Georgia

Georgia uses a multi-board model where trade work (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, low voltage, underground utility) is licensed through the Construction Industry Licensing Board while residential and commercial general contractors are licensed through a separate board. Licensure is triggered by work type, not contract value.

Always verify statutes, fees, and application details with the live regulator before making bidding, licensing, or legal decisions.

At a glance

The fastest way to orient yourself in Georgia is to know these key signals.

Signal	Value
Trade work (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, low voltage, utility)	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Residential and commercial general contracting	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Highway / DOT work	Prequalification required (3 years experience + CPA audit)
Out-of-state contractor bond	10% of contract price
Revenue registration trigger	Contracts exceeding $10,000
Reciprocity model	Board-specific and limited (residential: 3 states; general: 2 states)

Frequently asked questions

Pick the tab that matches your situation. Each FAQ gives a direct answer and points you to the full detail below.

Contractors
Regulators

Is there a dollar threshold that triggers licensing in Georgia?

No. Georgia licenses by trade category, not by contract value. If the work involves a regulated trade (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low voltage, underground utility) or general/residential contracting, a state license is required regardless of the contract amount. Contracts exceeding $10,000 must be registered with the Department of Revenue. See Construction work regulated.

Do I need a separate license for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work?

Yes. Trade work (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low voltage, medical gas, underground utility) is licensed through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, which is entirely separate from the board that licenses residential and commercial general contractors. Each trade has its own exam, experience, and CE requirements. See Requirements.

Where do I go to get licensed in Georgia?

Georgia has at least 6 regulatory agencies. Trade contractors go to the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Residential and commercial general contractors go to the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. Highway work goes to Georgia DOT. Asbestos and lead paint go to DNR EPD. Boiler and elevator work goes to the Insurance Commissioner. See Who regulates construction.

How much does it cost to get licensed?

Application fees across all trade and general contractor categories are $100 each, with $100 renewal fees. Exam fees vary by trade: Georgia Business & Law is $60, residential and general contractor exams are $72 each, electrical exams are $288, conditioned air exams are $267, and plumbing and low voltage exams are $207. See Requirements.

What are the requirements for out-of-state contractors?

Out-of-state contractors must post a bond equal to 10% of the contract price with the Department of Revenue. Any contract exceeding $10,000 must be registered (application fee: $10). The bond releases automatically 2 years after the department receives completion notification. See Out-of-State Contractor Registration.

Can I use my out-of-state license in Georgia?

Reciprocity is limited. Residential contractors have reciprocity with Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. General contractors have reciprocity with Louisiana and Mississippi. In all cases, you must still pass the Georgia business and law exam, and your out-of-state license must be active and in good standing. Trade licenses have no reciprocity. See Reciprocal agreements.

What exams are required?

All contractor classifications require a two-part exam administered by PSI: one covering the trade or license classification and one covering business and law. Electrical contractors need 4 years of experience, conditioned air needs 3 years, plumbers need 1 to 5 years depending on level, and low voltage needs 1 year. See Requirements.

Does Georgia require licensing for roofing work?

Roofing falls under general contractor licensing. Since Georgia licenses by work type rather than dollar threshold, any residential or commercial roofing project requires the appropriate general contractor license from the Residential and General Contractors Board. See Construction work regulated.

Does Georgia require licensing for residential work?

Yes. Residential contractors must be licensed through the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. A two-part exam (residential contractor + business and law) is required. Reciprocity is available with Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina, but the Georgia business and law exam must still be passed. See Requirements.

What about highway or DOT projects?

Georgia DOT requires prequalification: 3 years of experience, CPA-audited financial statements (for prime contractors), and approximately 30 days processing time. Prequalification is valid for 24 months. See Highway Prequalification.

What continuing education is required?

All trade licenses through the Construction Industry Licensing Board require at least 4 hours of CE per year. Renewal documentation must show completion. Renewal cycles vary by trade — electrical expires June 30 of even years, conditioned air expires November 30 of odd years, plumbing expires November 30 of even years. See Requirements.

How does Georgia's licensing model compare to dollar-threshold states?

Georgia is unusual in that it licenses by trade category rather than contract value. There is no dollar threshold that triggers licensing — if the work is a regulated trade, a license is required for any project. This contrasts with states like Alabama ($100,000) or Arkansas ($50,000) that use contract value triggers. See Construction work regulated.

How are trade licensing and general contractor licensing divided?

The Construction Industry Licensing Board handles six trade categories: conditioned air, electrical, low voltage, plumbing, medical gas, and underground utility. The State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors handles building contractors. Both boards are under the Secretary of State but operate independently with separate exams, fees, and renewal cycles.

What types of construction work are regulated at the state vs. local level?

