- No license needed for casual, minor work under $1,000 on one project if you do not advertise.
- None stated for residential endorsements. Commercial Level 2 needs 4 years and Level 1 needs 8 years of construction experience among key employees.
- Plan for a business and law exam.
- Residential general $25,000. Commercial Level 2 $25,000. Commercial Level 1 $80,000. Doing both residential and commercial work needs two bonds.
- Every two years. Residential contractors need 8 hours of continuing education per two year period: 3 hours on laws, regulations and business practices, and 5 hours of approved courses on topics like business practices, building codes or safety.
Do you need a state license in Oregon?
Oregon licenses general contractor work at the state level through the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB). Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
No license needed for casual, minor work under $1,000 on one project if you do not advertise.
Oregon license types for general contractor work
Oregon 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 |
|---|---|
| Residential General Contractor | Any number of trades on homes and small commercial jobs |
| Residential Specialty Contractor | One or two trades, or three or more on one property if the contract is $2,500 or less |
| Residential Limited Contractor | Part time work, under $40,000 a year and no job over $5,000 |
| Commercial General Contractor Level 1 | Any commercial job, 8 years experience |
| Commercial General Contractor Level 2 | Any commercial job, 4 years experience |
Steps to get licensed in Oregon
- Take the 16 hour pre-license course and pass the Oregon contractor exam.
- Choose your endorsement, residential general for most home builders and remodelers.
- Register your business with the Oregon Secretary of State and get state and federal employer numbers.
- Buy the $25,000 residential bond and a $500,000 per occurrence liability policy naming the CCB as certificate holder.
- Set up workers comp if you have employees.
- Apply online with the CCB and pay the $400 fee. Expect 6 to 8 weeks.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. None stated for residential endorsements. Commercial Level 2 needs 4 years and Level 1 needs 8 years of construction experience among key employees.
The license to apply for. CCB Residential General Contractor (or Commercial General Contractor) endorsement.
Oregon general contractor exams
Trade exam. No trade exam.
Business and law exam. Yes. 16 hours of pre-license training and the Oregon contractor exam (80 questions, 70 percent to pass, open book), given through PSI.
What it costs in Oregon
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 (from 7/1/2025) | $400 |
| Renewal (every two years) | $400 |
| Oregon contractor exam (paid to PSI) | $60 |
| Endorsement change | $20 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Residential general: $500,000 per occurrence general liability. Commercial Level 2: $1 million aggregate. Commercial Level 1: $2 million aggregate. Workers comp if you have non exempt employees.
Bond. Residential general $25,000. Commercial Level 2 $25,000. Commercial Level 1 $80,000. Doing both residential and commercial work needs two bonds.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every two years. Residential contractors need 8 hours of continuing education per two year period: 3 hours on laws, regulations and business practices, and 5 hours of approved courses on topics like business practices, building codes or safety.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Oregon
- Most endorsements need a Responsible Managing Individual who passed the training and exam.
- Residential means homes and buildings with dwelling units up to four stories. Small commercial includes any job where all the work totals no more than $250,000.
- Register your business with the Oregon Secretary of State before applying.
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 Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.