Ohio Contractor License Courses, Classes & Exam Prep

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Overview & Benefits

Obtaining a contractor’s license in Ohio

Obtaining an Ohio contractor’s license can seem daunting at first. But that is what Contractor Training Center is here to help with. You may be ready to just go out there and dive right into work. However, you simply won’t get very far without an Ohio contractor license. For this reason, our quality courses are here to help navigate the hassle and process. We guide you through the steps to meet all of the general license requirements for this state.

At Contractor Training Center, you will earn your license more efficiently than trying to handle everything on your own. Our knowledgeable and experienced team is well versed in this entire process from the inside out. We have the proper resources, exam prep services, and tools to support you throughout the exam prep.

So, do you need to get a contractor’s license? This question is something you will need to ask yourself prior to performing any work on residential or commercial properties. Without a contractor’s license in Ohio, any work that you do could be illegal. This is a necessary protective measure. If just anybody could build homes and other buildings, the structural integrity of these properties would be significantly compromised.

Benefits of getting a Contractor's License in Ohio
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.

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.

What You Can Expect

Get a strong start in building your career

The 3 main steps in almost every state are to submit an application, pass a Business Law exam, and also pass a Technical exam:

  • The purpose of the application is to ensure you are registered in the state. That way, they can tax you and 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 Ohio.
  • 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. If you do not pass, we will give you the class again for free until you do.

In Ohio we teach exam prep for the Business Law exam required by all state-certified tradesman.

Pass Your Exam with Contractor Training Center

The secret you need to know to pass these exams is not to learn and absorb as much as you can in as many big, thick books that you can find. Although some of the relevant information may stick in your head, this process won’t ensure that you pass. Our classes offer you an alternative by walking you through the exam questions. This is why it is helpful to take the exam within the first week of taking our prep courses. The secret is to have the ability to find the answer to each question in 2 or 2.5 minutes, depending on the test that you are taking.

Our courses will teach you the best techniques for searching for keywords within the exam question. This method will lead you to the correct tab and book page where you will find your highlighted answers. You should select one that fits your question. We also mentor you in the 3-pass rule. For your first pass, you should read all of the questions in the exam and answer any of the ones that you can without having to search through your books.

This is why we highly recommend taking the exam soon after taking our helpful classes. With the course materials fresh in your mind, many of these answers will be in your short-term memory. Once you knock out the easy questions, you can spend more time on the more difficult ones.

To get started obtaining your Ohio contractor license and to pass the exam with flying colors, get in touch with Contractor Training Center!

We have helped over 30,000 contractors get their contractor’s license. We look forward to helping you. 

Ready to learn more? Don’t hesitate to call us today! 804-556-5518.

Exam Preparation

What you'll need to prepare for the exam

It is important to know how to get a contractor’s license in Ohio. The license itself is essential for a majority of the projects that you will be taking on in the state. These projects can range from big commercial lighting projects all the way to basic residential jobs. Following each and every one of the OH legal guidelines allows you to work smoothly without fear of running in to legal issues.

So how do you get it?

Figure out what type of license you need

For most of the major OH cities, you will need either a Home Improvement Contractor License or a General Contractor License. These licenses are issued at the municipal level.

The Home Improvement option allows you to perform any kind of repair, addition, or remodeling improvement. This license lets you work on private residences or other places of dwelling for no more than three households.

The General Contractor option allows you to do construction jobs for new buildings or structures. With it, you also can repair existing multi-family dwelling places or commercial units.

Complete the proper application forms

Make sure you are utilizing the proper applications and sending in all of your documentation correctly. Sending in improper proof of job experience or sending it to the wrong address will only make your process take longer. You will need to meet the application requirements. These include:

  • Be a citizen of the United States
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Pay any applicable fees
  • Have worked in a relevant trade industry for at least 5 years before your application date. Alternatively, you can be a registered Ohio engineer for at least 3 years. (For the latter, you will need to attach W-2s to your application. You’ll need a minimum of one permit for each 5-year period as well as the license number for the contractor you were employed by.)
  • Not be convicted by one of the disqualifying offenses that are defined in S.B. 337
  • Have a minimum of $500,000 in contractor liability coverage

Pass the Examination

The final step of the process is actually taking the exam. You will need approval from the Board in order to take it. You will also need to complete a Federal and State Background Check beforehand.

The results will be submitted to the OH Department of Commerce. You will then need to complete and mail the Test Application Packet and be sure to get it notarized. If you are applying to be a Home Improvement General Contractor, you need to pass the Ohio Home Improvement Contractor 767 exam and get at least 70% on it.

The test will have two different parts. The first part is on Business and Law. The second part is on the topic of the specific kind of license you wish to obtain. This can be HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or refrigeration. Every applicant for a tradesman license must take the first part about business and law.

Note that you will have to take these exams within a year of the initial approval date. Otherwise, you will have to restart the process and submit a whole new application. For additional questions, feel free to reach out to our helpful team at any t

License Requirements

Steps to obtaining your license

Fortunately, you won’t have to do all of that work and pass the exam only to qualify for work in the state of Ohio alone. The following licenses are reciprocal with these states:

  • HVAC: Louisiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and South Carolina
  • Electrical: Louisiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee
  • Plumbing: South Carolina, West Virginia, and Tennessee
  • Hydronics: Louisiana, Tennessee
  • Refrigeration: Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee

The OCILB application will require an application fee of $25. Other costs you should expect can include small testing fees. For most of the Ohio tradesman’s tests out there, fees run around $100.

Take a look at our detailed guide on becoming an electrician in Ohio and learn every step you need to take to get there!