LicensebyState

Kansas to Idaho: general contractor license reciprocity

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

Kansas does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Idaho'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.

Registration for every applicant, wherever they come from (all states)

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

A general or unlimited contractor license from another state gives an applicant no advantage in Idaho and is not needed here. For private commercial building, whatever its size, Idaho requires only registration with the Idaho Contractors Board, and registration has no trade examination, no business and law examination, no experience requirement, no bond and no financial responsibility test that an out-of-state credential could satisfy in place of. The applicant files the form, lists the owners, files a general liability certificate of at least $300,000 single limit and workers' compensation coverage or an exemption statement, discloses any felony conviction and any contractor license or registration denied, surrendered, suspended or revoked in any state, and pays the fee. Idaho publishes no reciprocity agreement and no endorsement route for contractor registration, and the forms contain no question about another state's license except the discipline question. Registration does not, however, let a contractor bid public works: that needs the separate Public Works Contractor license described below.

A contractor coming to Idaho for public work should plan for a real application. The Public Works Contractor license takes a written examination on the Idaho public works statutes and rules and, above Class D, on the DOPL Contractor's Business and Law Reference Manual, passed at 70% and sat at a DOPL office; three contractor references; detailed work history and reference letters to establish the construction type; and a financial statement meeting the class figures, which run from $25,000 net worth and $7,500 working capital at Class C to $1,000,000 and $600,000 for Unlimited, compiled by a CPA or LPA at Class CC and B and reviewed or audited at Class A and above. Out-of-state experience is presented as work history and counts toward the type and class assessment, but it waives nothing: Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 19 has no reciprocity or endorsement section, and the Board names no partner state. The Board's published fees are unsettled at the moment, because a fee holiday began on 1 January 2026, biennial licensure began phasing in on 1 April 2026, and the web fee table and the Board's own fact sheet print figures that differ by a factor of two, so ask DOPL on (208) 334-3233 what is payable before applying. On the private side, the same three dead ends apply as at the residential level: Idaho Code 67-9409 universal licensure reaches registrations but adds nothing where the Board sets no competency requirement for anyone; the reciprocal registration section, Idaho Code 54-5213, covers only pre-2007 licenses issued by Idaho cities and counties; and DOPL does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for contractor registration, with Idaho absent from the list of agencies that do and no Idaho trade examination for it to replace.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Do not count

What you must already have

  • No examination, experience, apprenticeship, education, financial statement or qualifying party is required for registration, whatever the size or value of the commercial project. Registration covers construction over $2,000 with no upper limit.Idaho Code 54-5210 sets out the application contents and IDAPA 24.21.01 adds only the felony qualification and the fees; the rule chapter's examination, experience and continuing education sections are reserved and empty. The $2,000 figure in Idaho Code 54-5205(2)(f) is the floor below which registration is not needed, not a ceiling, and the statute forbids splitting a project into sub-$2,000 contracts to get under it.
  • You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.Required by Idaho Code 54-5210(1)(g) and asked on both the individual and business registration forms. It is the only question on either form that looks at what another state's board has done.
  • No felony conviction in any state or federal court. An applicant with a felony conviction may request an exemption review in writing, in which the Board considers the court records and any supplemental information about suitability and may grant an interview; the applicant carries the burden of establishing suitability.IDAPA 24.21.01.100.01, read with Idaho Code 67-9411, which requires the Board to weigh relevance to fitness rather than apply an automatic bar and permits a one-year conditional registration in place of a denial.

