LicensebyState

Colorado to Utah: general contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 15 sources

Colorado does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Utah's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Applicants from jurisdictions DOPL has not determined equivalent, including the NASCLA examination route (all other states)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

An applicant whose home jurisdiction is not shown in green on DOPL’s Endorsement to Utah: Contractor map takes the ordinary route, which for B100 involves no trade examination at all. The qualifier completes an approved 25-hour pre-licensure course plus the five-hour Business and Law course, passes the Utah Contractor Business and Law examination through Prov, and shows two years, meaning 4,000 hours, of paid work experience in the construction industry. That experience travels freely: it counts wherever it was earned, whether the qualifier was paid as a W-2 employee or as an owner and whether the work was licensed or exempt, and it is self-certified on the application rather than verified by an employer, so out-of-state years are not lost. A qualifier who has passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors does not have to document the two years at all: Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302b(2)(b)(i) accepts a passing NASCLA score in place of the experience requirement for every general classification, B100 included, and the application has a box for it. A Construction Management degree or an active Utah professional engineer license does the same. NASCLA does not remove the Business and Law examination or the pre-licensure courses. Where the origin jurisdiction issues no equivalent state-wide license, DOPL will still look at a city or county license, or a non-equivalent state license, as evidence towards Utah’s qualifications if the applicant files a verification showing the hours, examinations and other qualifications behind it.

Two things on DOPL’s published materials do not line up, and both are worth a phone call to the Division on (801) 530-6628 before paying any fee. First, the Apply for a General Contractor License page lists, as an alternative to the Business and Law examination, "One (1) year of licensed experience working in another State, District or Territory of the U.S. in the similar scope of practice sought in Utah if the license is currently active and in good standing", with no mention of an equivalency list, while Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302a(3) waives that examination only "for an applicant for licensure by endorsement under Section 58-1-302" and the application checklist limits endorsement to "a jurisdiction determined equivalent to Utah" on a map last updated 21 September 2020. Second, the current rule and both apply pages set general liability cover at $1,000,000 each incident and $2,000,000 in total, while the March 2026 application form prints a $3,000,000 aggregate. On the map itself, the jurisdictions shaded yellow as "Limited to Specific Classifications" (Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia) are ones DOPL says do not license contractors generally but may license a specific specialty such as electrical, plumbing, HVAC or elevator work, which is not an equivalent to a B100 license; the jurisdictions shaded grey as having no equivalent license are Kansas, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. Utah Code 58-1-302(2) is written state-neutrally and turns on scope of practice rather than on any named partner, and the map ends by inviting applicants to contact the Division if licensure laws have changed, so an applicant from a yellow or grey jurisdiction holding a license of genuinely similar scope can ask DOPL to look again.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302b(1) reads the requirement broadly: experience counts whether the qualifier was paid as a W-2 employee or as an owner and whether the work was licensed or exempt, and it includes construction work done in the military or for a railroad corporation and work done under a construction trades instructor as part of an educational program. It need not be supervisory and need not match the classification sought. An applicant who is a building inspector may substitute two years as a building inspector including one year as a licensed combination inspector, and an E100 applicant needs four years instead.
  • You must have passed a licensing exam in Colorado that the destination considers comparable.Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302b(2)(b)(i) states that a passing NASCLA score satisfies the experience requirement in Utah Code 58-55-302(1)(e)(ii)(A), and DOPL’s contracting FAQ repeats it in the same words. The rule is written for the general classifications as a group rather than for B100 alone, and both the apply page and the qualifier affidavit offer the NASCLA box to every general classification applicant, so it is available at this general level too. NASCLA is an examination credential, not a license and not an interstate agreement, so any applicant may use it whatever state they come from. It waives nothing else: the pre-licensure courses, the Utah Contractor Business and Law examination, insurance, financial responsibility, registration, background checks and fees all still apply.
  • The qualifier must be either an owner of at least 20 per cent of the licensee or a W-2 employee in a management position, and must be paid for at least 12 hours of work a week for the licensee. A qualifier may not qualify more than three licensees at one time without the written approval of the Commission and the Division.

