How to Get a Contractor License in Georgia

Georgia's board issues four categories, and its FAQ refers applicants to a licensure comparison chart for the full breakdown:

This board does not license every construction trade. Its FAQ says licenses are not required from it to perform work that qualifies as a specialty trade, and points to an exemptions page. Electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors and utility contractors each appear as separate boards on the Secretary of State's licensing site, so an electrician or HVAC contractor applies there rather than here.

The FAQ adds that Georgia does not require a license to build your own home, though you still have to follow the codes and rules of your local building authority. A licensed Commercial General Contractor may also perform the same work as a Residential Contractor.

Each category comes in two forms. An individual contractor works only in his or her own name, or under a DBA or sole proprietorship, and is not affiliated with a registered business organization. A qualifying agent performs work on behalf of a corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture or other entity registered with the Georgia Corporations Division.

Any contracting company registered with the Corporations Division that intends to work in Georgia must have at least one licensed qualifying agent. A company may have several qualifying agents, and one person may qualify more than one company, though each additional company needs its own qualifying agent application. If a qualifying agent leaves, the board must be told within 30 days, and the company then has 180 days to finish open contracts before the license number becomes inactive.

The board's FAQ lists a minimum net worth for each category and a minimum general liability policy per occurrence:

Applications are filed online in GOALS, the Secretary of State's licensing portal. You create an account, pick the license type and upload the checklist items. For a commercial general contractor applying by examination, the board's how-to guide lists a signed and notarized application with fee, general liability insurance, workers' compensation where applicable, an employment affidavit, a net worth affirmation or financial documents, official college transcripts, NASCLA transcripts if you already took that exam, a projects and experience section, a secure and verifiable identity document and an affidavit of citizenship.

The board generally processes applications within 20 business days, and a deficiency letter restarts that count. Deficiencies not fixed within 60 days can get the application withdrawn. An application must be complete at least 15 days before a board meeting to make that agenda. Once you are approved, you receive an exam approval letter, valid for one year, with instructions for registering with PSI. Veterans, service members and military spouses may qualify for exam point credits or expedited processing.

The board's pages do not publish a single experience figure alongside the application checklist, so read the rules for your category on the board's Rules and Regulations page before assembling your project list.

Every applicant passes the Georgia Business and Law exam plus the trade exam for the category: Residential Basic, Residential Light Commercial, or the NASCLA-accredited commercial exam for both general contractor categories. Business and Law only has to be passed once; the PSI bulletin says a pass meets that requirement for all other residential and general contractor licenses. The board's FAQ also states that the old grandfather clause expired long ago, so every applicant tests.

Reciprocity is narrow. For unlimited commercial general contractors, Georgia recognizes Louisiana and Mississippi. For Residential Basic, it recognizes Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. The minimum conditions are that the license was obtained by passing that state's exams, that you are a resident of that state or your business was chartered there, and that the license has been active for at least 3 years without discipline for a law violation.

The general contractor how-to guide says renewal is online and due by June 30 of even-numbered years, with a late renewal period from July 1 to July 31. Commercial General Contractors have no continuing education requirement. Residential Basic contractors complete 3 hours per year and Residential Light Commercial contractors complete 6 hours per year. Since January 1, 2026, licensees who owe continuing education must record it in a CE Broker account the board can audit.

When you are ready to test, ContractorPrepHQ's Georgia prep provides original practice questions written from the PSI content outlines and reference lists, a diagnostic, topic drills with explanations and timed practice exams scored for readiness. Business and Law prep is $99, and the $149 trade prep includes it, with a one-time price, lifetime access and a 30-day money-back guarantee. It is study practice for the PSI exams, not one of the courses Georgia residential licensees log in CE Broker.