What you'll do to get licensed in Idaho

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($120). Application fee, which includes the original registration. DOPL's published schedule, effective 1 July 2026, is $120 for an individual and $120 for a business, then $60 to renew for one year or $120 to renew for two, with a $40 reinstatement fee on top of the renewal fee after a lapse. The Board's rule caps the fee at $60 a year and allows the annual fees to be aggregated for a two-year registration, and Idaho Code 54-5210(2) caps it at $150 a year. The February 2024 paper forms still print a $50 processing fee, so confirm the current amount with the Board on (208) 334-3233 or [email protected] before sending a check. A contractor who already holds an Idaho public works contractor or construction manager license and registers in order to take private work outside that license pays no registration fee..
  2. 2Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Certificate of general liability insurance, including products and completed operations coverage for the applicant's construction operations, of not less than $300,000 single limit, issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in Idaho, with the insured rather than DOPL named as the certificate holder. The figure is a statutory floor for registration, not a commercial limit: owners, lenders and general contractors on commercial work routinely require far higher limits by contract. Coverage must stay in force while the registration is active..
  3. 3Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Workers' compensation insurance certificate from a carrier authorized to do business in Idaho, or a written statement explaining why the coverage is not required of the applicant under Idaho Code 72-101 through 72-230. Failing to keep the coverage in place is a ground on which the Board may revoke a registration..
  4. 4Background check. Complete a background check. The application is submitted under oath and asks whether the applicant has ever received a conviction, finding of guilt, withheld judgment or suspended sentence for a felony in any state, and whether the applicant or anyone with an ownership interest has ever had a contractor license or registration denied, surrendered, suspended, revoked or otherwise disciplined anywhere. A yes to either means filing DOPL's disclosure form with the court records or the other state's board order. The Board evaluates the conviction for current relevance to fitness under Idaho Code 67-9411. DOPL holds a general power under Idaho Code 67-9411A to require fingerprints and an Idaho State Police and FBI records check, but the Contractors Board's rule and forms ask only for the sworn disclosure..
  5. 5Other. Social security number for an individual applicant or an employer tax identification number for a business; the legal business name and the business structure; the address of record, which becomes a public record; the first and last name of every principal, member, partner, shareholder or other owner, which must be people rather than another entity; one construction type code; and a statement of the type of construction to be undertaken. The application stays open for one year from the date it is filed..
  6. 6Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). A separate Public Works Contractor license from the Public Works Contractors License Board is required, in addition to or instead of registration, for any state or local public works project estimated at $50,000 or more, and a Construction Manager license is required to manage public works construction. That license takes a written examination passed at 70%, three contractor references, detailed work history and reference letters to set the construction type, and a financial statement meeting the net worth and working capital figures for the class applied for. It is non-transferable and renews on the anniversary of issue, with biennial licensing phasing in from 1 April 2026. Fees vary by class and are in flux because of a fee holiday that began on 1 January 2026; ask DOPL on (208) 334-3233 or [email protected] for the amount currently payable..
  7. 7Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility (if applicable). No financial statement, net worth or working capital figure is required for contractor registration. A financial statement is required only for the separate Public Works Contractor license, where it sets the class and therefore the bid limit: $25,000 net worth and $7,500 working capital for Class C, rising through $75,000 and $25,000 for CC, $150,000 and $50,000 for B, $300,000 and $100,000 for A, $450,000 and $150,000 for AA and $600,000 and $200,000 for AAA, to $1,000,000 and $600,000 for an Unlimited license. Class C may use DOPL's balance sheet form or a CPA or LPA statement; Class CC and B need a compiled statement with the accountant's report; Class A and above need a reviewed or audited statement, and none may be more than twelve months old..
  8. 8Surety bond. Post a surety bond (if applicable). Idaho requires no surety bond for contractor registration. Separately, Idaho's Public Contracts Bond Act requires performance and payment bonds on public buildings and public works contracts for the state and its political subdivisions, and a homeowner on a residential contract over $2,000 may require a bond at their own expense up to the value of the project..

Published fees on this path total $120, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance
  • 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 · if applicable

How Idaho licenses general contractors

Idaho general contractor · “Contractor Registration (construction type 001, General Commercial Builder)”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by Idaho Contractors Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses)

Idaho has no general, unlimited or commercial building contractor license for private work. Commercial building sits under the same Idaho Contractors Board registration as houses: the applicant picks construction type 001 General Commercial Builder instead of a residential code, and DOPL states that the code chosen does not limit the work performed, so the two levels of this page are one credential with one set of requirements. Registration is issued on proof of general liability insurance of at least $300,000 single limit, workers' compensation coverage or a statement of why it is not required, an ownership list and sworn answers about felony convictions and prior license discipline, with no examination, no experience requirement, no bond, no net worth test and no qualifying party, however large the project. There is one genuine license above registration, but only where public money pays for the work: the Public Works Contractors License Board licenses contractors under Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 19 for state or local public works projects estimated at $50,000 or more, in four types (Heavy, Highway, Building and Specialty Construction) and classes from D up to Unlimited that set the maximum a contractor may bid, and that license does require a written examination passed at 70%, three contractor references, detailed work history and a financial statement meeting the net worth and working capital figures for the class. DOPL's own answer is that people doing private residential or private commercial contracting do not need the public works license and should register as a general contractor instead, and a public works licensee who also takes private work registers with the Contractors Board without paying the registration fee.

