- No general contractor license needed for projects under $40,000.
- None stated. The board lists these requirements: age 18 or older, good moral character, the minimum financial requirement for your limitation, and passing the exam.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Every year. Licenses expire January 1 and become invalid 60 days later unless renewed. A qualifier must finish 8 hours of continuing education each year, including the board's 2 hour mandatory course. The CE year runs January 1 to November 30.
Do you need a state license in North Carolina?
North Carolina licenses some general contractor work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
No general contractor license needed for projects under $40,000.
North Carolina license types for general contractor work
North Carolina splits the work into 5 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 |
|---|---|
| Limited license | Single projects up to $750,000 |
| Intermediate license | Single projects up to $1,500,000 |
| Unlimited license | No cap on single project value |
| Building classification | Commercial, industrial, institutional and all residential building work, plus site work |
| Residential classification | Homes built to the North Carolina residential code, plus their site work, driveways and walks |
Steps to get licensed in North Carolina
- Choose your classification (Building or Residential) and limitation (limited, intermediate or unlimited).
- Meet the financial requirement for that limitation, or get the matching surety bond.
- Apply online at NCCLiC.org and pay the application fee.
- When the eligibility letter arrives, schedule the PSI exams and pass with 70% or better.
- Wait for board approval, which happens on lists sent about twice a month.
- Renew every year by January 1 after your qualifier finishes 8 hours of continuing education.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. None stated. The board lists these requirements: age 18 or older, good moral character, the minimum financial requirement for your limitation, and passing the exam.
The license to apply for. General Contractor license (Building or Residential classification, with a limited, intermediate or unlimited limitation).
North Carolina general contractor exams
Trade exam. Yes. Your qualifier takes the PSI exam for your classification and needs 70% to pass. PSI charges $79 per exam. The board also accepts the NASCLA exam for the Building classification.
Business and law exam. PSI gives a North Carolina Business and Law exam: 40 questions, 90 minutes, 70% to pass. Qualifiers using an exam waiver from another state must pass it.
What it costs in North Carolina
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 |
|---|---|
| Application fee, limited / intermediate / unlimited (statutory maximum) | $75 / $100 / $125 |
| PSI exam fee, per exam | $79 |
| Annual renewal, limited / intermediate / unlimited (statutory maximum) | $75 / $100 / $125 |
| Late renewal, per month after January 1 | $10 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. None for the license itself. Workers' comp is required by NC law where it applies, and some projects or permits may require insurance.
Bond. No bond is required for the license, unless you use a surety bond in place of the working capital test: $175,000 for limited, $500,000 for intermediate, $1,000,000 for unlimited.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. Licenses expire January 1 and become invalid 60 days later unless renewed. A qualifier must finish 8 hours of continuing education each year, including the board's 2 hour mandatory course. The CE year runs January 1 to November 30.
Reciprocity. No full reciprocity. North Carolina has exam waiver agreements with South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, but the qualifier must still pass the NC Business and Law exam.
Good to know in North Carolina
- Financial test: a limited license needs $17,000 in working capital or $80,000 net worth. Intermediate needs $75,000 and unlimited $150,000 in working capital, shown by an audit or agreed upon procedures report.
- Applications are filed online at NCCLiC.org. Paper applications are no longer accepted.
- A qualifier can qualify up to two licenses.
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 North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.