Fee schedules change frequently. The figures below are drawn from source material and may not reflect the latest rate adjustments. Always confirm current fees with the licensing authority before applying.
How to read this table
The table below estimates the total upfront cost to obtain a general contractor license (or the nearest equivalent) in each jurisdiction. “Total estimated initial cost” adds the application fee, initial license or registration fee, required bond, and exam fee where available. It does not include insurance premiums, which vary by your business profile, or ongoing renewal costs.
Bond amounts vary widely — some states set a flat amount, others scale by revenue, contract size, or license classification. Where a range exists, the table shows the minimum or most common tier.
Data completeness varies by jurisdiction. Some states publish detailed fee schedules; others bundle fees or adjust them annually. Entries marked “Varies” indicate that the source material did not include a fixed dollar amount, or that fees are determined case-by-case. This table is a starting point — not a final quote.
States with no state-level general contractor license
These jurisdictions do not issue a general contractor license at the state level. Costs for trade-specific licenses (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) vary. Local city and county licensing fees apply separately.
| Jurisdiction | State-level licensing scope |
|---|
| Colorado | Electrical and plumbing only |
| Connecticut | Trade-specific only (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, elevator) |
| Illinois | Roofing certification only ($125 application; $10,000–$25,000 bond) |
| Indiana | Plumbing only; highway prequalification |
| Kansas | No contractor licensing; highway prequalification only |
| Kentucky | Trade-specific only (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, elevator, boiler, fire sprinkler) |
| Michigan | Trade-specific (electrical, mechanical, boiler, plumbing); residential builder license separate |
| Missouri | Electrical only ($200 application; $500,000 liability insurance required) |
| New Hampshire | Trade-specific (electrical, plumbing, asbestos, lead) |
| New York | Asbestos and elevator only |
| Ohio | Trade-specific (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, refrigeration) |
| Oklahoma | Trade-specific (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing) |
| Pennsylvania | Home improvement registration; highway prequalification |
| South Dakota | Electrical and plumbing only; highway prequalification |
| Texas | Trade-specific only (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire sprinkler, elevator) |
| Wisconsin | Trade-specific; financial certification for 1-2 family dwellings |
| Wyoming | Electrical only |
General contractor fee comparison
Sorted by estimated total initial cost, lowest to highest. All dollar values are bold.
| Jurisdiction | Application fee | License fee | Bond | Exam fee | Est. total initial cost |
|---|
| Nebraska | — | $25/yr | — | — | $25 |
| Montana | — | $70 (2-yr registration) | — | — | $70 |
| Delaware | Included | $75/yr | — | Varies | $75+ |
| Iowa | $150 | Included | — | — | $150 |
| Rhode Island | — | $150/yr | — | — | $150 |
| North Carolina | $75–$125 | Included | — | $79 | $154–$204 |
| Idaho | $50 | $50/yr | — | $75 | $175 |
| Virgin Islands | $50 | $130–$260 | — | — | $180–$310 |
| West Virginia | $90 | $90/yr | Payroll-based | $60 | $240+ |
| Georgia | $100 | $100/yr | — | $72 | $272 |
| Utah | $175 | $119/yr | — | Varies | $294+ |
| Minnesota | $120 | $125/yr | — | $100 | $345 + $500–$700 recovery fund |
| North Dakota | $100–$450 | Included | — | — | $100–$450 |
| Louisiana | $100 (1 classification) | Included | — | $150 trade + $150 B&L course | $400+ ($800+ for out-of-state with surcharge) |
| Mississippi | $400 | Included | — | Varies | $400+ |
| Tennessee | $250 | $200 (biennial) | — | Varies | $450+ |
