Kentucky to West Virginia: general contractor license reciprocity
Kentucky does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is West Virginia'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.
General Building trade examination waived on the NASCLA examination or an accepted out-of-state score (every state)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
West Virginia has routes open to applicants from every state, quite apart from its named-state agreements. The Board accepts NASCLA examination scores, and it reviews examination score reports from other states and from accredited national testing organizations, including their business and law examinations, for a full-time employee or a member of responsible management; the Commissioner decides whether they meet or exceed West Virginia's requirements for the classification you need and answers in writing by email. Send your score reports to [email protected] before you apply. Separately, the Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act lets a person who establishes residence in West Virginia, or who is married to an active-duty service member stationed here, be licensed without the classification examination if they already hold a good-standing license at the same practice level in another state, and the Board's rule says such an applicant passes only the West Virginia business and law examination. On every route the Contractor Licensing Act exam still has to be passed, and the license fee, the business registrations, the insurance proof and the wage bond affidavit are unchanged. Without an accepted score you sit the General Building Contractor examination.
The Board lists NASCLA scores among the exam scores it accepts but does not print which classifications they cover, so confirm the classification you will be granted before you pay for anything; the NASCLA examination is written for commercial general building contractors, which is the tier the West Virginia General Building classification occupies. The Board publishes no list of the other states or testing organizations whose score reports it will accept and no turnaround time for the review. West Virginia sets no experience requirement, so documented out-of-state years neither shorten nor replace any step. Exam scores do not expire but may be used a maximum of three times. An out-of-state contractor who only needs to bid may take a conditional license on the business and law examination alone, then upgrade to the full classification before work begins and before hiring any subcontractor.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Do not count
- Typical processing
- About 1 days
What you must already have
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Kentucky that the destination considers comparable.The Board's own Reciprocity Agreements & Other Accepted Exams document lists, under Other Accepted Exam Scores, "National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies (NASCLA) exam scores", and its FAQ repeats that word for word. The NASCLA examination is an exam credential, not a license and not an agreement between two states: any candidate may sit it in any participating jurisdiction. It does not waive the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act examination, the license fee, the business or tax registrations, the insurance proof or the wage bond affidavit. The Board does not print the classification scope of its NASCLA acceptance, so confirm it at [email protected].
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Kentucky that the destination considers comparable.The Board's step-by-step guide sets out the policy: score reports from other Commonwealths, states and accredited national testing organizations, including their business and law examinations, are reviewed for a current full-time employee or a person who is part of responsible management, and a written decision with further instructions follows by email. The Board's reciprocity document names ICC, Prov and PSI as examples. Acceptance is discretionary and turns on the scope of work you describe, so the classification you are granted may not be the one you asked for.
- Alternatively, under the Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act: the applicant establishes residence in West Virginia, or is married to an active-duty service member permanently stationed here, and already holds a license in the same discipline at the same practice level in at least one other state, in good standing everywhere it is held, obtained under real education and, where applicable, work experience standards, having passed whatever examinations that state required.W. Va. Code § 30-1-27(a) and (b). The Act also requires that the applicant has never had a license revoked or surrendered while under investigation for unprofessional conduct, has no unresolved discipline from any other regulating entity, has no disqualifying criminal history and pays all West Virginia fees. Subsection (d) preserves a state-law examination, and 28 CSR 2 § 5.3.2 applies it: an applicant licensed this way passes only the West Virginia business and law examination. 28 CSR 2 § 5.2 requires the applicant to provide satisfactory proof of compliance to the Board.
- Your Kentucky license must be active and in good standing.
What you'll do to get licensed in West Virginia
- 1Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act examination, the Board's business and law examination: 90 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, administered by Prov, Inc. It covers W. Va. Code Chapter 30 Article 42, the Board's legislative rule at 28 CSR 2, the procedural rule on written contracts at 28 CSR 4, and the construction-defect notice law at W. Va. Code Chapter 21 Article 11A. Every applicant takes it, and it is not waived by any agreement, score review, NASCLA transcript or universal-licensing route..
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). General Building Contractor examination: 80 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, open book, administered by Prov, Inc. at its Charleston, Martinsburg, Morgantown and Wheeling centers, at any Prov center in the country, or at home through Examroom. Subject areas are plan reading and estimating, sitework, concrete, masonry, structural steel, carpentry, roofing, doors and windows and stairs, interior finish, exterior finish and OSHA safety. It is required unless the Board accepts a NASCLA or other out-of-state or national examination score in its place, or the applicant is licensed under the Universal Licensing Act..
