General Contractor states
51
Above median
Occupational licensing · Construction · 51 state boards
General Contractor Licensing Requirements by State
General Contractor licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
General Contractor across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Electrician, Elevator Installer, Fire Sprinkler Installer.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $270
- Require an exam
- 100%
Board Pathway Strip
General Contractor: 51 boards · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $270. Same-lane boards: Electrician, Elevator Installer, Fire Sprinkler Installer.
Oversees construction projects. Requirements vary significantly by state.
General Contractor initial fees swing $75 (NH) to $494 (CA), a $419 spread across 51 boards ; Electrician often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for General Contractor drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Electrician and Elevator Installer in construction. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
General Contractor first fee
$270
Top 10% highest
General Contractor renewal
$224
Top 10% highest
Board gates for General Contractor: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , most boards skip mandated CE hours . Stack that against Electrician / Elevator Installer before calling this license soft or hard.
Other licenses near General Contractor's board count
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
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- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for General Contractor
A $419 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 75) and California ($ 494) bracket the field, a 6.6× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$75 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$494 initial licensing fee
General Contractor boards vs Electrician / Elevator Installer - state table
51 statesCheapest / fastest General Contractor boards (then check Electrician)
Fee and processing extremes for General Contractor. Same-lane peers Electrician and Elevator Installer can land on different boards even when the practice looks similar.
Lowest General Contractor fee
- 1. Iowa$50
- 2. Kansas$50
- 3. New Jersey$50
- 4. Ohio$50
- 5. Pennsylvania$50
Highest General Contractor fee
- 1. California$330
- 2. Oregon$325
- 3. New York$300
- 4. Hawaii$290
- 5. Arizona$270
Fastest General Contractor process
- 1. New Jersey2 wks
- 2. Alabama3 wks
- 3. Illinois3 wks
- 4. Kansas3 wks
- 5. Missouri3 wks
What to do with this
General Contractor is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Compare General Contractor's requirements against every other tracked profession. Browse all professions
- #33 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for General Contractor range from $75 (NH) to $494 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. General Contractor requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.