Article Index

North Carolina Contractor Licenses

State Licenses

Select a license to view its requirements, definition, exams, books, and classes.

North Carolina general contractors can have one of five license classifications: Building, Residential, Highway, Public Utilities, and Specialty. Specialties include asbestos, boring and tunneling, concrete construction, insulation, interior construction, marine construction, masonry construction, railroad construction, roofing, metal erection, swimming pools, and wind turbines, while Public Utilities include communications, electrical – ahead of point of delivery, fuel distribution, water and sewer lines, or water purification and sewage disposal.

North Carolina electrical contractors can have one of ten license classifications: limited electrical, intermediate electrical, unlimited electrical, single family detached, fire alarm low voltage, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning electrical, elevator electrical, ground water pump electrical, electric sign, or swimming pool electrical. The State of North Carolina has electrical endorsements agreements with: California, Colorodo, Georgia, NASCLA®, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.

North Carolina plumbing, heating, and fire sprinkler contractors can have one of the following license classifications: plumbing class I or II; plumbing restricted limited; plumbing tech; fuel piping; fuel piping tech; heating group 1 class I, II or tech; heating group 2 contractor or tech; heating group 3 class I, II, or tech; fire sprinkler installation, inspection technician; fire sprinkler installation residential or limited maintenance technician; and state/local government tech for heating groups 1, 2, or 3 or plumbing.

North Carolina refrigeration contractors can have one of five license classifications: commercial, industrial, service, or transport refrigeration.

NASCLA© exams are accepted in North Carolina. All NASCLA© exams accepted by NC are listed below.

Asbestos

Renovation or demolition of Regulated Asbestos Containing Materials (RACM)

Boring and Tunneling

Digging or Boring for underground or underwater passageways

Building

Commercial and residential building construction

Commercial Refrigeration

Install, service, and maintain commercial refrigeration equipment

Communications

Distribution cable and pole lines for telephone systems, aerial and underground cable for cable TV, fiber optic cable, microwave systems, and cellular telephone towers

Concrete

Foundations, pre-case silos, concrete tanks, pre-stressed components, gunite (does not include bridges, streets, side-walks, curbs, gutters, driveways, parking lots, and highways)

Electrical (NASCLA)

Passing the Electrical NASCLA© exam qualifies a NC contractor to apply for the Unlimited Electrical License

Electric Sign

Electric sign wiring (isolated from the building wiring system)

Electrical- Ahead of Point Delivery

Electrical wiring systems, including sub-stations, to be operated by electric power supplier for the purpose of providing electrical services to one or more customers

Elevator Electrical

Electrical wiring incidental to the operation of elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, moving walks, or personnel hoists

Fire Alarm/Low Voltage

Low voltage wiring only

Fire Sprinkler Installation

Installation of water-based automatic fire sprinkler system. Must have a current certification by NICET for "Fire Protection Engineering, Level III, Automatic Sprinkler System Layout"

Fire Sprinkler Inspection

Inspection and testing of water-based automatic fire sprinkler system. Must have a current certification by NICET for "Fire Protection Engineering, Level III, Automatic Sprinkler System Layout"

Fire Sprinkler Inspection Technician

Inspection and testing of water-based automatic fire sprinkler systems. This is not a contractor’s license. To obtain the license without examination, an applicant must hold a current certification by NICET for "Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems, Level II"

Fire Sprinkler Installation Residential

Residential water-based automatic fire sprinkler systems only

Fire Sprinkler Limited Maintenance Technician

Inspection and maintenance of water-based automatic sprinkler systems on the premises of the employer. This is not a contracting license

Fuel Distribution

Distribution pipelines for petroleum fuels, natural gas, chemicals and slurries. Includes all related excavating, trenching, and backfilling, as well as replacement of fuel storage tanks

Fuel Piping

Fuel gas piping source to any point within premises

Fuel Piping Technician

Fuel gas piping source to any point within premises while employed by a Contractors

General (NASCLA)

Passing the General NASCLA© exam will qualify you for the Building License in North Carolina

Grading and Excavating

Dig, move, place, excavate, grade, trench, and backfill

Groundwater Pump Electrical

Electric water incidental to groundwater pumps (cannot exceed 600 volts, phase-to-phase)

Heating Group 1 Class I

"Wet" or "water-based" comfort heating systems in any building (residential, commercial, industrial)

Heating Group 1 Class II

"Wet" or "water-based" comfort heating systems in single-family detached dwellings only

Heating Group 1 Technician

"Wet" or "water-based" comfort heating systems. Must be a sub-licensee of a H1-I or H1-II Contractor. This is not a contracting license

Heating Group 1 State/Local Gov. Technician

"Wet" or "water-based" comfort heating systems. Must be an employee of a state or local government. This is not a contracting license

Heating Group 2

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity in excess of fifteen (15) tons in any building (residential, commercial, industrial)

Heating Group 2 Technician

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity in excess of fifteen (15) tons. Must be a sub-licensee of a H2 Contractor

Heating Group 2 State/Local Gov. Technician

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity in excess of fifteen (15) tons. Must be an employee of a state or local government. This is not a contracting license

Heating Group 3 Class I

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity of fifteen (15) tons or less in any building (residential, commercial, industrial)

Heating Group 3 Class II

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity of fifteen (15) tons or less in single-family detached dwellings only

Heating Group 3 Technician

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity of fifteen (15) tons or less in any building. Must be a sub-licensee of a H3-I or H3-II Contractor. This is not a contracting license