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59.95). $59.95 for each examination, first attempt or retake, paid directly to Prov, Inc. by the individual taking it. Scheduling is at provexam.com or on (866) 720-7768. Rescheduling is free if Prov is told at least three business days ahead; missing the appointment forfeits the fee..
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($90). $90 annual license fee, paid with the application/affidavit by check, certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, or by credit card at the Charleston office. A license expires twelve months from the date it is issued; renewal notices go out about 45 days ahead and a renewal more than fifteen days late costs a further $25. A duplicate license costs $10. Adding another classification later costs nothing beyond the examination fee..
- 5Business license. Obtain a business license. West Virginia Business Registration Tax number from the State Tax Department, which the application will not be processed without, and a Certificate of Authority from the West Virginia Secretary of State for a corporation, LLC, LLP, LP or PLLC. Registration is at business4wv.com or through the One Stop Business Center in Charleston, with hubs in Clarksburg and Martinsburg. The Board checks that you are in good standing with the Tax Department and the Secretary of State before it issues or renews a license..
- 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Proof of workers' compensation and unemployment compensation coverage for employees working in West Virginia, filed with the application: a copy of the workers' compensation certificate and the most recent quarterly unemployment report. An out-of-state business with no West Virginia-resident employees supplies its own state's certificate of insurance and its latest quarterly unemployment contribution page instead. The Board's application guide also lists general liability insurance among the items to have in place..
- 7Surety bond. Post a surety bond (if applicable). Wage bond, required of a contractor with employees that has not been actively engaged in construction work in West Virginia for at least one year before the application. It equals four weeks of gross payroll at full capacity plus fifteen percent for benefits, and may be a surety bond, a cash bond, a certificate of deposit or a letter of credit. An employer is exempt if it has been in business in another state for at least five years, holds at least $100,000 in assets, or is a subsidiary of a parent in business for at least five years. Commercial contractors with employees should check their status with the Division of Labor Wage & Hour Section, and every applicant files the notarized Wage Bond Status Affidavit either way..
- 8Other. Qualifier paperwork: a notarized Qualifier Exam Score Acknowledgement allowing the entity to use the qualifier's examination scores, and payroll records proving full-time employment if the qualifier is not an owner, partner, member or corporate officer. A new entity with no payroll history supplies hiring or employment documents. If a qualifier leaves, the entity has 45 days to name a replacement..
- 9Other. Disclosure and compliance items on the notarized application/affidavit: every jurisdiction where the business has ever been licensed, any suspension or revocation anywhere, and any court judgment for damages arising out of contracting work in West Virginia or elsewhere. Once licensed, the license number must appear in all advertising and in every executed contract and on every bid, a copy of the license must be posted at every job site, and work of $10,000 or more in aggregate value needs a written contract on the Board's standard form..
- 10Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Separate classifications or subcontractors for work outside the General Building scope. Except on a residential structure, the classification does not cover electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and cooling, piping or general engineering work; each of those is its own examination and classification, and electrical work additionally requires licensing through the State Fire Marshal's Office while plumbing and HVAC workers are licensed by the Division of Labor..
Published fees on this path total $149.95, 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.
- Law / code exam
- Trade exam · if applicable
- Exam fee · $59.95
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.
- License fee · $90
- Business license
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- 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 West Virginia licenses general contractors
West Virginia general contractor · “West Virginia Contractor License, General Building Contractor classification”
Statewide license
West Virginia licenses commercial building contractors statewide through the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, with administrative and enforcement support from the Division of Labor. A license is needed once the whole project, labor and materials together, reaches $25,000 for commercial work or $5,000 for residential work, judged on the entire project rather than on your own contract. A General Building Contractor is a contractor whose principal business is structures for the support, shelter and enclosure of persons, animals or property that need more than two contractor classifications, or who supervises the whole or any part of the construction; the Board treats it as the commercial, business and industrial tier, and it applies to commercial and private property alike. Its scope stops short of electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and cooling, piping and general engineering work, except on a residential structure, so those need their own classification or a properly licensed subcontractor. The license is held by the business and qualified by a named person who must be a member of responsible management, meaning an owner, partner, member or corporate officer, or a full-time employee working at least 30 hours a week; an entity may name several qualifiers. There is no experience, apprenticeship or net worth requirement anywhere in the Act or the Board's rule, and no municipality or county may require another occupational license on top of the state one.
