Where a California general contractor license transfers
2 documented states waive the exam for California generals. 14 review by endorsement, 2 credit your hours, 12 give no credit.
California general contractor · “B - General Building Contractor (Class A General Engineering is the separate fixed-works license)”
Statewide license
Issued by Contractors State License Board
California's unlimited building credential is the Class B General Building Contractor license from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and there is no dollar limit or tier system above it. Under Business and Professions Code section 7057 a general building contractor's principal business is structures requiring at least two unrelated building trades or crafts; a B contractor may not take a prime contract on a project involving other trades unless the contract needs at least two unrelated trades besides framing and carpentry, or it holds the relevant specialty classification, or it subcontracts to a licensed specialty contractor, and fire protection (C-16) and well drilling (C-57) always need the specialty license or a subcontractor. Class A General Engineering is a parallel classification rather than a grade above B: it covers fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge such as highways, bridges, tunnels, dams, pipelines, sewers, grading and earthmoving, and a contractor who does both kinds of work holds both classifications. Below B sits B-2 Residential Remodeling, limited to existing residential wood frame structures and contracts using three unrelated trades. CSLB issues the license to a business entity and the person who meets the experience and examination requirements is named on it as the qualifying individual, a responsible managing employee (RME) or responsible managing officer (RMO), so an out-of-state general contractor moving to California applies as that qualifier. A license from another state cannot be used here even as a subcontractor or for a single project, and cities and counties additionally require a local business tax registration that does not replace the state license.
Exam waived
Every destination
| State | Mechanism | Note | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Alaska | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Arizona | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Arkansas | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Colorado | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Connecticut | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Delaware | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| District of Columbia | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Florida | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Georgia | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Hawaii | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Idaho | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Illinois | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Indiana | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Iowa | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Kansas | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Kentucky | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Louisiana | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Maine | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Maryland | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Massachusetts | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Michigan | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Minnesota | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Mississippi | Reciprocity | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| Missouri | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Montana | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Nebraska | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Nevada | Reciprocity | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| New Hampshire | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| New Jersey | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| New Mexico | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| New York | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| North Carolina | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| North Dakota | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Ohio | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Oklahoma | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Oregon | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Pennsylvania | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Rhode Island | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| South Carolina | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| South Dakota | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Tennessee | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Texas | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Utah | Endorsement | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| Vermont | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Washington | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| West Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Wisconsin | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Wyoming | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |