License path
North Carolina Contractor License Exam Prep
North Carolina contractors are licensed by the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors. Most classifications sit a trade paper plus Law & Business. Need only the business paper? It is sold standalone. If you buy a North Carolina 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 We do not publish a single Q-count for every classification on this page, and we do not guarantee a passing result.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 North Carolina contractor license? Contractor Pathway offers an original, exam-focused study guide and four full-length practice exams for every North Carolina classification that requires a state board exam — currently 7 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 North Carolina
These are the North Carolina classifications we build exam prep for, each licensed by its responsible board:
| Trade area | Licensing authority | Exam basis |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors | National Electrical Code (NEC) |
| Plumbing | North Carolina Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors | Adopted plumbing & fuel-gas codes |
| Building / General Contractor | the responsible North Carolina state licensing authority | 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 North Carolina board or testing vendor.
How to get licensed in North Carolina
General contracting is licensed by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors; the plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler trades are licensed separately by their own board. The figures below come from the Board’s published FAQ for contractors.
- Choose the licence limit that matches your projects. North Carolina tiers the general contractor licence by project size rather than by trade alone: a Limited licence permits individual projects up to $750,000 each, an Intermediate licence up to $1,500,000 each, and an Unlimited licence carries no dollar limit on project size.
- Meet the financial requirement for that limit. Each tier carries a minimum working capital requirement, which the Board defines as total current assets minus total current liabilities. The financial statement you submit must be current and prepared to generally accepted accounting principles. Confirm the current threshold for your tier with the Board before you apply — the figures are set in regulation and change.
- Qualify personally. You must be at least 18 years of age and of good moral character, and complete a criminal background check as part of the application.
- Pass the examination for your classification. The exam is set by the classification of licence you are seeking — Building, Residential, Highway, Public Utilities, and the specialty classifications each have their own paper, administered by PSI.
- Renew annually with continuing education. Renewal requires eight hours of continuing education: a mandatory two-hour Board course plus six elective hours. The continuing-education year runs from 1 January to 30 November annually, so the deadline sits a month before the calendar year ends.
Source: North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, FAQ for Contractors. Fee schedules and working-capital thresholds are set in 21 NCAC 12 and G.S. 87 and are not reproduced here — confirm current figures with the Board. Contractor Pathway is an independent exam-preparation provider and is not affiliated with the Board.
Choose your North Carolina 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 North Carolina test.
North Carolina contractor licensing — FAQ
Who licenses general contractors in North Carolina?
The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC). A general contractor license is required for projects above the state threshold (currently $40,000 – confirm the current figure with NCLBGC).
What exams does North Carolina require?
A PSI computer-based exam with a Business and Law section (40 multiple-choice questions, open book, 90 minutes) plus a classification-specific section. Each requires a 70% score to pass.
What are the North Carolina license tiers?
Limited (projects up to $750,000), Intermediate, and Unlimited – each with increasing working-capital or surety-bond requirements. Application fees are $75 (Limited), $100 (Intermediate), and $125 (Unlimited).
Which North Carolina licenses do you build courses for?
The NCLBGC classifications that require an exam – Building / General Contractor plus the trade classifications – including the shared Business and Law content.
How long should I study for the North Carolina 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.