- Commercial license needed for non-residential jobs of $50,000 or more. Residential licenses needed for single-family home jobs over $2,000.
- Residential Builders: three references showing four years of construction experience. Commercial: three references on the board forms for the classifications you request.
- Plan for a business and law exam.
- Commercial applicants need a $10,000 contractors surety bond. Commercial net worth: $50,000 for the Building classification, half of it in cash.
- Renewal needs a current financial statement: reviewed or audited for regular commercial, compiled for restricted commercial, balance sheet for residential builders. $50 late fee.
Do you need a state license in Arkansas?
Arkansas licenses general contractor work at the state level through the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board (Department of Labor and Licensing). Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Commercial license needed for non-residential jobs of $50,000 or more. Residential licenses needed for single-family home jobs over $2,000.
Arkansas license types for general contractor work
Arkansas splits the work into 6 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Commercial, unrestricted | Commercial projects of any size, $50,000 and up |
| Commercial, restricted | Commercial projects under $750,000 (per the current application) |
| Residential Builders | Building single-family homes, jobs over $2,000; also allows remodeling |
| Residential Remodeler | Major structural changes or additions to single-family homes, jobs over $2,000 |
| Home Improvement | Specialty work on single-family homes, jobs over $2,000 |
| Subcontractor registration | Subcontractors working under properly licensed commercial contractors |
Steps to get licensed in Arkansas
- Pick commercial (non-residential, $50,000 and up) or residential builder (single-family homes, jobs over $2,000).
- Pass the Arkansas Business and Law exam with PSI.
- Gather three references showing your experience.
- Prepare a balance sheet (residential) or CPA financial statement (commercial) showing positive net worth.
- Commercial applicants get a $10,000 contractors bond.
- File the application with the $100 fee at least three weeks before a board or committee meeting.
- Renew on time with a current financial statement.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Residential Builders: three references showing four years of construction experience. Commercial: three references on the board forms for the classifications you request.
The license to apply for. Commercial license or Residential Builders license.
Arkansas general contractor exams
Trade exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Business and law exam. Yes. Arkansas Contractor Business and Law exam given by PSI, $84 exam fee. Required for commercial, residential builder and remodeler licenses.
What it costs in Arkansas
The board lists 4 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residential Builders application filing fee | $100 |
| Commercial application filing fee | $100 |
| Business and Law exam (PSI) | $84 |
| Late renewal fee | $50 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Workers' comp is required if you have one or more employees.
Bond. Commercial applicants need a $10,000 contractors surety bond. Commercial net worth: $50,000 for the Building classification, half of it in cash.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Renewal needs a current financial statement: reviewed or audited for regular commercial, compiled for restricted commercial, balance sheet for residential builders. $50 late fee.
Reciprocity. Military members, veterans and their spouses who hold a current contractor license (not a registration) from another state can skip the Business and Law exam and the reference forms.
Good to know in Arkansas
- A commercial license also lets you do residential work in the same classification.
- Residential builder applicants must show positive net worth on a current balance sheet.
- Temporary 90-day licenses exist and can be issued only once per classification.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a contractor near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board (Department of Labor and Licensing) and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.