LicensebyState

Ohio to Utah: general contractor license reciprocity

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

Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio has nothing to transfer

Ohio general contractor · “General / building contractor registration (city-issued)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 20 sources

Issued by No state authority; cities and counties register commercial building contractors

Ohio 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 and no NASCLA route to take. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses individual contractors in five specialty trades only - electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing and hydronics - under R.C. Chapter 4740, and its board has an electrical section, a plumbing and hydronics section and an HVAC and refrigeration section but no building section. Those five licenses are also the only ones Ohio's reciprocity agreements reach: OCILB's published partner list names Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, and every entry is scoped to one or more of the five trades. Commercial building is instead controlled through city permitting, and the requirements are administrative rather than technical: Columbus registers a General Contractor on a $25,000 bond and a liability certificate with no exam, Cincinnati registers a Building Construction Contractor on insurance and workers' compensation for $131.25 a year, Cleveland requires general contractors to be bonded, insured and registered under Chapter 3107 of its Codified Ordinances, and Akron requires anyone whose work needs a permit to register. Toledo and Dayton license only the trades and have no commercial building contractor license at all, and Summit County, which issues Akron's building permits, replaced annual contractor registration with a permit-based process in 2024. None of these registrations involves a trade or business-law exam, a qualifying party, a financial statement or an experience review, and none of them recognizes another state's license, so a general contractor arriving in Ohio registers jurisdiction by jurisdiction and makes sure the electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing and hydronics scope is performed under the correct OCILB state licenses.

How local licensing works in Ohio

How local licensing works. No Ohio agency issues a general, commercial, building or unlimited contractor license, and there is no Ohio equivalent of a qualifying party, a NASCLA route or a state business-and-law exam for builders. Ohio has around 800 certified building departments, each with its own contractor rules, so identify the department with jurisdiction over the site - the Board of Building Standards map at com.ohio.gov/JurisdictionMap does this by address - and register there before bidding. One statewide rule shapes what those departments ask for: R.C. 4740.12 provides that "no political subdivision, district, or agency of the state may adopt an ordinance or rule that requires contractor registration and the assessment of a registration or license fee unless that ordinance or rule also requires any contractor who registers and pays the registration or license fee to be licensed in the contractor's trade pursuant to this chapter", which OCILB describes as requiring building and health departments with a registration program to demand the state license before issuing commercial permits.

Columbus. Building and Zoning Services registers a General Contractor under Chapter 4114 of the Columbus Building Code. The registration "can be associated with all permits to build new 1, 2, or 3 family, multi-family (4 or more dwelling units), and commercial structures, as well as alter or add to existing multi-family and commercial structures." The filing is a notarized application, "a Bond in the amount of $25,000" on the city's own bond form under C.C. 4114.515, and a certificate of liability insurance with "limits of liability no less than $300,000.00 for damages to a single person and $500,000.00 for one occurrence", naming Building and Zoning Services as certificate holder. There is no exam, experience, reference or financial requirement, and no board hearing - the General Contractor registration is one of the few Columbus categories that does not go before a review board. The 2026 fee schedule sets a $350 annual contractor license and registration fee, with $100 for a change of assignment or elective suspension; the registration runs to "the end of the twelfth month from the date of issuance." 111 North Front Street, (614) 645-7433, [email protected].

Cleveland. The Department of Building & Housing requires that contractors "must be bonded, insured, and registered" and that "contractors must be registered with the City of Cleveland within their trade in order to obtain permits. Separate permits are required for each separate trade, i.e. general, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and elevator." Registration sits in Chapter 3107 of the Codified Ordinances, Registration of Contractors, which provides for a Certificate of Registration and a Limited Certificate of Registration with separate qualifications for each. A General Contractor Registration Application package is published in the Contractor Packages section of the city's construction permitting resources page, and the bond, insurance and fee figures are stated in that package and in Chapter 3107 rather than on the department's web pages - confirm them with Building & Housing on 216-664-2910 before filing. Registration status is verified on 216-664-2884, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC registrations require the OCILB state license first.

Cincinnati. Buildings & Inspections registers contractors under Chapter 1106 of the Municipal Code, and commercial builders fall in the Building Construction Contractor class, the catch-all that "will apply to all other contractors that are not addressed in the two previous descriptions" and covers specialties such as crane operations, demolition, carpentry, masonry and glazing alongside new one-, two- and three-family construction. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, hydronic and refrigeration firms register in the separate OCILB Licensed Specialty Contractor class on their state licenses, and that city registration runs to the state license's expiry date. The filing is the signed application, liability insurance with "minimum liability limits of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for damages to a single person, and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for one (1) occurrence" (crane operators carry $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate and a $4,000,000 or $10,000,000 umbrella depending on lift capacity), proof of Ohio workers' compensation, an assignment form listing everyone authorized to sign permit applications, and a federal tax ID. The fee is $125.00 plus surcharges, $131.25 a year, for up to three years; same-day processing is $208 extra. There is no exam and no bond. A company operating under more than one business name needs a separate registration for each legal entity, and where a company holds several OCILB licenses through different people, each license holder registers separately. 805 Central Avenue, Suite 500, (513) 352-3271.

Akron and Summit County. Akron requires "all contractors regardless of trade to register as a contractor if the work they are performing requires a permit to do the work", on a contractor registration application with an Akron Tax Registration Number, a certificate of liability insurance, state licenses where the trade needs one, and workers' compensation coverage unless there are no employees. No exam or fee is published. Ohio Building Code permits for Akron projects come from the Summit County Department of Building Standards, which since March 2024 has run "a permit-based process" in place of annual contractor registration: "the $135 annual fee for contractors and the requirement for a $10,000 bond are now eliminated", while "contractors will still be required to provide liability insurance, State license if applicable, and a Tax ID Number", and commercial application fees rose by $10. Akron Plans & Permits, 1030 E. Tallmadge Ave., 330-375-2010; Summit County Building Standards, same address, 330-630-7280.

Toledo. Toledo licenses Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, Home Improvement and Remodeling, Sign and Sidewalk contractors, plus journeymen and apprentices in the electrical, HVAC, plumbing and refrigeration trades. There is no commercial or general building contractor license, so a commercial builder in Toledo pulls permits without a city contractor credential while the trades hold theirs. All Toledo licenses renew annually and expire December 31. Division of Building Inspection, One Government Center, Suite 1600, 419-245-1220.

Dayton. The Division of Building Inspection publishes registration and bond forms only for electrical, plumbing, warm air heating and pipe-laying contractors. Dayton has no general or building contractor registration; a commercial builder works through the registered trades. Building Inspection, 937-333-3979; One Stop Center, 371 West Second Street, 937-333-3883.

Cuyahoga County. A Division of Building Standards was created in 2025 to serve partner communities with contractor registration, plan review, permitting and inspections, with registration "completed through a secure online portal" on its site. The partner community list is still being announced and "an approved fee schedule will be released by December 1, 2026", so check the state's building department look-up tool for a specific address before assuming which department has jurisdiction. [email protected].

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 of these jurisdictions, because none of them tests or qualifies commercial builders at all. What does matter is holding, or employing someone who holds, the OCILB license for each of the five state-licensed trades in scope, then registering that license with the city as well. OCILB's own reciprocity list is the only place an out-of-state license shortens the path, and every entry on it - Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia - is scoped to the electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing or hydronics trades, so those routes belong on this site's electrical, HVAC and plumbing pages rather than here.

Moving to OhioLeaving Ohio

Common questions

Do I have to take the Utah general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Ohio?
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 Ohio?
Published fees on this path total $311, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Ohio 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 Ohio?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Utah to Ohio, 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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