Heating Group 3 State/Local Gov. Technician

Forced air heating / cooling system with cooling capacity of fifteen (15) tons or less. Must be an employee of a state or local government. This is not a contracting license

Highway

Everything involved in highway construction, including grading, all types of paving (including athletic surfaces), and ancillary relocation of public and private utility lines, bridge construction and repair, culvert construction and repair, parking decks, sidewalks, curbs, gutters and storm drainage. It also includes installation and erection of guard rails, fencing, signage and ancillary highway hardware; covers paving and grading of airport and air-field runways, taxiways, and aprons

Industrial Refrigeration

Commercial refrigeration using ammonia as a refrigerant gas

Insulation

Residential and commercial building insulation. It does not include mechanical insulation

Interior Construction

Acoustical ceilings, drywall walls (load bearing and non load-bearing), lathing, plastering, finishing, flooring, interior surfaces (countertops), windows, doors, fixtures, cabinets, and millwork

Intermediate Electrical

Can engage in a single electrical contracting project of no more than $130,000 USD in value

Landscape

Construct, manage, and plant decorative vegetation, including horticulture consultation, planting design, and installation of landscape drainage systems, low-voltage lighting systems, and other ornamental landscape features

Limited Electrical

Can engage in a single electrical contracting project of no more than $50,000 USD in value where the installed equipment is rated at no more than 600 volts

Marine Construction

Pilings, piers, decks, slips, docks, and bulkheads in deep-water installations and in harbors, inlets, sounds, bays, and channels. It does not include other structures required on docks, slips and piers

Masonry

Brick, concrete block, gypsum partition tile, pumice block, other lightweight and facsimile units, fire clay, refractory units, rough cut and dressed stone, marble panels, slate units, structural glazed tile or block, glass brick or block, and solar screen tile or block

Metal Erection

Architectural and structural shapes like tubing, pipe and bars, not limited to steel or aluminum, including curtain walls, tanks of all types, hoppers, structural members for buildings, towers, stairs, conveyor frames, cranes and crane runways, canopies, carports, guard rails, signs, steel scaffolding as a permanent structure, rigging, flagpoles, fences, steel and aluminum siding, bleachers, fire escapes, and seating for stadiums, arenas, and auditoriums

Plumbing Class I

Potable water and drain/waste/vent piping systems in any building (residential, commercial, industrial)

Plumbing Class II

Potable water and drain/waste/vent piping systems in single-family detached dwellings only

Plumbing Restricted Limited

Exterior building sewer piping, exterior water service piping 2 inches or less, exterior backflow preventers on 2 inches or less piping, water filtration systems

Plumbing State/Local Gov. Technician

Potable water and drain / waste / vent piping systems. Must be an employee of a state or local government. This is not a contracting license

Plumbing Technician

Potable water and drain / waste / vent piping systems. Must be a sublicensee of a P-I, P-II or RLP Contractor. This is not a contracting license

Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning Electrical

Electrical wiring related to plumbing, heating, and ac equipment where voltage does not exceed 120 volts to ground

Public Utilities

Specialty classifications of S(Boring and Tunneling), PU(Communications), PU(Fuel Distribution), PU(Electrical—Ahead of Point of Delivery), PU (Water Lines and Sewer Lines), PU(Water Purification and Sewage Disposal), and S(Swimming Pools).

Railroad Construction

Includes the clearing and filling of rights-of-way, setting of road beds, setting ties, tie plates, rails, connectors, frogs, switch plates, switches, signal markers, retaining walls, dikes, fences, and gates. Also includes the construction and repair of tool sheds and platforms

Residential

Construction of residential units, including sitework, driveways, sidewalks, and water/waste water systems, insulation, interiors, masonry, roofing and swimming pools

Residential Dwelling (Single Family Detached) Electrical

Electrical work on single-family detached residential dwellings

Roofing

Installation and repair of roofs and decks on residential and commercial buildings. It covers cedar, cement, asbestos, clay tile and composition shingles, all types of metal coverings, wood shakes, single ply and built-up roofing, protective and reflective roof and deck coatings, sheet metal valleys, flashings, gravel stops, gutters and downspouts, and bituminous waterproofing

Service Refrigeration

Service of refrigeration equipment

Swimming Pools

Construction, service and repair of swimming pools. Includes concrete, gunite, plastic-type pools, pool decks, walkways, tiling and coping, and installation of pumps, filters and chemical feeders

Swimming Pool Electrical

Swimming pool electrical bonding work, including a common bonding grid, as well as forming shells for lighting fixtures and underwater audio equipment, and junction boxes

Transport Refrigeration

Installation, maintenance, and repair of transport refrigeration

Unlimited Electrical

Can engage in any electrical contracting project regardless of value

Water Lines and Sewer Lines

Water and sewer mains, water service lines, house and building sewer lines, water storage tanks, lift stations, pumping stations, and appurtenances to water storage tanks, lift stations and pumping stations. Includes incidental patching and backfill

Water Purification and Sewage Disposal

Water and wastewater systems, including treatment facilities. Includes incidental grading, paving, sidewalk, curb and gutter work, as well as work specific to waste water treatment facilities like concrete, insulation, interior construction, masonry, roofing, and metal erection

Wind Turbine

Wind turbines, generators, and power units. It also includes ancillary foundation work, field fabrication of metal equipment, and structural support components