License path
Michigan Contractor License Exam Prep
Michigan contractors are licensed by the Michigan LARA — Bureau of Construction Codes. Most classifications sit a trade paper plus Law & Business. Need only the business paper? It is sold standalone. If you buy a Michigan classification that sits that exam, that paper is 75% off where we offer it.
Confirm question count, time, open-book rules, and passing score on the live board bulletin before you sit. We do not publish a single Q-count for every classification on this page, and we do not guarantee a passing result.
Getting your Michigan contractor license? Contractor Pathway offers an original, exam-focused study guide and four full-length practice exams for every Michigan classification that requires a state board exam — currently 6 courses across Electrical, Plumbing and Building / General Contractor. Choose your classification below and study with 30-, 60-, or 90-day access at $99, $129, and $169.
Who licenses contractors in Michigan
These are the Michigan classifications we build exam prep for, each licensed by its responsible board:
| Trade area | Licensing authority | Exam basis |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | Michigan Electrical Administrative Board | National Electrical Code (NEC) |
| Plumbing | Michigan Plumbing Board | Adopted plumbing & fuel-gas codes |
| Building / General Contractor | Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs | Adopted building code (IBC / IRC) |
Always confirm the current code edition, experience requirements, fees, and passing score with the board and testing vendor before you schedule. Contractor Pathway is an independent exam-prep provider and is not affiliated with any Michigan board or testing vendor.
How to get licensed in Michigan
Michigan licenses residential builders and maintenance & alteration contractors through the Bureau of Construction Codes at LARA. Michigan is unusual in leading with classroom hours rather than logged field experience.
- Sixty hours of prelicensure education, before you apply. Michigan requires 60 hours of approved prelicensure coursework with a minimum of six hours in each prescribed subject: Business Management, Estimating and Job Costing; Design and Building Science; Contracts, Liability and Risk Assessment; Marketing and Sales; Project Management and Scheduling; Current Michigan Residential Code; Michigan OSHA Construction Safety Standards; plus 18 hours of subject-matter electives.
- Then sit the exam. Once the 60 hours are complete and the other requirements met, you take the Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor examination.
- Renew every three years, on a fixed date. A builder’s licence renews on a three-year cycle expiring 31 May, at a cost of $150 — not on your own licence anniversary.
- Continuing competency depends on when you were first licensed. Michigan splits its continuing competency requirement by original licensure date, with a lower total for longer-standing licensees and an annual minimum for newer ones, covering building codes and law, safety, and construction and business management. Check your own cycle and hour total with LARA, as the split depends on your licence date.
- Keep your records. You attest to meeting the continuing competency requirement at renewal, and must retain documentation for at least five years.
Sources: Michigan LARA, Residential Builders and the Bureau’s prelicensure education requirements and continuing competency guidance. Contractor Pathway is an independent exam-preparation provider and is not affiliated with LARA.
Choose your Michigan classification
Each course includes a comprehensive study guide — often 10,000 words or more — worked calculations, code-section breakdowns, common exam traps, a glossary, and a 30/60/90-day study plan — plus four full-length practice exams matched to the topic weightings of the Michigan test.
Michigan contractor licensing — FAQ
Who licenses contractors in Michigan?
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). The most common credentials are the Residential Builder license and the Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license.
What does Michigan require to get licensed?
A 60-hour LARA-approved pre-license education course (covering construction law, business practices, estimating, and building codes), followed by a PSI-proctored exam. The course must include at least six hours in several required subject areas.
Tell me about the Michigan builder exam.
The Residential Builder exam has two parts – Business and Law and Practice/Trade – totaling 160 questions. You must answer 116 of the 160 correctly to pass, and PSI proctors the exam.
What is covered on the Michigan exam?
Construction laws and business management on the law side, and codes, estimating, job costing, and building practices on the trade side. Our study guide is organized around those LARA topic areas.
How long should I study for the Michigan exam?
Most candidates do well on a 30-, 60-, or 90-day plan depending on experience, which is why we offer access at all three terms ($99 / $129 / $169). Each guide includes a day-by-day study plan.