Why Kentucky has nothing to transfer
Kentucky general contractor · “General or commercial building contractor license or registration (city- or county-issued)”
Licensed by cities and counties
Issued by No state authority; cities and counties license or register commercial building contractors
Kentucky has no statewide general, commercial or unlimited building contractor license, so there is nothing at state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into, no qualifying party to designate with the state and no NASCLA route to take. The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction licenses the trades instead - its home page says it "licenses/certifies plumbers, electricians, boiler contractors, sprinkler and/or fire alarm contractors and building inspectors", and 815 KAR adds HVAC licensing, elevator safety, boilers and pressure vessels, manufactured homes and home inspectors, with no chapter for building contractors anywhere in the title. Commercial building is controlled through local permitting, and the requirements are administrative rather than technical. Louisville Metro issues a Building Type A - Commercial license for $125 a year on a liability certificate, a workers' compensation filing and a Jefferson County occupational license number, with no exam and no bond. Lexington-Fayette registers a general contractor who "performs commercial, industrial, public works, and/or residential construction of larger than four-family homes" under its Contractors Registration Ordinance, and unregistered contractors cannot obtain building permits there. Bowling Green and Warren County run a joint Contractors Licensing Board whose $250 General Contractors License covers construction management and permit pulling, while telling applicants plainly that the license does not warrant that they are qualified. Owensboro and Covington require only an occupational business license and insurance. A commercial builder arriving in Kentucky therefore registers jurisdiction by jurisdiction and makes sure the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, boiler and fire-protection scope is performed under the correct HBC state licenses.
How local licensing works in Kentucky
How local licensing works. Kentucky has no state general contractor board, no state business-and-law exam for builders and no statewide reciprocity for commercial construction. Every rule that binds a general contractor is either a trade license from the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, the Kentucky Building Code in 815 KAR Chapter 007, or a local ordinance. Find the building department with jurisdiction over the site first, then register there before bidding. A registration in one Kentucky jurisdiction is worth nothing in the next, and an out-of-state general contractor license is worth nothing in any of them.
Louisville Metro (Jefferson County). The Office of Construction Review licenses building contractors for the merged city-county. License A covers "one or more permitted projects during a calendar year" and License B a single permitted project; the work scopes are Building A-Residential, Building A-Residential/Commercial, Building A-Commercial and Building B. Building Type A is "for building contractors seeking to obtain multiple permits within Louisville Jefferson County" at $125 a year on a term running 1 January to 31 December; Building Type B is $50 and is limited to one permit per person or company per renewal year. The filing is a certificate of liability insurance with the Office of Construction Review as certificate holder, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance or a notarized affidavit where the contractor has no covered employees, an Occupational License Number from the Revenue Commission of Jefferson County, and the application through the Metro business portal. The six-hour continuing education requirement attaches to the scopes that include housing - Building A-R, Building A-RC and Building B - so a contractor registered purely as Building A-Commercial is the one building class without it. Renewals must include a subcontractor list. There is no exam, experience review, bond or financial statement on any building class. 444 S. 5th St., Suite 100, (502) 574-3321.
Lexington-Fayette Urban County. The Division of Building Inspection registers every contractor under the Contractors Registration Ordinance, and "unregistered contractors cannot obtain building permits." The commercial class, under Ordinance 5-90(a)(1), is the general contractor, who "performs commercial, industrial, public works, and/or residential construction of larger than four-family homes (4-plex); and may supervise, arrange, and/or perform wholly or partly more than two building trades or crafts." A firm that concentrates on one or two trades registers as a specialty contractor instead. The filing is a Home Office Certificate ($10) or Certificate of Occupancy ($25) where the business address is in Fayette County, an occupational business license from Revenue, general liability and workers' compensation insurance with LFUCG named as certificate holder, and the online Contractor Registration Application with those two documents uploaded. No exam, experience or bond is required. The published Building Inspection fee schedule covers permits and lists no contractor registration fee, so confirm the amount with the division. 101 E. Vine St., (859) 258-3770.
