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United States · Licensing exam

Residential contractor license: five states compared

It covers building or remodeling homes, and each state sets the limits its own way. Florida's residential contractor license covers one-, two- and three-family homes of up to two habitable stories. Minnesota licenses only residential contractors, and North Carolina and West Virginia each test a Residential classification. California's B-2 Residential Remodeling license is for existing homes; new homes need its B General Building license.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What does a residential contractor license cover?

StateLicenseWhat it covers
CaliforniaB-2 Residential RemodelingExisting homes, 3 or more unrelated trades per job, no changes to load-bearing parts
CaliforniaB General BuildingNew and existing buildings, 2 or more unrelated trades
FloridaResidential contractor1-, 2- and 3-family homes up to 2 habitable stories
MinnesotaResidential building contractor or remodelerHomes of 1 to 4 units; remodelers work on existing homes only
North CarolinaResidential classificationHomes under the residential building code, with their site work
West VirginiaResidential contractorAll crafts on a home, except ones that need their own license, like electrical
CSLB: B-2 classification ↗Minnesota contractor license exam →

Residential contractor license exams

StateExamQuestionsTime
North CarolinaResidential903½ hours
West VirginiaResidential, plus the Contractor Licensing Act exam603 hours
MinnesotaQualifying builder or remodeler110 (builder)5½ hours

North Carolina and West Virginia pass you at 70%, and both exams are open book. Florida's residential contractors take the same three parts as general and building contractors, and the Florida page has the hours.

Florida contractor license exam →NC general contractor license exam →WV contractor license exam →

What the residential exams cover

North Carolina's Residential exam, by number of questions:

TopicQuestions
Estimating, plan reading, residential code16
Site work, footings and foundations12
Carpentry11
Concrete and reinforcement10
Licensing, business and law10
Other trades, energy and drywall8
Masonry7
Roofing6
Wind, coastal and erosion zones6
OSHA safety4

West Virginia's 60 questions lean on carpentry (15), with plan reading, concrete and masonry at 9 each and the rest on site work, finishes and safety. Its references include the 2018 International Residential Code.

Sources: CSLB · Florida Statutes · Minnesota DLI and 3 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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