What you'll do to get licensed in Utah

  1. 1Other. Approved pre-licensure education completed by the qualifier before applying: a 25-hour pre-licensure course plus the five-hour Business and Law course, 30 hours in total for a general classification. DOPL accepts the course only from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Utah Home Builders Association (UHBA) or the Associated General Contractors of Utah (AGC); a qualifier who completed the 25-hour course before 1 October 2019 does not need the extra five hours. The Division does not publish the providers’ course prices, so ask the provider..
  2. 2Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Utah Contractor Business and Law examination, taken by the qualifier through Prov either at one of 21 Utah test centers or remotely through Prov’s Examroom service. It is 60 questions in two hours, open reference, and the cut score is 70 per cent; the subject areas are business organization, licensing, estimating and bidding, contract management, project management, labor laws, lien laws, financial management, risk management, tax laws and safety. No DOPL pre-approval is needed to sit it, and a failed attempt may be retaken after 30 days for each of the first three failures and after six months for any failure after that. Pass before submitting the application..
  3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($85). Prov examination fee for the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam, paid to Prov and charged again for each retake..
  4. 4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($175). Non-refundable DOPL application processing fee of $175 for each classification requested (application version v20260327). A contractor asking for more than one classification pays it more than once..
  5. 5Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Non-refundable DOPL application processing fee of $50 for each qualifier named on the application..
  6. 6Application fee. Pay the application fee ($1). Electronic Reference Library surcharge of $1, collected on every application to fund licensee access to national, state and local building codes and standards. An unincorporated applicant also pays $20 for each owner holding less than 8 per cent, filed with the Appendix F Owner-Worker Status Report..
  7. 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($1,000,000). General liability insurance certificate naming DOPL as certificate holder, covering the whole scope of work on the license and in force for the entire duration of active licensure. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302d and both DOPL apply pages set the minimum at $1,000,000 for each incident and $2,000,000 in total; the March 2026 application form prints $3,000,000 as the aggregate, so confirm the figure with the Division on (801) 530-6628 before binding cover. The cover must be kept up even while the contractor is not working, unless the license is placed on inactive status..
  8. 8Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance naming DOPL as certificate holder if the applicant has employees or owner-workers holding less than 8 per cent, together with a Utah State Tax Commission withholding account number and a Department of Workforce Services unemployment registration number, or a signed contract with an approved Professional Employer Organization. An applicant with no employees files a Workers’ Compensation Coverage Waiver from the Utah Labor Commission instead and must tell DOPL in writing before any employee starts work..
  9. 9Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility. Satisfactory evidence of financial responsibility. Utah Code 58-55-306 lets this be shown by completing and signing the Division’s financial responsibility questionnaire, which asks about judgments, liens, tax liens and child support delinquencies in the past eight years and bankruptcy in the past seven, or by posting a bond. DOPL publishes no minimum net worth, working capital or credit score, and it may audit at random or on reasonable need, weighing judgments, restitution orders, collection actions, bankruptcy schedules, late payment history, financial statements, tax returns and a current credit report. For an unincorporated applicant the Division considers each owner’s personal finances..
  10. 10Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($50,000) (if applicable). License bond, required only where the Division is not satisfied that financial responsibility has been demonstrated. Under Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-602 the minimum is then the greater of 30 per cent of the cumulative outstanding debts, judgments, liens and obligations of the entity, its owners and qualifiers, or $50,000 for any general contractor classification other than R100. A bankruptcy filed, pending or discharged within three years instead sets it at 30 per cent of the total liabilities scheduled with the bankruptcy court. The surety must appear in Treasury Circular 570, the bond runs until DOPL gives written permission to drop it, and the Commission may set a higher or, on clear and convincing evidence, a lower amount..
  11. 11Business license. Obtain a business license. Registration with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for any corporation, LLC, LLP or partnership, including an out-of-state entity, plus a federal Employer Identification Number; a sole proprietor may use a Social Security number and is licensed in their own given name. The license is issued in the registered legal name, business must be done in that name unless a DBA owned by the licensee is separately filed with DOPL, and if the corporate registration lapses the contractor license expires with it by statute..
  12. 12Background check. Complete a background check. Criminal background check under Utah Code 58-1-301.5 consented to and completed by the qualifier and by every individual holding at least a 10 per cent voting interest in the applicant, with disclosure of any criminal history the Division asks for. A yes answer on the qualifying questionnaire about discipline, pending criminal action, a misdemeanour in the past ten years or a felony at any time brings a requirement to file a personal account, police reports, court records and probation or parole reports for each incident..
  13. 13Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of approved continuing education in each two-year license term, of which at least three must be core education and at least three must be live in-class attendance, with no more than three hours online, and at least one hour in energy conservation. It is a condition of renewal rather than of getting the license. Licenses expire on 30 November of each odd-numbered year..

