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What a general contractor license costs by state

By Ilan Sender, Independent Researcher · State data last verified 2026-07-02

I am not a lawyer and not a licensing official. Everything here is independent research traced to official sources, but rules and fees change — always verify with the official board before acting.

Most “contractor license cost” pages quote one tidy total. That total is fiction: exam fees are set by the testing vendor and insurance is a premium, so the honest answer is a range. Below is every application and renewal fee we could verify against an official board source, side by side — and an honest blank where a state does not publish one.

[src] links to the official source (.gov / licensing board) each fact was verified against; [src†] marks facts corroborated by multiple non-official sources. An unverified badge marks a detail we could not confirm against an official source — confirm it with the state board before relying on it. Hover any marker for the last-verified date. See our methodology.

Application and renewal fees compared

StateApplication feeRenewal feeFull breakdown
Florida
  • Application fee (May 1 of even years – Aug 31 of odd years): $245[src]
  • Application fee (Sep 1 of odd years – Apr 30 of even years): $145[src]
  • Renewal — active license: $205[src]
  • Renewal — active, qualifying a business: $255[src]
  • Renewal — inactive status: $55[src]
  • Reactivation: $305[src]
Florida cost breakdown
Georgia
  • Exam application (incl. $10 processing fee): $210 ($200 application + $10 processing)[src]
  • Reciprocity application (incl. $10 processing fee): $210 ($200 application + $10 processing)[src]
  • Renewal (by June 30 of even-numbered years): $100[src]
  • Late renewal: $200[src]
  • Reinstatement (incl. $10 processing fee): $310 ($300 application + $10 processing)[src]
Georgia cost breakdown
North Carolina
  • Application fee — Unlimited: $125[src]
  • Application fee — Intermediate: $100[src]
  • Application fee — Limited: $75[src]
  • Examination fee: Up to $100 (statutory cap, G.S. 87-10)[src]
  • Renewal — Unlimited: $125[src]
  • Renewal — Intermediate: $100[src]
  • Renewal — Limited: $75[src]
North Carolina cost breakdown

Each amount links to the official source it came from; open a state's breakdown for exam fees, insurance, and the full cost picture.

The per-state quirks worth knowing

  • Florida: The anchor guide: Certified (CGC) requirements, how HB 735 narrowed (not closed) the registered path, 14-hour biennial CE with mandatory topics, and renewal fees from the DBPR insert.
  • Georgia: Tiers and net worth from the Board rules — including the Limited-Tier $1M correction — plus the fact most CE vendors won't tell you: commercial GCs owe zero CE hours.
  • North Carolina: The strictest CE state here: 8 hours every year, a Board-exclusive 2-hour course, tier/bond table, and the NASCLA exam shortcut.

Frequently asked questions

Which state is cheapest for a general contractor license?
It depends on your license tier and on the costs that genuinely vary — exam fees are set by the testing vendor and insurance is a premium — so we do not crown one 'cheapest' state with a number that would mislead. Compare the verified application and renewal fees in the table, then open the state breakdown for the full picture.
Why doesn't this page show one all-in total?
Because an honest total does not exist. Exam fees are set by the testing vendor and change, and liability insurance is a premium that depends on your payroll, trade, and claims history. We show every fee we could verify against an official source and link the rest, rather than publish a made-up number — which is exactly what directory 'cost calculators' do.
Are these fees current?
Every figure links to the official source it was verified against and shows the date we last checked it. Fees change — confirm with the board before you file.

Compare across states