United States · Licensing examLicense limits and money requirements
Your license has a limitation that caps the value of any single project, and each level needs more working capital. You can file a surety bond instead of showing working capital; the bond page has those amounts.
| Level | Project cap | Capital | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited | $750,000 | $17,000 | $75 |
| Intermediate | $1,500,000 | $75,000 | $100 |
| Unlimited | No cap | $150,000 | $125 |
Capital means current assets over current liabilities. For a limited license, a net worth of $80,000 also works. The fee is the board's application fee for that level.
What's on the NC general contractor license exam?
The Business and Law exam's 40 questions break down like this in PSI's bulletin:
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Licensing | 21 |
| Liens and bonds | 8 |
| One Call (811) | 5 |
| Erosion and sedimentation control | 3 |
| Subcontractor's pay requirements | 3 |
The Building exam has 90 questions in 200 minutes, led by estimating, plan reading and code requirements (14), concrete (13) and metals (12). Residential and roofing are on their own pages. Every exam may also have 5 to 10 unscored trial questions, and the 15-minute tutorial at the start doesn't count toward your time.
Open book rules
- Bring your own references. They must be bound, and partial copies aren't allowed. Code references may be printed and spiral bound or put in a 3-ring binder.
- You can highlight, underline and tab before the exam, but only with permanent tabs, such as permanent plastic tabs or Redi-Tag permanent tabs. Post-it flags aren't allowed.
- Nothing may be written in the books or on the tabs. Books that break the rules are taken and reported to the board.
- For Business and Law you may bring four references: the NASCLA Contractor's Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition, the NC Excavation Safety Guidelines, the state's sedimentation control rules (15A NCAC 4) and the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act. The board's Laws and Regulations book isn't on that list, and the trade exams name it as not allowed, so study it at home.
Booking, results and retakes
- Send your license application or exam request form to the NCLBGC.
- When it approves you, you get an eligibility letter with your ID number. It's valid for 120 days and covers one exam.
- Book and pay online with PSI or by phone at (855) 746-8173. The fee is $79 for each exam, first try or retake.
- Arrive 30 minutes early with a valid photo ID in your registered name. If you're late you can be turned away and lose the fee.
- Your score appears on screen when you finish. If you fail, you get a report of your weak areas.
The board emails your scores and a new exam authorization within 3 working days of getting them from PSI. You can retake as often as you like within 12 months, as long as your application details are still valid.
Sources: NCLBGC · PSI and 1 more. Checked October 2026.
- NCLBGC: Home ↗
- NCLBGC: 2026 Laws and Regulations (PDF) ↗
- PSI: North Carolina General Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 11/19/2025) ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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