Georgia regulates trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, low voltage, utility), general and residential contracting, highway prequalification, asbestos/lead paint, and boiler/elevator at the state level. Some municipalities and counties may require additional local licensure or permits for trades not covered at the state level.

What agency oversees each work lane?

Trade contractors: Construction Industry Licensing Board. General/residential contractors: Residential and General Contractors Board. Highway: Georgia DOT. Asbestos/lead: DNR Environmental Protection Division. Boiler/elevator: Insurance Commissioner. Non-resident tax: Department of Revenue. See Who regulates construction.

What are the fees across trades?

All application and renewal fees are uniformly $100 across both boards. Exam fees vary: Business & Law is $60, residential/general exams are $72, NASCLA is $106, electrical is $288, conditioned air is $267, plumbing/low voltage/utility manager are $207. See Requirements.

What license classifications does Georgia use?

General and residential contractor are the two main building classifications. Trade licenses include electrical, restricted electrical, low voltage (general, alarm, telecommunications, unrestricted), plumbing (unrestricted master, restricted master, unrestricted medical gas, journeyman), conditioned air (unrestricted, restricted, conditioned air), and utility (contractor, manager, foreman). See Types of licenses.

How does reciprocity work in Georgia?

Reciprocity is limited to the Residential and General Contractors Board. Residential has agreements with Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. General has agreements with Louisiana and Mississippi. All reciprocity applicants must pass the Georgia business and law exam. Trade licenses through the CILB have no reciprocity. See Reciprocal agreements.

What exam requirements exist across the boards?

All classifications require a two-part PSI exam (trade + business and law). Experience requirements range from 1 year (low voltage, journeyman plumber) to 5 years (master plumber). Utility managers need 2 years plus a written exam. All trades require 4 hours of annual CE. See Requirements.

What are the renewal cycles?

Renewal cycles vary by trade: electrical expires June 30 of even years, low voltage expires August 31 of odd years, conditioned air expires November 30 of odd years, plumbing expires November 30 of even years, utility expires April 30 of odd years. DOT prequalification is valid for 24 months.

How does the out-of-state contractor bond work?

Out-of-state contractors must post a bond equal to 10% of the contract price. Contracts exceeding $10,000 must be registered with the Department of Revenue (application fee: $10). The bond releases automatically 2 years after the department receives completion notification.

How does Georgia compare to other Southern states?

Georgia’s work-type-based licensing (no dollar threshold) is distinctive in the South. Most Southern states use dollar thresholds. The multi-board structure (CILB for trades, separate board for general/residential) adds complexity. Limited reciprocity (only residential and general) further distinguishes Georgia. See the South region guide.

Start with your goal

Pick the card that matches what you need right now. Each one links to the relevant section on this page.

Is licensure triggered?

Start with work type — Georgia licenses by trade category, not contract value.

Find the right regulator

Use the regulator directory to route your question to the correct Georgia board.

Application and renewal details

Exams, fees, bonds, continuing education, and renewal cycles for each trade.

Reciprocity direction

Find out which boards recognize out-of-state credentials.

Special considerations

Different roles need different things from a Georgia page. Use the tab that matches your situation to see what matters most before you read the full detail below.

Contractors
Regulators

Georgia does not use a dollar threshold to trigger licensure. If the work is a regulated trade, you need a license regardless of contract size.

All trade work (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low voltage, utility) requires a state license through the Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Residential and commercial general contractors are licensed separately through the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors.
Out-of-state contractors must post a bond equal to 10% of the contract price with the Department of Revenue.
Contracts exceeding $10,000 must be registered with the Department of Revenue regardless of license status.
Exams are required for all contractor classifications — PSI is the test vendor.
Reciprocity is available only for residential (LA, MS, SC) and general (LA, MS) contractor licenses. You must still pass the Georgia business and law exam.

Readiness checklist

Four things you need to confirm before you can treat Georgia as “ready” for a bid or an application. If any of these are unclear, you are not ready yet.

Identify the work type

Determine whether the project involves a regulated trade, general building, highway work, or a specialty like asbestos or boilers.

Route to the correct board

Georgia has multiple licensing boards. Trade work goes to the Construction Industry Licensing Board; general contracting goes to the Residential & General Contractors Board.

Check out-of-state obligations

If you are an out-of-state contractor, confirm the 10% bond requirement and $10,000 revenue registration threshold with the Department of Revenue.

Confirm the requirement set

Confirm exams, experience, fees, bond / insurance, renewal cycle, and reciprocity rules for the exact board before filing.

If you can identify work type, correct board, out-of-state obligations, and requirement set, you have the minimum package needed for a Georgia readiness check.