Moving to IdahoLeaving Idaho

Why Kansas has nothing to transfer

Kansas general contractor · “General contractor license (Class A) or building contractor license (Class B)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 18 sources

Issued by No state authority; cities and counties license general and building contractors

Kansas has no statewide general, commercial or unlimited building contractor license, no state contractor board and no state licensing exam, so there is nothing at state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into and no NASCLA route to take. What the legislature provides instead is a shared test. K.S.A. 12-1556 designates standard examinations for general, building and residential contractors; K.S.A. 12-1557 tells every Kansas city or county that licenses builders to use that examination, to set the passing score at 75 percent, to charge a uniform examination fee and to accept the resulting certificate of competency 'without additional examination' anywhere else in the state; and K.S.A. 12-1558 lets a jurisdiction use a different examination, at the price that the resulting license is good only inside that jurisdiction unless the two political subdivisions have a reciprocal agreement. The examinations are the ICC Kansas contractor series, exam 550 for the Class A general building contractor with no height limit and 551 for the Class B building contractor up to three stories. Licenses are held by the company and qualified by a named individual, so a commercial contractor arriving in Kansas is really doing two things: getting one person through the Kansas standard examination, and then licensing the company in each jurisdiction where it will pull permits. Those jurisdictions differ in what else they want - Johnson County asks for $1,000,000 of liability cover and eight hours of continuing education a year, Wichita and Sedgwick County for $300,000 and a two-year license costing $1,000 at Class A, Lawrence for six years of documented Class A experience - and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County does not license general contractors for competency at all, only for occupational tax. Roofing is the one contractor credential Kansas itself issues, through the Attorney General's roofing registration, and it has a carve-out for a general contractor whose roofing work is not more than half of a project's cost.

How local licensing works in Kansas

How local licensing works. Contractor licensing in Kansas is entirely local, but it runs on a statewide examination. K.S.A. 12-1556 designates the standard examinations for general, building and residential contractors; these are published today by the International Code Council as the Kansas contractor series, exam ID 550 for the Standard General Building Contractor, 551 for the Standard Building Contractor and 552 for the Standard Residential Building Contractor. K.S.A. 12-1557 requires a licensing city or county to use that examination and 'shall not be allowed to ask further questions not designated on such examination', to prescribe a 75 percent passing score, and to honor the resulting certificate of competency 'without additional examination' - the certificate, in the statute's words, 'shall be valid proof of competency for licensure... in any county or city of the state which requires licensure of such contractors', and the licenses issued on it 'shall be valid in any other county or city which requires examination and licensure of such contractors.' K.S.A. 12-1558 permits a jurisdiction to use an alternative examination, but then the license works only inside that jurisdiction 'except when authorized by reciprocal agreement between the political subdivisions involved.' The plain consequence for someone arriving from another state: pass the Kansas standard examination once and it travels across Kansas; a license from Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska or anywhere else travels nowhere. No jurisdiction below publishes any credit for an out-of-state contractor license.

