- Nevada requires anyone who builds or alters a building or other structure to be licensed by the Nevada State Contractors Board.
- At least 4 years as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification, within the last 15 years. Up to 3 years can come from accredited college or equivalent training. Transferable military training or a master certification from a government agency can also count.
- Plan for two exams: the trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Pay runs from about $38.95 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of general contractors to $84.44 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 17.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 4.5% projected nationally.
The path in Nevada, step by step
Nevada licenses general contractor work at the state level through the Nevada State Contractors Board. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Pick your classification, such as B-2 for homes and small commercial or B-7 for home remodeling.
- Name a qualified individual with 4 years of experience in that work in the last 15 years.
- Gather experience certificates, a financial statement, and the background disclosure and fingerprint authorization form.
- Apply online with the $300 application fee.
- Pass the PSI trade exam and the Business and Law exam.
- After approval, post the bond, show workers comp, and pay the $600 license fee and any Residential Recovery Fund assessment.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: general contractor license in Nevada.
Finding an apprenticeship in Nevada
Nevada runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Nevada State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. New construction managers are usually hired as assistants and work under an experienced manager for up to a year, sometimes longer.
License levels and exams in Nevada
The license to aim for: B-2 Residential and Small Commercial.
Trade exam. Trade exam for your classification, given by PSI. The board can waive the B or B-2 trade exam if you passed the NASCLA Accredited General Building Exam.
Business exam. Business and Law exam (Construction Management Survey), given by PSI.
Keeping it. Every two years, with the $600 license fee.
Coming from another state. Licensure by endorsement: if you held an active license in a qualifying state for the past 4 years with the same qualified individual and no discipline, the board can waive the trade exam and the experience check. You still take the Nevada Business and Law exam.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| B General Building | Full general building license for construction or remodeling of buildings that use more than two unrelated building trades. |
| B-2 Residential and Small Commercial | Building and remodeling houses and other structures up to three stories above ground and one below. |
| B-7 Residential Remodeling | Remodeling an existing single-family home up to three stories above ground and one below, without adding enclosed space. |
| B-6 Commercial Remodeling | Interior remodeling of commercial spaces, not structural, mechanical, fire protection or life safety systems. |
What the Nevada license costs
The fees the Nevada State Contractors Board lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $300 |
| License fee, every two years | $600 |
| Late renewal fee, active license | $150 |
| Residential Recovery Fund assessment for residential work, monetary limit up to $1,000,000 | $200 |
| Residential Recovery Fund assessment for residential work, monetary limit over $1,000,000 but limited | $500 |
| Residential Recovery Fund assessment for residential work, unlimited license | $1,000 |
What general contractors earn in Nevada
The median general contractor in Nevada earned $55.41 an hour in May 2025, 19th of 51 states, with 4,460 on payrolls. The national median was $55.28.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of general contractors in Nevada earned under $44.98 an hour and a tenth under $38.95. At the top, a quarter earned over $67.26 and a tenth over $84.44.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38.95 | $81,010 |
| 25th percentile | $44.98 | $93,550 |
| Median | $55.41 | $115,250 |
| 75th percentile | $67.26 | $139,890 |
| 90th percentile | $84.44 | $175,640 |
BLS has no separate wage figure for general contractors. These are its numbers for construction managers, the group BLS files general contractors under. They count managers on a payroll, so owners who run their own contracting business are not in them. Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: general contractor salary in Nevada.
Jobs ahead in Nevada
Nevada's labor market office projects jobs for general contractors growing from 5,900 in 2022 to 6,940 in 2032, a change of 17.6%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 560 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 17.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 4.5% projected nationally, ranking 6th of the 49 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group construction managers.
Starting your own general contractor business in Nevada
To contract on your own in Nevada, the license is the B-2 Residential and Small Commercial.
Insurance. Proof of workers comp coverage is required to get, keep and renew a license, unless you are exempt and sign an exemption affidavit.
Bond. A license bond set by the board at approval, from $1,000 to $500,000, based on license type, monetary limit, finances, experience and character.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Nevada median of $55.41 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $167.90 per billable hour. Try your own in the labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start a general contracting business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Nevada's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- NSCB general requirements FAQ (checked 2026-10-08)
- NSCB FAQ Central (handyman, fees, bonds) (checked 2026-10-08)
- NSCB contractor license application (checked 2026-10-08)
- NSCB licensure by endorsement (checked 2026-10-08)
- NAC Chapter 624, classifications and fees (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 11-9021
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Construction Managers (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a general contractor.