Published fees on this path total $311, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

  • Other
  • Law / code exam
  • Exam fee · $85

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

  • Insurance · $1,000,000
  • Insurance

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

  • Surety bond · $50,000 · if applicable

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

  • Business license

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

  • Continuing education

How Utah licenses general contractors

Utah general contractor · “B100 General Building Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 10 sources

Issued by Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)

Utah licenses contractors statewide through the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) under the Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act, Utah Code 58-55, and Rule R156-55a, and it licenses by classification rather than by tier. The unlimited building classification is B100 General Building Contractor, which Utah Code 58-55-102(26)(a) defines as the construction of structures for the support, shelter and enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or movable property, and any component of that construction except plumbing, electrical, mechanical, elevator and manufactured housing work, for which a B100 must employ a contractor licensed in the specialty; a B100 building single-family or multifamily residences up to four units may do the mechanical work itself and employ a licensed plumber or electrician. A B100 license already carries every S-series specialty scope, so a general builder does not add S220 Carpentry and Flooring, S260 Asphalt and Concrete, S270 Drywall, Paint and Plastering, S280 Roofing, S310 Foundation, Excavation and Demolition, S330 Landscape and Recreation, S440 Sign Installation and the rest separately; it does not reach R200 Factory Built Housing, S700 Limited Scope, S510 Elevator or the E200, E201, P200, P201 and H100 trade classifications. Alongside B100 sit E100 General Engineering Contractor, for fixed works such as roads, bridges, dams and pipelines that need specialized engineering knowledge, and R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor, the homes-and-small-buildings classification. The license is issued to the business rather than to the person: the entity applies and names a qualifier, an owner of at least 20 per cent or a W-2 employee in a management position who is paid for at least 12 hours a week, and it is that qualifier who meets the course, experience and examination requirements and who may qualify no more than three licensees at once. There is no Utah trade examination for B100: the only DOPL examination is the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam. Licenses expire on 30 November of each odd-numbered year and renewal takes six hours of continuing education.

Moving to UtahLeaving Utah

Why Colorado has nothing to transfer

Colorado general contractor · “General / Building contractor license (Class A or B in most jurisdictions)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 18 sources

Colorado has no statewide general or commercial building contractor license. DORA licenses electricians and plumbers through its Division of Professions and Occupations but states on its own consumer page that general contractors are not licensed at the state level and that you should check with the city; the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department says the same thing in its exam notice. Unlimited and commercial building work is therefore licensed by each city, county or regional building department, typically as a Class A (unlimited) and Class B (limited commercial or under a height or storey cap) pair: Denver issues General Contractor Class A and Building Contractor Class B, Colorado Springs issues Building Contractor A-1, A-2, B-1 and B-2, Fort Collins issues Classes A, B, C1 and C2, and Aurora issues a single Commercial Building Contractor license. The license is held by the business and qualified by an individual who holds the supervisor certificate and has passed the relevant exam, so the person moving states applies for the certificate and the company applies for the license. The common thread is the ICC National Standard General Building Contractor (A) and Building Contractor (B) examinations, which nearly every Colorado jurisdiction requires, and a license must be obtained separately in each jurisdiction where the contractor will pull permits.

