FAQ for General Requirements (2024)

You must complete the following steps:

• Obtain anApplication for a Contractor’s Licensefrom any office of the Nevada State Contractors Board or by telephone from the Nevada State Contractors Board’s 24-hour automated public information line at (775) 688-1141 or (702) 486-1100, or via the Nevada State Contractors Board Web site,www.nscb.state.nv.us;
• Take the time to read and follow carefully the instructions included in the application.Allreference certificates, detailed resume of experience, financial statement and s must be submittedwith the application;
• Complete the application and all accompanying forms in ink or with a typewriter. The form available on our website may be completed on-line and then printed. Make sure you sign and date the application; and
• Proofread your application for any omissions. If the Board has to return the application to you or needs to request missing information, your license will be delayed.
• Submit the application, the application processing fee ($300), and all required documents to either office the Nevada State Contractors Board.

  Do not submit a bond or the initial license fee with your application. Upon successful completion of your examination and/or approval of your application, you will be instructed to submit the required documents and initial license fee.You must submit ALL required documents together to avoid delays—your license will not be issued until all requirements have been met.

  After approval of your application, you will be required to:

• Submit an biennial license fee of $600.00 for each application; and
• Submit the required license bond in the amount indicated on your approval letter; and
• Submit proof of compliance with Industrial Insurance (Workers’ Compensation Insurance) or an exemption affidavit if you are not required to obtain it.note : If the license is qualified by an Employee, the qualifier is an employee and Workers’ Compensation Insurance is required; and
• Prior to issuance of a license, each applicant must either register with the Residential Recovery Fund and pay the assessed Residential Recovery Fund Fee or complete a certificate of exemption.Exemption affidavits will be provided to you with your approval letter.

If your application is accepted and it is incomplete, you must make the corrections within 30-60 days from the date of your deficiency notice. If you do not, the application will be withdrawn.

If your application is denied, you have 60 days to request a hearing before the Board. A hearing will be held within 90 days from receipt of your request.

The Board may waive the examination requirement if the qualifying individual meets one of the following conditions:

Under certain circ*mstances the Nevada State Contractors Board will waive the trade examination requirement and the experience certification requirement for applicants that qualify for licensure by endorsem*nt. These waivers are granted for applicants who are licensed in states determined by Nevada to have substantially equivalent requirements.

In order to apply for licensure by endorsem*nt, you will need to have been actively licensed in the endorsing state for the past four (4) years and not have had any disciplinary actions, suspension or sanctions against your license. Proof of compliance with the requirements must be submitted with the application.

If your endorsing state does not offer an equivalent trade examination, you will be required to pass the state specific examination in Nevada.

After your experience has been verified, an Examination Eligibility Letter, which includes your Candidate ID number, will be mailed to the address listed on the application, if an exam is required.

If the references & resume of experience provided are not sufficient to support the required experience, additional documentation may be requested before you can be approved to take the exam(s).

PLEASE NOTE : Some applications are sent for formal investigation. Each application must be accepted AND approved in order for the license to be issued, even if the qualifier has passed the exam.

There are three (3) testing centers located in the State of Nevada to choose from. The examination sites are located:

• LAS VEGAS
  3210 East Tropicana Avenue
  Las Vegas, Nevada 89121
• RENO
  Airport Plaza Office Building 1755 E Plumb Lane Ste 108
  Reno, Nevada 89502
• ELKO
  225 Silver Street Ste 102
  Elko, Nevada 89801

Outside of Nevada, exams are offered at PSI managed facilities.

You must provide 2 forms of identification.One must be a VALID form of government issued identification (driver’s license, state ID, passport, military ID), which bears your signature and has your photograph or a complete physical description. The second ID must have your signature and preprinted legal name. All identification provided must match the name on the Examination Registration Form.

If you cannot provide the required identification, you must call (800) 733-9267 at least 3 weeks prior to your scheduled appointment to arrange a way to meet this security requirement.Failure to provide all of the required identification at the time of the examination without notifying PSI is considered a missed appointment, and you will not be able to take the examination.

After you sign-in and present the required identification, the proctor will issue you the following examination materials:

• Scratch paper
• Figure booklet(s)
• Set of plans

The following summary describes the score reporting process:

On screen – your score will appear immediately on the computer screen. This will happen automatically at the end of the time allowed for the examination; if you are using review features, you will be able to obtain your score immediately when you indicate that you have finished and would like to see your results.

– If you pass, you will immediately receive a successful notification and performance summary on the screen.

– If you do not pass, you will immediately receive an unsuccessful notification on the screen along with a diagnostic report indicating your strengths and weaknesses by examination type. Registration forms for submittal to PSI to retake the examination will be available at the examination site.

On paper – an official score report will be printed at the examination site.

The holder of an active license is entitled to contract for work in the classifications, which appear on the license. While the license is active, the licensee must maintain a current License Bond, a Qualified Individual, and Workers’ Compensation Insurance coverage.