Use these links to jump to related cross-state comparisons and workflows.

New state evaluation if you are screening Georgia for the first time.
Multi-state bid readiness if you need to compare Georgia with nearby jurisdictions.
Licensing thresholds or prequalification patterns for cross-state context.

Construction work regulated

Georgia regulates construction by trade category rather than by dollar threshold. If your work falls into a regulated lane, licensure is required regardless of contract value.

Work lane	What triggers regulation
Conditioned air (HVAC)	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Electrical	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Low voltage	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Plumbing and medical gas	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Underground utility	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Residential and commercial general contracting	State licensure required — no dollar minimum
Highway / DOT work	Prequalification required (3 years experience + CPA-audited financials)
Asbestos / lead-based paint	Certification required through DNR EPD
Boiler / elevator	License required through Insurance Commissioner
Out-of-state contractors	Bond of 10% of contract price; contracts over $10,000 registered with Revenue

Some municipalities and counties may require additional licensure or permits for trades not covered at the state level.

Common determination scenarios

If you are trying to figure out where to start, expand the scenario that is closest to your situation.

Commercial or residential building project

Route to the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. All classifications require a two-part exam (trade knowledge + business and law) administered by PSI. Residential has reciprocity with Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina; general has reciprocity with Louisiana and Mississippi.

Electrical, HVAC, or plumbing work

Route to the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Each trade has separate experience, exam, and CE requirements. Electrical licenses expire June 30 of even years; conditioned air expires November 30 of odd years; plumbing expires November 30 of even years. Four hours of CE per year is required for all trades.

Highway or DOT project

Contact Georgia DOT for prequalification. Three years of experience required; prime contractors must provide CPA-audited financial statements. Processing time is approximately 30 days. Prequalification is valid for 24 months.

Out-of-state contractor entering Georgia

Post a bond equal to 10% of the contract price with the Department of Revenue. Register any contract exceeding $10,000 (application fee: $10). The bond releases automatically two years after the department receives completion notification.

Asbestos or lead-based paint work

Route to the Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division. Since December 2010, EPD administers the lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting (RRP) rule. Both the RRP firm and individual renovator must be certified separately.

Who regulates construction

Georgia splits construction regulation across at least six agencies. Use this directory to find the board that owns the lane you need. Each entry includes address, phone, and website.

Trade contractors (conditioned air, electrical, low voltage, plumbing, medical gas, utility) — Construction Industry Licensing Board

3920 Arkwright Rd., Suite 195, Macon, GA 31210Phone: (404) 424-9966Website: sos.ga.gov

Residential and commercial general contractors — State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors

3920 Arkwright Rd., Suite 195, Macon, GA 31210Phone: (404) 242-9966Website: sos.ga.gov

Highway prequalification — Georgia Department of Transportation

600 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30308Phone: (404) 631-1147Website: dot.ga.gov

Asbestos and lead-based paint — DNR Environmental Protection Division

2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE, Suite 1456, East Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334Phone: (404) 363-7026 | Fax: (404) 362-2607Website: epd.georgia.gov

Boiler and elevator contractors — Office of Insurance & Safety Fire Commissioner

2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 702, West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334Phone: (404) 656-2070 | Toll-Free: (800) 656-2298Website: oci.georgia.gov

Non-resident contractor tax registration — Department of Revenue

1800 Century Boulevard NE, Atlanta, GA 30345Phone: (404) 417-6605 | Toll-Free: (877) 423-6711Website: dor.georgia.gov

Requirements

Each Georgia board has its own application inputs, exams, fees, and renewal cycles. Expand the trade that applies to your situation. Fee tables are included in each section.

General and Residential Contractors

Requirement	Detail
Exam	Two-part exam covering the license classification and business and law, administered by PSI
Experience	Required for all classifications (specifics vary by license type)
Reciprocity	Residential: LA, MS, SC. General: LA, MS. Must pass GA business and law exam. License must be active and in good standing.

Exam Type	Exam Fee
Georgia Business & Law	$60
Georgia Residential Contractor	$72
Georgia General Contractor	$72
NASCLA Accredited Exam for Commercial General Building Contractors	$106

Electricians

Requirement	Detail
Experience	4 years
Exam	Written exam required
Continuing education	At least 4 hours per year; renewal must document completion
Renewal cycle	Licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years

License Type	Application Fee	Exam Fee (PSI)	Renewal Fee
Electrical	$100	$288	$100
Low Voltage	$100	$207	$100

Low Voltage

Requirement	Detail
Experience	1 year of low voltage experience
Exam	Exam required
Renewal cycle	Licenses expire August 31 of odd-numbered years

License Type	Application Fee	Exam Fee (PSI)	Renewal Fee
Low Voltage	$100	$207	$100