Johnson County (Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Leawood, Shawnee and the rest of the county). Johnson County Contractor Licensing issues eleven license types for the whole county, and its application sets out the reach: building permits come from Johnson County Building Codes in the unincorporated county and from the city everywhere else, but 'when a building permit is issued in the company/firm's name, the company/firm must comply with Johnson County Contractor Licensing Regulations (Resolution 076-24) and be subject to the jurisdiction of the Johnson County Contractor Licensing Review Board.' Class A 'entitles the company to construct, remodel, repair, and demolish any structure... regardless of occupancy or height', and Class B covers 'all structures not exceeding three (3) stories in height'; neither entitles the holder to perform HVAC, plumbing, electrical or fire protection work, which need the separate DM, DP, DE and DF or DFA licenses, and there are further specialty classes for roofing, swimming pools and wood framing. Qualification is ICC exam 550 or KGA for Class A and 551 or KGB for Class B at 75 percent or better, or a Bachelor of Science or higher in architecture, relevant engineering, construction science or construction management from an ABET or ACCE accredited program; ICC National exams may also be considered at 75 percent where the outline content mirrors the Kansas exam. The company designates a qualifying individual working at least 30 hours a week, and every qualifying individual needs eight hours of approved continuing education a year for the company to renew. Insurance is $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence plus $1,000,000 completed operations, with the county as certificate holder, and workers' compensation with $100,000 employer's liability or a notarized waiver. Fees: $100 application plus $225 per license type, so $325 for one type and $550 for two, renewing at $225 per type with a $75 late fee from February 1. Licenses last one year and new applications must be filed on paper. 111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 1000, Olathe; 913-715-2233 option 1.

Wichita and Sedgwick County. The Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department licenses contractors for unincorporated Sedgwick County, the City of Wichita and the small cities in its jurisdiction, including Andale, Bentley, Cheney, Clearwater, Colwich, Garden Plain, Goddard, Maize, Mulvane and Valley Center, where the MABCD license must be active but permitting starts with the city (and Valley Center requires its own license as well). MABCD states flatly that it 'does not reciprocate with other jurisdictions.' The unlimited class is Class A and the three-story class is Class B; general contractor licenses run two years and expire December 31 of each even year, with a penalty-free grace period to January 31. The qualified person files 'a copy of Kansas Standard ICC exam' at 75 percent or better, with an ICC test release form if the exam was taken outside Kansas, and must be an owner or full-time employee authorized in writing by the owners to bind the company in contracts. Two-year fees are $1,000 Class A, $600 Class B, $450 Class C Residential and $360 for Class D Residential Maintenance and the specialty classes, plus $50 for a new application; late renewal costs 25 percent extra in February and 50 percent after. Also required: liability insurance of at least $300,000 naming MABCD as certificate holder in the exact company name from an insurer accepted by the State of Kansas, workers' compensation and auto insurance certificates or notarized waivers for each, and a Kansas Certificate of Good Standing unless the applicant is a sole proprietor. Review takes up to two weeks. 271 W. 3rd, Suite 101, Wichita; 316-660-1840, by appointment.

Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County. The Unified Government is the outlier among the large Kansas jurisdictions: it runs no general contractor competency license. 'General contractors and subcontractors are required to obtain a city occupational tax license (Business License) if working within Wyandotte County', handled by Business Licensing on (913) 573-8780, while 'trade masters are required to carry a master's license with Building Inspections', earned on a standard examination delivered through Prometric and approved by the Chief Building Inspector. A commercial builder therefore pays the occupational tax, pulls permits, and relies on separately licensed electrical, mechanical and plumbing masters for the licensed trades. Building Inspection and the License Department share the Neighborhood Resource Center at 4601 State Avenue, Indian Springs Marketplace; Building Inspection (913) 573-8620.

Topeka. Development Services issues every contractor and trade license in the city and requires all trades to be licensed before pulling permits. Class A is the Kansas Standard General Building Contractor with unlimited stories, ICC exam 550; Class B is the Kansas Standard Building Contractor up to three stories, ICC exam 551; Class C is residential only, ICC exam 552. All examinations require 75 percent or better, and results from Prometric, Thomson-Prometric, Experior, NAI-Block and Block are also accepted at that score subject to review. An official transcript for at least 30 hours of coursework from an accredited school in construction science, engineering or architecture is an alternative, provided the degree holder is the qualifying party and works for the company full time. The filing includes the application, the exam or educational certification, a qualifying party verification form, the Renovate Right form, a general liability certificate and a workers' compensation certificate or notarized affidavit naming City of Topeka Development Services, 620 SE Madison Unit 6, as certificate holder; allow up to ten days. Class A, B and C licensees need eight hours of continuing education a year, and every license renews by December 14. Fees are never prorated and no refunds are issued. The city does not publish its general contractor license fee online - call Development Services on 785-368-3905 for the current amount.