How local licensing works in Colorado

How local licensing works. Each Colorado jurisdiction licenses building contractors under its own ordinance and building code, and there is no state board above them. Class letters and size thresholds differ from place to place, so a Class B in Fort Collins is not a Class B in Colorado Springs. What is consistent is the exam: most jurisdictions require an ICC National Standard contractor examination, open book and multiple choice through Pearson VUE, and the Pikes Peak notice explains why that matters - "with successful passage of an ICC contractor exam, contractors can be secure in the knowledge that their results may be honored by many jurisdictions in Colorado and throughout the United States. However, each jurisdiction has the right to determine if this exam is acceptable." The same exam appears as W11, F11 or G11 for the unlimited (A) tier and W12, F12 or G12 for the limited (B) tier, depending on which code edition the jurisdiction has adopted, and departments generally require results from the current or a recent code year. The notice also warns that "passing an ICC contractor exam is NOT a license to practice and does not guarantee licensing in any jurisdiction."

Denver. The individual first earns a supervisor certificate. Class A covers "to erect, add to, alter, demolish, or repair any building or structure" and needs seven years of notarized commercial experience including ground-up high-rise work over 75 feet plus ICC exam #F11. Class B covers any building classified as less than a high rise and needs four years of notarized commercial experience on ground-up builds of 55 to 75 feet plus ICC exam #F12; Class B-2 caps the highest floor level or occupiable roof at 30 feet, with four years of experience including ground-up projects up to 40 feet, also on ICC #F12. Certificates cost $60 and renew every three years. The company then buys the General Contractor Class A or Building Contractor Class B license at $250 for three years. Denver states it "does not accept or reciprocate contractor licenses and/or certificates from other counties or states."

Colorado Springs, El Paso County and nearby towns (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department). Building Contractor A-1 covers "the construction, alteration and repair of any type or size of structure permitted by the Regional Building Code"; A-2 is the same except Group A, E and I occupancies over 30,000 square feet and any building requiring Type I construction; B-1 covers all occupancies except Groups A, E, I and H and Type I construction; B-2 covers nonstructural remodeling plus Group B, F, M or S buildings up to one storey and 7,500 square feet and Group R buildings up to 16 units and two storeys. License fees are $200 for A-1 and A-2, $175 for B-1 and B-2, on top of a $50 non-refundable application fee, and each of these classes requires an exam. Applicants supply three reference forms documenting experience, copies of all licenses held inside or outside Colorado, liability insurance naming PPRBD, workers' compensation, a Colorado certificate of good standing and a name-based judicial record check. Files close three weeks before the monthly Licensing Committee meeting, the Board of Review approves the following week, and the license must be claimed within 60 days. PPRBD accepts ICC National Standardized or ICC Colorado Standard exams passed on or after January 1, 2016 and states that "no out-of-state exams will be accepted."

Aurora. A single Commercial Building Contractor license "Requires ICC General Building Contractor 'A' OR 'B' Certification"; the supervisor license fee is $131 and the license fee is $392, plus registration and three job references. Limited Building Commercial and Demolition contractors register with three years of documented experience instead.

Fort Collins. Class A and A(DR) cover any building or structure; Class B and B(DR) cover new builds up to and including five storeys; Class C1 and C2 cover new builds up to three storeys and multi-family housing projects; E(C) covers nonstructural commercial alterations. Classes A and B require ICC exam G11 over the 2018 IBC plus the concrete manual, and Classes C1, C2 and E(C) require ICC exam G12, with G11 also accepted in place of G12. Every general contractor class also needs three project verifications with permits and final inspection records signed by someone unconnected to the applicant, and general liability of $1,000,000 per person with $2,000,000 per accident, property damage and aggregate. A new license with supervisor certificate is $300 for a two-year term including a $75 non-refundable application fee; renewals are $225. The city adopted the 2024 ICC codes with amendments in December 2025 and requires exam results from a current code year.

Boulder. Class A covers "the construction, alteration, wrecking, or repair of any type or size of building or structure permitted in the City of Boulder" and requires the ICC A Contractors certificate; Class B covers commercial and residential buildings of construction types V, IV, III-B and II-B and requires the ICC B certificate. New Class A and Class B applicants must also document education, training or years of experience in non-residential construction. Boulder states that it "does not accept reciprocal licenses from other jurisdictions," and its license covers work inside city limits only.

