Georgia General Contractor License: Get Licensed to Work

Do you need a general contractor license in Georgia?

Yes, you need a license to work as a general contractor in Georgia. The only exception is if you perform work that costs less than $2,500 or if you are building your own personal residence.

Georgia general contractor licenses are overseen by The Licensing Division of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office via the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (State Licensing Board).

Licensed general contractors oversee the construction, repair, remodeling, and maintenance of residential or commercial properties. 

Types of contractor licenses in Georgia

The State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors divides licenses into two divisions: residential contractors and general contractors. These license types determine the class of the buildings and the size of the contracts the license holder can work on. Within each division, there are different license types.

DIVISION 1: Residential Contractor

DIVISION II: General Contractor

The State Licensing Board also separates general contractors into two categories based on whose behalf you will conduct your work:  

1. GC individuals: you will conduct business under your own name or as a sole proprietor and will have financials and insurance under your name
2. GC qualifying agents: you will conduct business in the name of a company that’s registered with the Corporations Divisions

For more information about the different types of general contractor licenses in Georgia, check out the SLBRGC web page.

Georgia general contractor license requirements

Before you apply for your residential or general contractor license in Georgia, make sure you meet the following requirements:

How to get a general contractor license in Georgia

There are three ways for you to get residential or general contractor licenses in Georgia: examination, prior approval, and reciprocity. 

Here are the steps to getting any residential or general contractor license in Georgia:

1. Build up the necessary work and education experience for your license type
2. Pass the Business/Law and trade certification exams
3. Provide your personal information or qualifying agent information and verify you are over 21 years of age
4. Submit your work experience, projects completed, and affidavits for each
5. Include college transcripts (if necessary)
6. Demonstrate that you have the requisite levels of financial responsibility
   1. Residential basic: $25,000
   2. Residential-light commercial: $25,000
   3. General-limited: $25,000
   4. General: $150,000
7. Prove you have the proper amount of general liability insurance
   1. Residential basic: $300,000
   2. Residential-light commercial: $500,000
   3. General limited: $500,000
   4. General: $500,000
8. Provide proof of workers’ compensation insurance
9. Complete the correct application and include the necessary fees for your licensing method: 

• Residential basic by examination
• Residential basic by prior approval
• Residential basic by reciprocity 
• Residential-light commercial by examination
• Residential-light commercial by prior approval
• Individual GC by examination
• Individual GC by prior approval
• Individual GC by reciprocity

Applications and forms can be submitted online through the SLBRGC’s Professional Licensing Portal or by physically mailing them to the following address:

Georgia Professional Licensing Boards Division
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, Georgia 31217

The licensing board makes it easy for you to apply for a general contractor’s license—simply follow the steps laid out on the state’s residential and general contractor how-to guides.

Georgia general contractor exam

All residential and general contractors have to pass the 50-question, two-hour Business/Law exam with a minimum score of 35/50.

If you are applying for a license by examination, you’ll also need to complete the trade exam for your corresponding contractor type:

Does Georgia reciprocate general contractor licenses?

Reciprocal license agreements let professionals from out of state apply directly for a general contractor license in Georgia.

Below are the states that Georgia has entered into reciprocity agreements with for each license:

Residential Basic Contractor: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina

General Contractor: Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee 

For more information on reciprocal licensing, you can check out the how-to guides for residential and general contractors or the license comparison chart.

How much does a general contractor license cost in Georgia?

The fees you have to pay for your license will change depending on the type of residential or general contractor you want to be. In Georgia, it usually costs around $240 for your exam, licensing, and application processing fees.

When estimating the total cost, remember to budget for any reference materials that you’ll use to study for the exams.

Renewing your general contractor license

All types of residential and general contractor licenses have to be renewed every two years in Georgia. The deadline for on-time renewal is June 30th of every even-numbered year, so the next renewal window extends until the end of June 2024.

To renew your license, go to the Georgia Online Professional Licensing web page and follow the instructions outlined for your specific license. 

If you have any questions about renewal, you can check out the renewal section of the how-to guide for general contractors. 

How to start a contracting business in Georgia

Once you have your residential or general contractor license and have built up some experience, you’re ready to take the next step: starting your own general contracting business. 

The first thing you need to do is determine which type of legal entity you want to create for your business. 

There are also some practical considerations for general contractors who are thinking of starting their own company, including: 

• Pricing your services appropriately
• Securing financing and setting up an accounting system
• Finding the necessary equipment and product suppliers
• Setting up general contracting business software
• Creating a sales strategy
• Generating leads for your general contractor business 

If you have any other questions about starting your general contractor business, visit the Georgia Corporations Division website. 

Does a general contractor license in Georgia increase your earning potential?

Yes, getting your general contractor license in Georgia definitely increases your earning potential. Whether you apply as a residential basic, residential-light commercial, general, or general-limited tier contractor, you are getting your foot in the door of a booming multi-billion-dollar industry. 

The average annual wage for general contractors in the country is close to $99,000. But that salary jumps to $160,000 for the top 10% of earners. You also stand to earn even more than that if you open up your own general contracting business. 

Visit our contracting academy page for more general contractor information, tips, and success stories.