Georgia contractor license requirements

Licenses and registrations

Residential-Basic Contractor

Residential general contracting, including building and remodeling homes, performed or offered for compensation.

• Good to know: Requires $300,000 general liability insurance and 3 hours of CE per year. Can be held as an individual or through a qualifying agent for a business.

Residential-Light Commercial Contractor

Residential work plus light commercial projects.

• Good to know: Requires $500,000 general liability insurance and 6 hours of CE per year.

Commercial General Contractor (Unlimited) and General Contractor Limited Tier

Commercial general contracting.

• Good to know: Limited Tier caps the maximum contract value and the required net worth. Both require $500,000 general liability insurance. No CE required for commercial general contractors.

Specialty contractor (no license from this board)

Contractors working only within a specialty trade on the board's list, such as roofing (flat, sheet metal, shingles and shakes), painting and special coatings, wood flooring, carpet, ceramic and hard tile, siding and drywall.

• Good to know: Exempt from the residential or general contractor license while working within the specialty. Specialty contractors working for a licensed contractor under a valid permit are also exempt. Work that needs a trade license under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 is not covered by this exemption. The board says its list is under development.

What you need to qualify

• Exams: An exam is required for Residential-Basic and Residential-Light Commercial licenses unless exempted under O.C.G.A. 43-41-8. Commercial applicants must be approved for the exam; NASCLA transcripts are accepted if the exam was already taken.
• Experience: Residential-Basic: at least two years of proven experience as or working for a residential contractor, mainly in residential-basic work, with significant responsibility for at least two residential-basic projects in the past two years. Residential-Light Commercial: a related bachelor's degree plus one year of experience, or a combination of college credits and experience totaling four years, or four years of construction experience (two with a residential contractor), plus two projects in the past four years with a reference letter. Applicants must be at least 21.
• Insurance: General liability per occurrence: Residential-Basic $300,000; Residential-Light Commercial $500,000; Commercial General Contractor and Limited Tier $500,000. Workers' compensation is only required if the business has 3 or more employees.
• Bond: Some applications may require a surety bond; amounts are not stated on the board's guide.
• Financial: Applicants must show financial responsibility. Depending on the application, this can include a net worth affirmation or financial documents, a line of credit, a bank credit reference, and tax, judgment and bankruptcy checks.
• Business registration: A business organization is licensed through a qualifying agent who holds the license on its behalf.
• Also required: All applications are filed online through the GOALS portal; paper applications are no longer accepted.

Fees, renewal and continuing education

• Renewal: Every two years; renewal is due by June 30 of even-numbered years. Late renewals carry a penalty, and failing to renew by December 31 has the same effect as revocation.
• Continuing education: Residential-Basic: 3 hours each year. Residential-Light Commercial: 6 hours each year (a year runs July 1 to June 30). Commercial general contractors have no CE requirement. CE is tracked through CE Broker.

Contracts and homeowner protections

Under the board's repair rule, a person doing repair work without a license must disclose in writing to the owner that they are not licensed as a residential or general contractor. The board's rules also include a chapter on written warranties (553-7).

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work

Electrical contractors, plumbers and conditioned air (HVAC) contractors are licensed by separate Georgia Secretary of State boards. Work that requires a trade license under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 is not covered by the specialty exemption.

City and county rules

The board advises checking with the local authority having jurisdiction for local building codes and permits. Homeowners do not need a license to build their own home.

What to confirm with the state

We couldn't confirm these on an official page when we checked. Ask the licensing office before you rely on them:

• Dollar threshold that triggers the license (commonly cited as $2,500; the statute O.C.G.A. 43-41-17 is only hosted on LexisNexis and wasn't checked)
• Application, exam and renewal fees.
• Penalties for unlicensed contracting (fines, criminal classification)
• Net worth amounts and contract-value cap for the General Contractor Limited Tier
• Full text of the repair rule and written warranty rule.
• Exact names of the electrical, plumbing and conditioned air licensing boards.

Sources

1. State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors
2. How-To Guide: Residential Contractors
3. How-To Guide: Commercial General Contractors
4. Residential and Commercial General Contractors FAQ
5. Rules and Regulations page
6. Traditional Specialty Contractors Policy Statements
7. Limited Service Specialty Contractors Policy Statements
8. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 553 index
9. Rule Chapter 553-3 - Qualifications for Licensure, Residential Contractor Division
10. Rule Chapter 553-8 - Definitions (Repair Rule)
11. Rule Chapter 553-12 - License Renewal and Continuing Education
12. Rule Chapter 553-6 - Fees
13. Residential and Commercial General Contractor Cease and Desist Orders