Conditioned Air (HVAC)

Requirement	Detail
Experience	3 years
Exam	Exam required
Continuing education	At least 4 hours per year; renewal must document completion
Renewal cycle	Licenses expire November 30 of odd-numbered years

License Type	Application Fee	Exam Fee (PSI)	Renewal Fee
Conditioned Air Contractor	$100	$267	$100

Plumbers

Requirement	Detail
Experience (Master)	5 years total, at least 2 as a licensed journeyman. Class II Master requires commercial or industrial experience.
Experience (Journeyman)	1 year minimum
Exam	Required for both master and journeyman
Medical gas certification	Requires current master or journeyman plumbing license plus completion of a certification program
Continuing education	At least 4 hours per year; renewal must document completion
Renewal cycle	Licenses expire November 30 of even-numbered years

License Type	Application Fee	Exam Fee (PSI)	Renewal Fee
Master Plumber	$100	$207	$100
Journeyman Plumber	$100	$207	$100

Utility Contractors

Requirement	Detail
Utility contractor	Must employ a licensed utility manager and maintain a safety program
Utility manager	2 years experience plus written exam
Utility foreman	Must complete an approved safety-training course
Renewal cycle	Licenses expire April 30 of odd-numbered years

License Type	Application Fee	Exam Fee (PSI)	Renewal Fee
Utility Contractor	$100	N/A	$100
Utility Foreman	$100	N/A	$100
Utility Manager	$100	$207	$100

Highway Prequalification

Requirement	Detail
Experience	3 years minimum
Financial	Prime contractors must provide CPA-audited financial statements
Validity	24 months
Processing time	Approximately 30 days

Out-of-State Contractor Registration

Requirement	Detail
Bond	10% of contract price, released 2 years after completion notification
Revenue registration	Contracts exceeding $10,000 must be registered
Application fee	$10

Reciprocal agreements

Georgia’s reciprocity is limited to the Residential and General Contractors Board. Trade licenses through the Construction Industry Licensing Board do not carry reciprocity. Always confirm that your out-of-state license is active and in good standing before applying.

Reciprocity in Georgia requires passing the Georgia business and law examination regardless of the reciprocal state.

Board	Reciprocal states	Coverage
Residential Contractors	Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina	3 states
General Contractors	Louisiana, Mississippi	2 states
Construction Industry Licensing Board (trades)	None	Limited

Types of licenses

This section lists the credential categories Georgia offers across its major boards. Use it when you need to confirm the exact license name for an application or comparison.

General Contractors

General Contractor
Residential Contractor

Electrical

Electrical
Restricted Electrical

Low Voltage

Low-Voltage, General
Low-Voltage, Alarm
Low-Voltage, Telecommunications
Low-Voltage, Unrestricted

Plumbing

Unrestricted Master Plumber
Restricted Master Plumber
Unrestricted Medical Gas Piping
Journeyman Plumber

Conditioned Air

Conditioned Air
Restricted Conditioned Air
Unrestricted Conditioned Air

Utility

Utility Contractor
Utility Manager
Utility Foreman

South region guide

Browse all South jurisdictions for comparison.

Contractors guide

Cross-state guidance for contractors evaluating new jurisdictions.

Regulators guide

Cross-state guidance for comparing regulatory models and agency structures.

Neighboring jurisdictions with reciprocity ties:

Louisiana

Residential and general contractor reciprocity with Georgia.

Mississippi

Residential and general contractor reciprocity with Georgia.

South Carolina

Residential contractor reciprocity with Georgia.

Start Here

Northeast

South

Midwest

West

Territories and DC

At a glance

Frequently asked questions

Start with your goal

Is licensure triggered?

Find the right regulator

Application and renewal details

Reciprocity direction

Special considerations

Readiness checklist

Navigation

Construction work regulated

Common determination scenarios

Who regulates construction

Requirements

Reciprocal agreements

Types of licenses

See also

South region guide

Contractors guide

Regulators guide

Louisiana

Mississippi

South Carolina

​At a glance

​Frequently asked questions

​Start with your goal

Is licensure triggered?

Find the right regulator

Application and renewal details

Reciprocity direction

​Special considerations

​Readiness checklist

​Navigation

​Construction work regulated

​Common determination scenarios

​Who regulates construction

​Requirements

​Reciprocal agreements

​Types of licenses

​See also

South region guide

Contractors guide

Regulators guide

Louisiana

Mississippi

South Carolina

At a glance

Frequently asked questions

Start with your goal

Special considerations

Readiness checklist

Navigation

Construction work regulated

Common determination scenarios

Who regulates construction

Requirements

Reciprocal agreements

Types of licenses

See also