Nevada Contractor License Courses, Classes & Exam Prep

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Overview & Benefits

Preparing for the contractor’s exam in Nevada

How to get a handyman license in Nevada

Nevada is booming with potential for those in the contracting industry. But as with every state and every industry, laws, regulations, and requirements exist. You must comply with these to perform contracting work legally. 

To get licensed, you will need to have a minimum of four years of relevant work experience in your trade. There are no education requirements to obtain your contractor license. However, education received through an accredited, board-approved program can provide you with the equivalent of four years of experience. You will also need to take a Contractor Management Survey exam in addition to a trade exam. We provide a detailed list of steps to getting licensed below.

Earning your contractor's license in Nevada requires commitment. The process can be a lot to work through. Even if you are ready to work, you won’t go far without a general contractor license in Nevada. At Contractor Training Center, we pool all the resources you need to earn your Nevada contractor’s license. 

What you can expect from us

We provide everything you need to obtain a contractor’s license in Nevada. We will guide you through all the steps, from start to finish. With these resources, you can understand the steps to earning your license. We’ll also explain the different exam types and tools available to you. We have a great customer service team ready to answer questions. Our mission is to give you a hassle-free process.

The 3 main steps in almost every state are to submit an application, pass a Business Law exam, and also pass a Technical exam. We have services to assist you through each of these three stages. The purpose of the application is to make sure you are registered in the state properly so they can tax you and also confirm that you have verifiable experience. The purpose of the Business Law exam is to make sure you understand the laws of operating a business in the state of Nevada, and the purpose of the Technical exam is to make sure you have the skills and knowledge to do the types of work that you want to perform. We supply the prep classes and the books and the tabs necessary to pass the OPEN BOOK EXAMS. Tabbing and Highlighting the books is allowed and part of our Curriculum. We have an extremely high first-time pass rate on our exams and if you do not pass, we will give you the class again for free until you do.

In Nevada, we teach several different courses: The Business Law exam, also known as the Contractor Management Survey (CMS). NASCLA is a commercial license in the state of Nevada and also transferable to 14 other states. This is the most popular license for General contractors because of its acceptance and flexibility. You can build a Sky-Scraper with this license. 

We have helped over 30,000 contractors get their contractors license and we look forward to helping you. Ready to learn more? Don’t hesitate to call us today at 888-585-7350! Or feel free to email us at any time at support@contractortrainingcenter.com  

Why you should get a contractor's license in Nevada

A Nevada general contractor license opens many doors – it can mean growth for businesses and individuals. Prior to agreeing to project hiring, clients will likely ask to see the contractor’s license. Providing it proves you are credible. Most importantly, it shows you are compliant and aware of Nevada’s regulations and rules. 

In Nevada, anyone who constructs or alters structures in the state must hold a license. These structures include railroad, parking facilities, roads, highways, buildings, excavation sites, and more. This applies to contractors, subcontractors, and specialty contractors. All of these persons must hold licenses prior to submitting bids for projects. The Nevada State Contractors Board grants this license.

With a contractor license, Nevada construction companies can expand their business to new horizons. Furthermore, with a license, you:

  • Have more credibility
  • Can charge more per project and have higher earning potential

Gives You Credibility

Having a license increases your credibility, allowing you to build trust with your clients. There are other ways you can gain their trust, but this is a big part of establishing yourself and your business, especially if you're working with new customers.

Getting a contractor's license isn't done overnight, and the process of obtaining a license can be considered a significant investment. Customers often feel at ease knowing a contractor has invested their own time and money working to back up their skills with a license to prove it.

Gives You A Higher Earning Potential

Consequently, there are larger projects that you can't perform without a contractor's license. With one, you can take on big assignments, get more jobs, and increase your profit. More times than not, clients will pay a higher price to a licensed contractor as opposed to unlicensed handymen.

Anyone working on projects over $1,000 including labor and materials will need to obtain a contractor's license.

With a license, your clients can trust that you have the knowledge and skills to do what they need. It’s an assurance that you’ll follow all applicable laws and regulations. You can build a relationship with your customers and establish trust in other ways, of course. However, a licensed contractor will stand out far more and attract customers easier.

Additionally, many states legally require businesses to hold a contractor's license to work on projects over a certain financial threshold. If you take the initiative and earn your license now, you can get more business, increase profits, and take on more significant assignments right away. Clients will typically pay a higher fee for licensed contractors because they can trust that the contractor knows what to do and how to do it well.

License Requirements

Requirements For Getting Licensed In Nevada

The Nevada contractor’s license is essential to work in the state. This ranges from basic projects to large scale construction or commercial lighting. Adhering to the legal requirements from the start will save you issues in the long run – it’s a smart choice to earn a license now. 

To become a licensed contractor, you must first meet the initial requirements. In Nevada, a licensed contractor must have the experience and skills needed to manage a construction business. This includes field supervision. In addition, you must provide a qualifying person, or you can provide someone who represents you and who has skills and experience. 

The potential contractor or their qualifying person must have at least four years of experience. Their experience can be as foreman, contractor, journeyman, or supervisor in the proposed classification. This experience must be from the prior ten years to filing the application. If you fit this criterion, you can move onto obtaining your license. 

So, how do you earn your Nevada contractor license? There are quite a few steps to follow, from paying fees to deciding which license type you need. With the resources at Contractor Training Center, we can support you on this journey! 

Submit an application

You can obtain a contractor license application from one of the Nevada State Contractors Board offices. This application is also available online at www.nscb.nv.gov.

Upon completion, submit the application along with:

  • $300 Processing and Application Fee 
  • Financial statement and Background statement 
  • A minimum of four reference certificates for each trade with notarization 
  • Completed Resume for Experience form 


Once the board processes and approves your application, you can begin the next phase of the licensing process.

Take the construction management survey

All Nevada license applicants are required to take and pass the Construction Management Survey exam. This exam covers the Business and Law practices of contracting in Nevada. We have an online exam prep course as well as reference materials to help prepare you to pass this exam. You can see more about what's on the exam and our offerings on our Nevada Construction Management Survey exam page here.

Take and pass a technical exam

Depending on your type of work, you will need to take a technical exam specific to your trade. We offer exam prep courses and materials for the Nationally-Accredited NASCLA exam, a commercial trade exam accepted by 16+ states and counting, including Nevada! You can learn more about the exam, our offerings, and the NASCLA licensing process here.

Additional steps

In addition to passing a technical and business law (CMS) exam, you will need to submit additional documents as well as pay licensing fees to the state board. This includes the following:

  • Registering with the Residential Recovery Fund 
  • Paying an assessed fee for the Residential Recovery Fund or submitting certificate of exemption 
  • Obtaining and submitting proof of Worker’s Compensation Insurance 
  • Submitting required license bond (this must include the amount detailed on your approval letter)
  • Submitting a biennial licensure fee of $600