Contractor licensing by state
How to Get a Contractor License in Nevada
Nevada requires a state license for every trade we track. The main contractor license is the Nevada contractor's license, which costs $300 to start and needs two exams, Business and Law plus Trade examination for the classification requested. All 10 trades we could rate score the same, 54 of 100.
The Nevada contractor license
| License | Nevada contractor's license (Nevada State Contractors Board), issued by classification and subclassification |
|---|---|
| Covers | Foundation repair, general contracting, roofing, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC work, landscape irrigation, concrete flatwork, drainage and detention work, and demolition |
| Fee | $300 (nonrefundable application fee; the license itself is $600 to issue or renew) |
| Exam | Business and Law (CMS) examination; Trade examination for the classification requested. Given by PSI. |
| Experience | The qualified individual needs at least four full years as a journeyman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification within the last 15 years. Accredited training can count for up to three years. |
| Insurance | Not confirmed here. A financial statement and bank verification are required for every license regardless of monetary limit. Source |
| Bond | $1,000. Source |
| Background check | Required |
| Renewal | $600 to renew; a late renewal adds $150. |
How to apply
- Pick the classification or subclassification that matches the work (use the Board's classification determination request if unsure).
- Document four years of experience for the qualified individual.
- Submit the application with the $300 fee, financial statement and bank verification.
- Complete the fingerprint background waiver, then get fingerprinted for the FBI and Nevada check.
- Pass the CMS business and law exam and the trade exam at PSI.
- Post the bond the Board sets and pay the $600 license fee.
Every license carries a monetary limit per job. B and B-2 licenses require a minimum monetary limit of $200,000. Exam fees are paid to PSI and are not on the Board's pages. A trade exam can be waived for applicants licensed by endorsement in an equivalent classification.
State license requirements for each trade in Nevada
| Foundation repair | Subclassification A-9, Piers and Foundations | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General contracting | Classification B | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Roofing | Subclassification C-15a, Roofing | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Plumbing | Subclassification C-1d, Plumbing | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Electrical | Classification C-2, Electrical Contracting | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| HVAC | Subclassification C-21b, Air-Conditioning | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Irrigation | Classification C-10, Landscape Contracting | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Concrete flatwork | Classification C-5, Concrete Contracting | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Drainage and detention | Subclassification A-7, Excavating and Grading, or A-12, Excavating, Grading, Tre | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
| Demolition | Subclassification A-13, Wrecking Buildings | $300 | Business and Law | 4 years | Hard · 54 |
Tap a column to sort. Difficulty covers the state license only. Checked October 18, 2026.
Details for each trade
Foundation repair
| License | Subclassification A-9, Piers and Foundations |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
A-9 covers the examination, excavation, drilling, compacting, pumping, sealing and other work to construct, alter or repair piers, piles, footings and foundations placed in the subsurface to prevent structural settling. A-13 (Wrecking Buildings) separately covers raising, cribbing and underpinning existing buildings, and B-2 covers construction and remodeling of houses. Ask the Board for a classification determination if the job mixes these.
Foundation repair permits come from the city or county building department, which sets any engineering requirement.
- Qualify for A-9 Piers and Foundations with four years of experience.
- Pass the CMS and A-9 trade exams at PSI.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
- Pull the local building permit.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.150, Classification A subclassifications; NSCB, license classifications.
General contracting (residential remodels, additions and home improvement)
| License | Classification B (General Building) or subclassification B-2 (Residential and Small Commercial) |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
B-2 covers construction and remodeling of houses and structures up to three stories above ground and one below. B and B-2 need a monetary limit of at least $200,000.
Remodel and addition permits come from the city or county building department.
- Qualify with four years of experience.
- Pass the CMS and B or B-2 trade exams at PSI.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
- Pull local permits.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.170, Classification B subclassifications; NSCB, new license application.
Roofing
| License | Subclassification C-15a, Roofing (within C-15 Roofing and Siding) |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
C-15a covers installing and repairing watertight and weatherproof roofing materials, including photovoltaic roof tiles used in place of roofing.
Reroof permits come from the city or county building department.
- Qualify with four years of roofing experience.
- Pass the CMS and C-15 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.320, Classification C-15.