Lawrence. A Lawrence contractor license is required before undertaking any work in the city for which a building permit is required. Class A, General Contractor entitles the licensee to perform any permitted work in the city, including the Class D specialties; Class B, Building Contractor covers any structure not exceeding three stories from grade, plus non-structural remodeling, tenant finishes and repairs on all buildings. Class A needs six years of qualifying experience performing Class A work, or a valid Class B license plus ten years as a licensed Class B contractor; Class B needs four years, or a Class C license plus six years as a licensed Class C. Experience must be verified by a licensed contractor, building official, architect or engineer. Competency comes from a certificate of competency issued by a nationally recognized testing institution of the kind contemplated by K.S.A. 12-1556, from a bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture or construction science, or from 'an equivalent Contractor License from another jurisdiction with whom the City has an existing and valid reciprocity agreement' - a route the ordinance allows but for which it names no partner, so confirm with Building Inspections before counting on it. Fees are $75 for each applicant and each qualifying party plus a $75 annual license fee. Liability insurance must be at least $1,000,000 per occurrence including completed operations, from a Kansas-licensed insurer, alongside workers' compensation. The Building Official decides within 30 days, and an applicant whose license was revoked anywhere in the past five years is refused. The license is company-held; a change of name, ownership or qualifying party voids it and a new license must be obtained. Renewal takes eight hours of construction-related continuing education a year per qualifying party, payment of all delinquent city fees, and closing or extending inactive open permits. Class E licenses for mechanical, plumbing, electrical and fireplace work are separate and are not covered by a Class A license. (785) 832-7700.

Everywhere else, and what does travel. Any other Kansas city or county may license builders on its own terms. The credential that actually moves around Kansas is the certificate of competency from the designated standard examination, not a license from another state and not the NASCLA Accredited Examination, which no Kansas agency participates in because Kansas has no state contractor agency. Before bidding, identify the building department with jurisdiction over the site and ask what it licenses. Statewide, register with the Kansas Attorney General before providing roofing services for a fee unless the project qualifies for the exempt general contractor carve-out - which requires, among other things, that roofing be no more than 50 percent of the total project cost and that the contractor not sell door to door - and use properly licensed masters for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work.

Moving to KansasLeaving Kansas

Common questions

Do I have to take the Idaho general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Kansas?
No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
What does it cost to get a Idaho general contractor license from Kansas?
Published fees on this path total $120, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Kansas work hours count in Idaho?
No. Idaho does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
Does it work the other way, from Idaho to Kansas?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Idaho to Kansas, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 19 - Public Works Contractors · Idaho Code 54-1902, 54-1904, 54-1910 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  2. Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 52 - Idaho Contractor Registration Act · Idaho Code 54-5203, 54-5204, 54-5205, 54-5207, 54-5209, 54-5210, 54-5211, 54-5213 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  3. Idaho Code 67-9409 - Universal Licensure (Occupational Licensing Reform Act) · Idaho Code 67-9403(2)-(3), 67-9409 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  4. Idaho Code 67-9411 - Evaluation of Criminal Convictions (and 67-9411A, Fingerprint Criminal History and Background Check) · Idaho Code 67-9411, 67-9411A · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  5. Idaho Business Contractor Registration Application (updated February 13, 2024) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  6. Idaho Individual Contractor Registration Application (updated February 13, 2024) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  7. Idaho Contractors Board - Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  8. DOPL notice, 27 August 2025 - transition to two-year contractor registrations · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  9. Idaho Contractors Board - Frequently Asked Questions · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
  10. Public Works Contractors License Board - Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  11. Public Works Contractors License Board - Frequently Asked Questions · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
  12. Public Works Contractors License Board - Apply for or Renew a License · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  13. IDAPA 24.21.01 - Rules of the Idaho State Contractors Board · IDAPA 24.21.01.000, .001, .100, .400 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  14. Idaho Public Works Contractor Licensing Fact Sheet (updated 30 January 2025) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  15. NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · 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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