If a license is inactive, that is, currently renewed but on inactive status, the holder may not bid or contract for work. Neither the License Bond nor a Qualified Individual are required for an inactive license. Also, a licensee does not need to have proof of workers’ compensation insurance coverage on file with the Nevada State Contractors Board while the license is inactive.

The natural person qualifying on behalf of another natural person or firm must prove that he or she is a bona fide member or employee of that person or firm and when his or her principal or employer is actively engaged as a contractor shall exercise authority in connection with the principal or employer’s contracting business in the following manner:

1. To make technical and administrative decisions;
2. To hire, superintend, promote, transfer, lay off, discipline or discharge other employees and to direct them, either by himself or herself or through others, or effectively to recommend such action on behalf of the principal or employer; and
3. To devote himself or herself solely to the principal or employer’s business and not to take any other employment which would conflict with his or her duties under this subsection.

A person may act as a qualifying individual for more than one active license only if one of the following conditions exists:

1. One person owns at least 25 percent of each licensee for which the person qualifies; or
2. One licensee owns at least 25 percent of the other licensee.

If you have an individual license, your qualifier may be either an Employee or you.

If you have a partnership license, your qualifier may either be one of the partners or an Employee.

If you have a corporate license, your qualifier may be either one of the officers listed on the license or an Employee.

If you have a limited liability license, your qualifier may be either one of the members or managers listed on the license or an Employee.

If your qualifying individual is an Employee, he or she must be a bona fide employee of your company.

Yes.

Please see the Financial tab on the License Requirements page.

Fees are subject to change. Current fees are printed on the application forms and notices distributed to you. You may call the Nevada State Contractors Board or check the Web site to verify the fees. Currently, the application fee is $300.00 and the biennial license fee is $600.00.

In addition to the above fee, if you are a residential contractor who will be providing “Qualified Services” you must pay a Residential Recovery Fund Assessment. Qualified services are defined in NRS 624.440 as “any construction, remodeling, repair or improvement performed by a residential contractor on a single family residence occupied by the owner of the residence”. The fund is created from assessments of contractors who participate in the construction, remodeling, repair or improvement to residential housing. Assessments are based on the monetary limit placed on the license.

The current residential recovery fund assessment fee schedule is:

The fee is payable before the license is issued and every two years with renewal.

A contractor’s license is initially issued for a two-year period. It will expire two years from the last day of the month in which it was issued. Renewed licenses are renewed every two years.

Revised May 2010

Yes. The Board determines the amount of the bond at the time of license approval. The bond can vary in amount from $1,000 to $500,000 based on the type of license, monetary limit, past, present or future financial responsibility, experience, and character of the applicant.

After license approval, you will receive notification of the amount of bond required. A surety bond or a cash deposit will be required for that amount.

Swimming Pool Contractors – Bonding Requirements for contractors who perform or will perform work concerning residential pools or spas:

Consumer Protection Bond:Before granting an original contractor’s license to, or renewing the contractor’s license of, an applicant who performs or will perform work concerning residential pools or spas, the Board shall, in addition to any other conditions for the issuance or renewal of a license, require the applicant to file with the Board a bond solely for the protection of consumers in an amount fixed by the Board; or in lieu of filing a bond, establish with the Board a cash deposit as provided in this section. Failure of an applicant or licensee to file or maintain in full force the required bond or to establish the required cash deposit constitutes cause for the Board to deny, revoke, suspend or refuse to renew a license.
The amount of each bond or cash deposit required by this section must be fixed by the Board with reference to the contractor’s financial and professional responsibility and the magnitude of his operations, but must be not less than $10,000 or more than $400,000.

Payment and Performance Bond:Under certain conditions, the Board may require a residential pool and spa contractor to obtain a performance bond in an amount equal not less than 50 percent of the amount of the contract. The performance bond must be solely for the protection of the owner of the property to be improved. The contractor may also be required to obtain a payment bond in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the amount of the contract. The payment bond must be solely for the protection of persons supplying labor or materials to the contractor, or to any of his subcontractors, in carrying out the provisions of the contract. In lieu of a performance or payment bond, the contractor may obtain an equivalent form of security approved by the Board.

Residential Improvement Bond – Bonding Requirements for contractors who perform work on existing residential structures:

For residential contractors performing residential improvement work, a down payment cannot exceed $1,000 or 10% of contract price, whichever is less. A down payment may only exceed this amount if the contractor posts a Consumer Protection Bond with the Board in the amount of $100,000, or if the contractor was previously granted relief of the requirement to post a license bond.

You may purchase a surety bond from a surety company authorized to transact business in the State of Nevada, and whose long-term obligations are rated “A” or better, or

Cash bonds must be in the form of a Cashier’s Check payable to the State Contractors Board for the full amount of the bond. A biennial administrative fee of $200.00 will be assessed for all cash bond deposits.

If you choose to post a cash deposit, please note that following termination of the license or relief of the bond requirement, the Nevada State Contractors Board is required to hold the cash deposit for an additional two (2) years. The requirement is based on the statute of limitations for filing claims.