NC Contractor License Pass the Exam
North Carolina Building Contractor Live Seminars
North Carolina Building Contractor At-Home Seminars
North Carolina Building Contractor Books
North Carolina Residential Contractor Live Seminars
North Carolina Residential Contractor At-Home Seminars
North Carolina Residential Contractor Books
NC State Licensing Information
Virtually every aspect of commercial, residential and public works construction is regulated at the state level. Projects costing $40,000. or more require an NC General Contractors License.
Types of Licenses:
NC Building: This classification covers all building construction activity including: commercial, industrial, institutional, and all residential building construction. It includes parking decks; all site work, grading and paving of parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, and gutters; storm drainage, retaining or screen walls, and hardware and accessory structures; and indoor and outdoor recreational facilities including natural and artificial surface athletic fields, running tracks, bleachers and seating. It also covers work done under the specialty classifications of S(Concrete Construction), S(Insulation), S(Interior Construction), S(Marine Construction), S(Masonry Construction), S(Roofing), S(Metal Erection), S(Swimming Pools), and S(Asbestos).
NC Residential: This classification covers all construction activity pertaining to the construction of residential units which are required to conform to the residential building code adopted by the Building Code Council pursuant to G.S. 143-138; all site work, driveways, sidewalks, and water and wastewater systems ancillary to the aforementioned structures and improvements; and the work done as part of such residential units under the specialty classifications of S(Insulation), S(Interior Construction), S(Masonry Construction), S(Roofing), S(Swimming Pools), and S(Asbestos).
Application:
General Contractor applicants must submit applications to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors for approval before scheduling an exam. Applications can be completed online at the Board’s website www.nclbgc.org.
Testing:
Approved applicants must pass a qualifying examination for licensure with a minimum score of 70%. Approved candidates may take computer examinations administered at any PSI Examination Service Center.
Building Contractor Exam
- 90 questions, 3 hours and 20 minutes, partial open book, 63 correct (70%) to pass.
Residential Contractor Exam
- 90 questions, 3-1/2 hours, partial open book, 63 correct (70%) to pass.
Financial Requirements and Projects Limits:
Financial statements reflecting minimum working capital amounts are required to be submitted with the application. Required minimum working capital amounts are $17,000. for Limited, $75,000. for Intermediate, $150,000. for Unlimited licenses. These working capital amounts determine the individual project amounts a licensee may take. The exam is the same for all license levels. Applicants for Intermediate and Unlimited licensure must submit audited financial statements with classified balance sheets prepared by a certified public accountant or independent accountant engaged in the public practice of accountancy.
Individual project limits are set at $750,000. for Limited licensees, and $1,500,000. for Intermediate licensees.
License Level
Minimum Required Working Capital
Individual Project Limit
Limited
Intermediate
Unlimited
$17,000
$75,000
$150,000
$750,000
$1,500,000
No limit
Reciprocal Agreements:
The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors has reciprocity agreements with South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi for the Building Contractor Licenses. North Carolina also accepts the NASCLA Accredited Exam for licensure.
Who Regulates Construction:
General contractor licensing applications, instructions and information may be obtained from:
NC Licensing Board for General Contractors
PO Box 17187, Raleigh, NC 27619
+1 (919) 571-4183
www.nclbgc.org