Plumbing
| License | Subclassification C-1d, Plumbing (within C-1 Plumbing and Heating) |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
C-1d covers water supply, sanitary waste and vent systems, roof drainage and small hydronic heating.
Plumbing permits come from the city or county building department.
- Qualify with four years of plumbing experience.
- Pass the CMS and C-1 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.190, Classification C-1.
Electrical
| License | Classification C-2, Electrical Contracting (C-2a Electrical Wiring; C-2f Residential Wiring) |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
C-2a covers installing and repairing wiring, fixtures and apparatus.
Electrical permits come from the city or county building department.
- Qualify with four years of electrical experience.
- Pass the CMS and C-2 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.200, Classification C-2.
HVAC
| License | Subclassification C-21b, Air-Conditioning (within C-21 Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning); C-1f covers heating and evaporative cooling without refrigeration |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
C-21b covers equipment and ductwork that uses evaporation, refrigeration, boilers or combustion to control air temperature. C-1f does not allow refrigerated cooling.
Mechanical permits come from the city or county building department.
- Qualify with four years of HVAC experience.
- Pass the CMS and C-21 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.380, Classification C-21; NAC 624.190, Classification C-1.
Irrigation
| License | Classification C-10, Landscape Contracting |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
C-10 covers grading and preparing plots for landscaping, planting, and constructing systems of drainage and landscape irrigation.
Irrigation backflow and connection rules come from the local water purveyor and building department.
- Qualify with four years of landscape experience.
- Pass the CMS and C-10 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.280, Classification C-10.
Concrete flatwork (driveways, sidewalks and work in the public right-of-way)
| License | Classification C-5, Concrete Contracting (A-12 also allows concrete surfacing with grading) |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
C-5 covers placing reinforcement, forming, pouring and finishing concrete. Ask the city or county about permits for sidewalks and driveway approaches in the public right of way.
Ask the city, county or road owner what permit work at the street needs.
- Qualify with four years of concrete experience.
- Pass the CMS and C-5 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.230, Classification C-5.
Drainage and detention (grading, drainage, stormwater and detention ponds)
| License | Subclassification A-7, Excavating and Grading, or A-12, Excavating, Grading, Trenching and Surfacing |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
A-7 covers cutting, filling, excavating, grading, backfilling and trenching. Landscape drainage systems also fall under C-10. Detention design and stormwater permits are not covered here.
Grading permits come from the city or county.
- Qualify with four years of grading experience.
- Pass the CMS and A-7 or A-12 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.150, Classification A subclassifications.
Demolition
| License | Subclassification A-13, Wrecking Buildings |
|---|---|
| Board | Nevada State Contractors Board |
A-13 covers wrecking and demolishing structures with tools, equipment or explosives, plus raising, cribbing, underpinning and moving buildings.
Demolition permits come from the city or county building department.
- Qualify with four years of demolition experience.
- Pass the CMS and A-13 trade exams.
- Post the bond and pay the license fee.
Difficulty 54, hard (exams 15, business and law exam 5, experience 20, fees 6, bond 4, background check 4).
Checked October 18, 2026 against NAC 624.150, Classification A subclassifications.
Exams for a Nevada license
| Nevada Construction Management Survey (business and law) | PSI, for the Nevada State Contractors Board | $140 with the trade exam | $140 again; wait 2 weeks; after a third failure, apply to the Board again | Open book | 60 scored | 120 minutes | 45 correct (75%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada trade exam (B-2 Residential and Small Commercial shown) | PSI, for the Nevada State Contractors Board | $140 with the management survey | $140 again; wait 2 weeks; after a third failure, apply to the Board again | Open book | 80 (B-2) | 3 hours (B-2) | 56 correct (70%) |
Tap a column to sort. Each exam name opens the provider's bulletin or exam page. A blank cell is a fact not confirmed from the provider, and the linked bulletin has the full rules.
- Each classification has its own trade exam.
Checked October 18, 2026 against PSI Nevada State Contractors Board Candidate Information Bulletin; NSCB license examinations.
Official sources
- Nevada State Contractors Board, license requirements
- Nevada State Contractors Board, license classifications
- Nevada State Contractors Board, license examinations
- NAC Chapter 624 (classifications, subclassifications and fees)
- NSCB new license application (June 2026)
Licensing pages for nearby states cover Arizona, California, Oregon, and Utah.
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the licensing board before you apply or bid.