Jefferson County. Class A (labeled 2018 G11) covers "the construction, alteration, tenant finish or repair of any type of structure permitted by the Building Code" and Class B (2018 G12) covers commercial buildings and single- or multi-dwelling buildings up to three storeys. The county accepts "proof that you have passed an appropriate ICC exam within the last 3 years or ... a copy of a valid license issued from an ICC participating jurisdiction." The fee is $50 and licenses renew annually.

Arapahoe County. Building Contractor Class A (commercial) and Class B (commercial/residential) each cost $360 and require the matching ICC certification "or equivalent" certification by a recognized state or national certification entity; Class D specialty is $84. Insurance must carry a $2,000,000 general aggregate and $1,000,000 each occurrence, with the county as an additional holder.

Lakewood. Class A-1 Unlimited Commercial is "only issued to contractors with experience in building high-rise construction"; A-2 Limited Commercial is limited to two-storey commercial or four-storey R occupancies; A-4 covers commercial and residential remodeling not exceeding 30 percent of the original structure. A-1 and A-2 applicants attach any ICC certifications they or their employees hold. Fees are $150 for the first probationary year and $400 for each subsequent three-year renewal.

Douglas County. Unincorporated Douglas County registers general contractors rather than licensing them and states that it "has no testing requirements." Registration needs the application, workers' compensation proof or an exemption statement and business liability insurance naming the Building Division; fees are currently waived.

Out-of-state holders. None of the jurisdictions reviewed will convert another state's general contractor license into a Colorado one. Denver and Boulder rule it out in writing, and PPRBD will not accept exam results earned out of state. What does carry across is the ICC National Standard contractor certification: pass the (A) or (B) exam on a code edition the jurisdiction currently accepts and it will usually satisfy the testing requirement in Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, Boulder, Jefferson County and Arapahoe County, though each department still verifies experience, references or project history separately and charges its own fee. Jefferson County goes further and accepts a current license from another ICC participating jurisdiction in place of the exam. Check the required class, exam code year and fee with each building department before applying, and expect to hold a license in every jurisdiction where you pull permits.

Moving to ColoradoLeaving Colorado

Common questions

Do I have to take the Utah general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Colorado?
The trade exam is waived, but Utah requires a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Utah general contractor license from Colorado?
Published fees on this path total $311, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Colorado work hours count in Utah?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Utah's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Utah to Colorado?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Utah to Colorado, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  2. Utah Code 58-1-302 - License by endorsement · Utah Code 58-1-302(2) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  3. Utah Code 58-55-102 - Definitions (Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act) · Utah Code 58-55-102(20), (26), (42) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  4. Utah Code 58-55-302 - Qualifications for licensure · Utah Code 58-55-302(1)(c)(ii), (1)(e)(ii), (1)(e)(iii), (1)(e)(iv), (1)(e)(vii), (2)(b) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  5. Utah Code 58-55-306 - Financial responsibility · Utah Code 58-55-306 · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  6. Utah Contractor Application - All Classifications (with qualifier affidavit, checklist and fee table) · Utah Code 58-55-306; Utah Admin. Code R156-1-301, R156-55a-602 · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  7. Endorsement to Utah: Contractor (state-by-state equivalency map) · Utah Code 58-55; 58-1-302 · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  8. Utah DOPL - Contracting licensing home page · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  9. Utah DOPL - Contracting Continuing Education · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  10. Utah DOPL - Contracting Exam Information · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  11. Contracting Frequently Asked Questions (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
  12. Apply for a General Contractor License (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  13. Apply for a Specialty Contractor License (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  14. State of Utah Contracting Exam - Examination Handbook (Prov, for DOPL) · Prov, Inc., examination administrator for the Utah Division of Professional Licensing · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  15. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a - Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Rule · Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-301c, -301h, -302a, -302b, -302d, -302f, -303a, -303b, -304, -306, -602 · Utah Office of Administrative Rules · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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