

Want to learn how you can become an electrician in North Carolina? Our blog explains the details.

The North Carolina Contractor Exams

North Carolina also recognizes the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies (NASCLA) exam. Before you can register to take your exam, you must apply for your license with the Board. Once approved, you can register to take the exam.

PSI Services proctors the exam, which must be taken within 120 days of receiving your eligibility letter. The exam fee is currently $79. A passing score of 70% is needed.

You are required to pass the Business and Law Exam and either the North Carolina Building Contractor or the NASCLA Accredited Commercial Building Contractor Exam. All exams are open book. Books may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed. All indexing (tabbing) must use permanent plastic tabs or Redi-Tag self-stick permanent adhesive index tabs. No handwriting in any reference materials is allowed.

The Business and Law Exam has 40 questions. You must complete the exam in 90 minutes. The Business and Law Exam covers:

Erosion and Sediment Control (3 items)
Licensing (21 items)
Subcontractor’s Pay Requirements (3 items)
Liens and Bonds (8 items)
One Call (5 items)

The North Carolina Building Contractor Exam has 90 questions. The time limit is 200 minutes. The topics covered include:

Site Work (6 items)
Concrete (13 items)
Masonry (6 items)
Metals (12 items)
Carpentry (7 items)
Roofing (6 items)
Associated Trades (3 items)
Business and Law (7 items)
Safety (4 items)
Estimating, Plan Reading and General Building Code Requirements (14 items)
One Call (2 items)
Erosion and Sediment Control (2 items)
Licensing (2 items)
Liens (1 items)
Sports Fields (5 items)

The Residential Contractor Exam also has 90 questions. The time limit is 210 minutes. The topics covered include:

Site Work, Footings, and Foundations (12 items)
Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (10 items)
Masonry (7 items)
Carpentry (11 items)
Associated Construction Trades, including Energy Conservation and Drywall (8 items)
Roofing (6 items)
Estimating, Plan Reading and General Residential Code Requirements (16 items)
OSHA Safety (4 items)
Licensing and Business Law (10 items)
Special Construction Zones (wind and coastal)
Erosion and Sediment Control (6 items)

Exam preparation courses prepare you to take and pass the NASCLA or North Carolina Building or Residential Contractor exams. Our North Carolina NASCLA exam prep courses and North Carolina Contractor exam prep courses offer exam simulators and exam-ready tabbed and highlighted approved books, as well as tips and tricks for taking and passing whichever exam you decide to take.

Subcontractor Licenses and Exams

North Carolina offers several subcontractors licenses for those that do not wish to get a full Building or Residential Contractors License. You are required to take and pass an exam related to the specialty.

Subcontractor exams have a 120-minute time limit; however, the number of questions varies. All exams require a passing score of 70%.

Subcontractor exams include:

Asbestos (60 items)

Boring and Tunneling (60 items)

Concrete (50 items)

Grading and Excavating (45 items)

Insulation (40 items)

Interior Construction (50 items)

Marine Construction (50 items)

Masonry Construction (50 items)

Metal Erection (65 questions with a 150-minute time limit)

Railroad Construction (50 items)

Roofing (60 items)

Swimming Pools (60 items)

Wind Turbine (40 items)

For more information on these exams, including what each exam covers, check out the PSI Services test booklet.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

Licenses are renewed annually by December 31. A minimum of eight (8) hours of continuing education (CE) are required to renew your contractor license. Two hours must be Board-approved mandatory courses. The remaining six hours can be electives.

The Contractor Training Center offers an 8-hour North Carolina contractor CE package that includes mandatory and elective courses.

Elective CE courses can be livestreamed or online courses. Mandatory courses must be either taken live or livestreamed. North Carolina allows you to carry over four (4) hours of CE into the following year.

Ready to Get Started? Reach Out to Us Today!

Becoming a general contractor in North Carolina paves the way to a highly rewarding career. It allows you to differentiate your services, build credibility, and earn the trust of your customers while legally bidding on lucrative construction projects.

At Contractor Training Center, we specialize in helping North Carolina contractors ace their exams and secure state licensing on the first try. We offer both NASCLA and North Carolina exam prep courses and license application assistance to help you breeze through the application process.

Give us a call today at (888) 585-7350 to start your contracting career!

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