Oregon Contractor License Courses, Classes & Exam Prep

Want to know how to get a contractor's license in Oregon? First things first – there are some requisites you need to meet before you can be eligible for an Oregon contractor license. All contractors licensing is done under the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.  Here are the 3 things Oregon law requires of all contractors:

1. Be at least 18 years old
2. Complete at least 16 hours of training on law & business practices
3. Pass the state examination

We hope you have the first two steps down and are here for step #3. If this is the case, you have come to the right place!

The Benefits of Having a Contractor's License in OR

Having a contractor’s license in the state of Oregon brings forward several opportunities. To begin, it shows clients that you are not a scam artist. If anyone could build houses, we would all be in a lot of trouble. A license shows you are trained and knowledgeable, consequently increasing your credibility and bringing in more clients.

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.

Another benefit of having this license is your earning potential. Clients would rather have a qualified, licensed contractor conduct work on their property instead of a handyman. Not only this but in the state of OR you can’t perform construction work without one. If you get caught, you could be facing legal trouble.

Effective June 1, 2016, the state of Oregon is accepting the 16+ State NASCLA exam for contractors. With Contractor Training Center, you can be confident that you will pass the first time around. We take pride in our 90% first-pass rate and want to share our knowledge with you.

With us, you’ll have all the resources and tools needed to embark on this exciting journey. Our instructors and team of experts will walk you through the entire process of obtaining your Oregon license for contractors. We are happy to go over questions you may have regarding the exam and offer training to better prepare you.

Every book that you need to successfully complete our courses, consequently the exam can be found on our site. Not to mention, we have a strong team of instructors ready to teach you everything you need to know to be a licensed contractor in OR.

The 3 main steps in almost every state are to submit an application, pass a Business Law exam, and also pass a Technical exam. In Oregon, you must also pass a 16 hour BCL pre-license course. If you have the NASCLA exam certification this will exempt you from having to take the 16 hour BCL. This is quite a plus. 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 Oregon, 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 Oregon, we only teach the NASCLA: NASCLA is a commercial license in 16 states and 11 of these states also accept it for Residential Contracting. Oregon accepts it for Both Residential and Commercial Contracting. If you pick up work in another state or relocate to a state that accepts NASCLA then you will still have to go through the application process. Most states will still make you take their Business Law exam but you will be exempt from the much harder Technical exam related to Residential or Commercial Construction. 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.

States that Accept NASCLA License

• Alabama - Commercial only
• Arizona - Commercial only
• Arkansas - Commercial and Residential - No Business Law exam required
• Florida - Commercial and Residential
• Georgia - Commercial and Residential
• Louisiana - Commercial and Residential
• Mississippi - Commercial and Residential
• Nevada - Commercial only
• North Carolina - Commercial and Residential - No Business Law exam required
• Oregon - Commercial and Residential
• South Carolina - Commercial and Residential
• Tennessee - Commercial only
• US Virgin Islands - Commercial and Residential
• Utah - Commercial and Residential
• Virginia - Commercial only
• West Virginia - Commercial and Residential

Before you apply to take this exam, be sure that you need an Oregon contractor's license. Anyone who conducts construction work in exchange for compensation requires a license. This type of work includes:

• Roofing
• Carpentry
• Electrical work 
• Land development
• Tree servicing
• Most construction and repair services

Work that does NOT require a license includes:

• Gutter cleaning
• Debris clean up
• Power and pressure washing for cleaning purposes

With this being said, here is what you need to know:

What type of work will you be conducting?

• Are you thinking about offering residential, small commercial, or large commercial services?
• An example of a residential structure includes a single-family residence or an apartment complex of 4 stories or less. This does not include hotels, summer camps, or dormitories.
• An example of a small commercial structure includes a gas station, fast food restaurant, or tenant space in malls. This nonresidential structure must be 10,000 sq. ft or less and no more than 20 ft high.
• A large commercial structure includes anything that’s not a residential or small commercial structure. Examples include apartment complexes, hospitals, parking garages, and shopping malls.

Understanding the type of work you’ll be conducting will help you apply for the right endorsement.

You can learn about the entire process of getting a contractor's license in Oregon from our recent blog!

Prepare for the Exam

This is where we come in! We help you train for the NASCLA exam so that you’ll pass with flying colors on your first attempt. We supply the prep-class, the books, and the tabs needed to pass this OPEN BOOK exam.

File Your Entity Name

After taking the training course you’ll want to file your corporation or LLC business name with the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division.

Submit a Construction Contractors Board Surety Bond

A Construction Contractors Board surety bond is required for residential or commercial contractors. These bonds are available from different insurance companies at varying prices. Keep in mind that the CCB won’t accept a copy of the bond. The bonds must be issued on a CCB bond form.

Use the following list to give you an idea of bond amounts. Are you applying for a general contractor license in Oregon or a residential one? You’ll need to submit the original bond along with your application.

Residential Bonds

• Residential general contractor: $20,000
• Residential developer: $20,000 
• Residential locksmith services contractor: $10,000 
• Residential specialty contractor: $15,000
• Residential limited contractor: $10,000
• Home services contractor: $10,000
• Home performance score contractor: $10,000
• Home inspector services contractor: $10,000 

Commercial Bonds

• Commercial General Contractor Level 1: $75,000 
• Commercial General Contractor Level 2: $20,000
• Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 1: $50,000 
• Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 2: $20,000 
• Commercial Developer: $20,000

Complete the Application

After you provide proof of general liability insurance and workers comp insurance, you will need to complete the application that matches the endorsement type you’ll be applying for.

• Residential Only
• Commercial Only
• Dual – Residential and Commercial

Submit the Application

Your final step is, of course, to submit your application to get your Oregon general contractor license. You will need to include your original bond, insurance certificate, and the $250 fee for your 2-year contractor license Oregon. Submit this all together.

Take the Exam

The Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) needs to take the test. This is the person who owns the business or manages its construction activities. Every company needs to have an RMI. If they leave, you need to notify the CCB immediately.

Immediately after taking the test you will get the results. If you pass, you need to apply for your license within 24 months. If you’re a contractor and your CCB license lapses for over 24 months, you need to retake the training again and then the exam.