| Alabama | $300 (prime) / $150 (sub) | $200/yr (prime) / $100/yr (sub) | — | Varies | $500+ |
| Guam | $50 | $400 | — | $50 | $500 |
| Arizona | $200 | $580 (2-yr) | Revenue-based | Varies | $780+ (commercial); $870+ (residential with recovery fund) |
| Vermont | — | Registration required | — | — | Varies |
| Virginia | $360 (Class A) | $240/yr | $50,000 (optional) | Varies | $600+ |
| Hawaii | $50 | $438–$663 | $5,000 min | $150 exam + $150 recovery fund | $5,788–$6,013 |
| Florida | Included | $409 (certified) | $5,000–$20,000 | $215 | $5,624–$20,624 |
| New Mexico | $30 | $150–$300/yr | $10,000 | $65–$250 | $10,245+ |
| Arkansas | $100 | $50/yr | $10,000 | $80 (est.) | $10,230 |
| Washington | — | $124.70 (biennial) | $12,000 | — | $12,125 |
| South Carolina | $350 | $135 (biennial) | $20,000–$350,000 | Varies | $20,485+ |
| Oregon | — | $325 | $25,000–$80,000 (commercial) | — | $25,325+ |
| Alaska | $100 | $250 (biennial) | $25,000 | $95 | $25,445 |
| District of Columbia | $70 | $654.50 (2-yr) | $25,000 (home improvement) | Included | $25,725 |
| California | $450 | $200–$350 | $25,000 contractor + $25,000 QI | Varies | $50,650+ |
| Nevada | Varies | Varies | Required (amount by monetary limit) | Varies | Varies |
| Maryland | $270 | — | — | $63 | $433 (home improvement; plus $100 guaranty fund) |
| Massachusetts | $150 (CSL) | Included | — | $100 | $250 (CSL); plus $100–$500 guaranty fund |
| New Jersey | Varies | Registration | — | — | Varies |
| Maine | Varies | Varies | — | Varies | Varies (trade-specific only) |
The “Est. total initial cost” column adds application, license, bond, and exam fees where known. It does not include general liability insurance premiums or workers’ compensation, which vary by payroll, classification code, and claims history. Bond costs shown are face values — the premium you pay a surety is typically 1–3% of the bond amount.
Understanding bond costs
The bond column shows the face value of the required surety bond. Contractors do not pay the full bond amount upfront. Instead, you pay a surety company a premium — typically 1–3% of the bond face value for contractors with good credit and financials. A $25,000 bond might cost $250–$750 in annual premium.
States that require bonds as part of licensing include:
- California: $25,000 contractor bond plus $25,000 qualifying individual bond (plus $100,000 for LLCs)
- Alaska: $25,000 general contractor bond; $20,000 residential endorsement; $10,000 specialty/mechanical
- Oregon: $25,000–$80,000 depending on commercial classification level
- South Carolina: $20,000–$350,000 depending on license group
- Washington: $12,000 general contractor, $6,000 specialty
- New Mexico: $10,000 consumer protection code bond (all licensees)
- Arkansas: $10,000 commercial contractor bond
- Hawaii: $5,000 minimum, may increase based on financial review
- Alabama: $15,000 performance bond (HVAC and refrigeration contractors)
Insurance is a separate cost
Most states require proof of general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage, but the premium you pay depends on your business size, payroll, trade classification, and claims history. Common state-mandated GL minimums include:
| Minimum GL coverage | Jurisdictions |
|---|
| $50,000–$100,000 | Alaska ($50,000 property; $100,000 injury), Minnesota ($100,000 per occurrence) |
| $250,000–$300,000 | Idaho ($300,000), Kentucky plumbing ($250,000), Maryland home improvement ($50,000 liability) |
| $500,000 | Iowa (plumbing/mechanical contractors), Kentucky HVAC ($500,000 GL, $300,000 property), Missouri electrical ($500,000) |
| $1,000,000 | California (LLC), Mississippi ($300,000 per occurrence / $600,000 aggregate), Oregon (commercial Level 1) |
| $2,000,000 | Maryland highway ($1M/$2M) |
When estimating your total cost of entry into a new state, add the bond premium (1–3% of face value), the GL insurance premium, workers’ compensation, and any exam prep or continuing education costs on top of the fees shown above.