Bowling Green and Warren County. One joint Contractors Licensing Board serves the city and the county under Ordinance 91-58 WC and Ordinance 91-25 BG. The General Contractors License, $250 and non-refundable, is required of anyone "doing any type of general contract work in Bowling Green / Warren County including pulling permits for building or remodeling, construction management, or if you would have two or more subcontractors per job." The Specialty Contractors License is $100 and covers subcontract work or a job with at most one subcontractor. Insurance is the substantive test: a certificate naming the board as certificate holder with general liability of at least $100,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation shown on the certificate or a notarized Affidavit of Exemption, and a notarized Partnership Agreement for partnerships. Licenses are non-transferable, renewals are annual and pro-rated mid-year, and a change of ownership voids the license. There is no exam or experience requirement; the board states that it "does not warrant that you are otherwise qualified to perform your trade or specialty by the issuance of its license." A city occupational license is needed for work inside Bowling Green and a county one for work outside it. 1141 State Street, Suite 200, 270-781-3530.
Owensboro and Daviess County. There is no contractor license here. The Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission's Building & Electrical Division issues building, electrical, HVAC, sign and parking lot permits and certificates of occupancy for Owensboro-Daviess County under the Kentucky Building Code and the National Electrical Code, and issues no contractor credential; demolition permits come from City of Owensboro Public Works. A commercial builder registers with the city's Occupational License Division before doing business inside the city limits, with a minimum license fee of $75 at registration. 101 East 4th Street, 270-687-5600.
Covington and Kenton County (Northern Kentucky). Planning and Development Services of Kenton County is the building department, and it requires that "all contractors must obtain and maintain a Kenton County occupational license and provide proof of Kentucky workers' compensation insurance coverage", plus the HBC state license "for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and fire suppression work", with copies of all of it on file "before any permits can be issued." There is no general contractor license, exam or bond. In Covington a zoning permit precedes the building permit, and a certificate of appropriateness is needed first inside a historic preservation overlay. PDS, 1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 3400, Covington, 859-331-8980.
What does and does not travel. An out-of-state general contractor license, a NASCLA Accredited Examination and out-of-state project experience carry no weight in any Kentucky jurisdiction, because none of them tests or qualifies commercial builders. Kentucky is not a NASCLA participating state, and no Kentucky city on this page accepts an examination in place of its own filing. What does matter is holding, or employing someone who holds, the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction license for each state-licensed trade in scope - plumbing, electrical, HVAC, boilers, fire sprinklers and fire alarms - because those licenses are statewide, are the only Kentucky construction credentials with reciprocity rules of their own, and are separately demanded by several of the local building departments above.
- Louisville Metro / Jefferson County (Office of Construction Review - Building A-Commercial licenses)
- Lexington-Fayette Urban County (Division of Building Inspection - general contractor registration under Ord. 5-90(a))
- Bowling Green and Warren County (joint Contractors Licensing Board - $250 General Contractors License)
- Owensboro and Daviess County (Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission - permits only; city occupational license)
- Covington and Kenton County (Planning and Development Services of Kenton County - occupational license and insurance only)
Common questions
- Do I have to take the West Virginia general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Kentucky?
- The trade exam is waived, but West Virginia requires a law or code exam.
- What does it cost to get a West Virginia general contractor license from Kentucky?
- Published fees on this path total $149.95, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Kentucky work hours count in West Virginia?
- No. West Virginia does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 1 days.
- Does it work the other way, from West Virginia to Kentucky?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from West Virginia to Kentucky, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026
- W. Va. Code § 30-1-27 - Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 · W. Va. Code § 30-1-27 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- W. Va. Code Chapter 30, Article 42 - West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act · W. Va. Code §§ 30-42-3, 30-42-6, 30-42-7, 30-42-8, 30-42-10, 30-42-11, 30-42-18, 30-42-20 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- W. Va. C.S.R. Title 28, Series 2 - West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act (legislative rule, effective 5/4/2026) · W. Va. C.S.R. §§ 28-2-3, 28-2-4, 28-2-5, 28-2-6 · West Virginia Secretary of State, Administrative Law Division · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
- West Virginia Contractor License Application/Affidavit (Revised 8.11.2026) · West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- A Step By Step Guide For Obtaining A Contractor License - WV Contractor Licensing Board · West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board Candidate Information Bulletin (WVCLB CIB 2026.05.07) · Prov, Inc. for the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board · Other · verified September 17, 2026
- WV Contractor Licensing Board notice - tested classifications · West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Contractor Licensing Board FAQ'S · West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
- Reciprocity Agreements & Other Accepted Exams - WV Contractor Licensing Board · West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board · Agreement Document · verified September 17, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.