A question recently came up on Reed Construction Data's Ask the Experts page: an electrical contractor licensed in Washington and Oregon wanted to know how to go about becoming licensed in Arizona. I was a little surprised at the question at first — if someone already has a couple of contractor's licenses, is acquiring a contractor's license from another state that difficult? Some digging confirmed the inquirer's frustration — navigating the requirements of a contractor’s license can provide numerous detours and dead ends — individual state requirements are literally all over the map.

Whether you are seeking a license in your own state or in another state, the starting point must be the appropriate state agency for contractor licensing. This might require a bit of research, as the names of the departments can vary wildly — the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, the Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce, Safety and Building Division and the South Carolina Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulation are examples of a few. A good resource online is www.contractors-license.org. The home page features a map of all fifty states in the U.S. You can click on any state to see if a contractor needs to be licensed in that state, and if so, what the requirements for licensing are. While I can't vouch for how often the site is updated (though it was a good sign that every link I clicked on worked), the site does provide those invaluable stage agency names, usually accompanied by a link.

Once you find the appropriate governing agency, call or access the website to determine if you need a license at all. You can then identify the necessary licensing requirements, which typically include completing an application, passing an exam and obtaining bonding and insurance. Note that it is important to check the license requirements for all trades. While a residential contractor may not need to be licensed, a roofing or plumbing contractor in the same state may require a state license or credential.

The application process begins with proving basic requirements, such as age, U.S. citizenship or legal residency and documentation of other licenses you may hold. As you begin to gather documents, it is also a good idea to confirm if an application is needed for the licensing exam and apply for that as well.

Part 2 of this article will appear in the November issue of the Cost Connections Newsletter and will cover licensing exams and additional requirements for a contractor’s license.