Do I have to take the Oregon general contractor exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?

The trade exam is waived, but Oregon requires a law or code exam.

What does it cost to get a Oregon general contractor license from South Dakota?

Published fees on this path total $460, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my South Dakota work hours count in Oregon?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oregon's eligibility requirements.

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 42 days.

Does it work the other way, from Oregon to South Dakota?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Oregon to South Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

South Dakota to Oregon: general contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 13 sources

South Dakota does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Oregon'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.

CCB application with the NASCLA examination in place of the pre-license training (every state)

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

Oregon has no contractor reciprocity at the commercial level either. OAR 812-006-0300(6) states that there are no reciprocal agreements with other states or with organizations that test contractors, and ORS chapter 701 contains no provision recognizing a license issued elsewhere, so an out-of-state general contractor license buys nothing on its own. The Board does accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors: under OAR 812-006-0310 an RMI who has passed it satisfies the 16-hour pre-license training requirement, regardless of when the exam was taken, and needs only the Oregon contractor test, with the pass established by the RMI's entry in the NASCLA National Examination Database rather than by a transcript from the candidate. An RMI without it completes 16 hours of approved training and then takes the same Oregon test, which is the state's only examination: 80 scored questions in 180 minutes, 70 percent to pass, open book on Oregon laws, rules and business practices, and never waived. Out-of-state work does count in one place at this level: the eight combined years for Level 1 or four for Level 2 are certified by the contractor for its key employees and the statute nowhere requires the experience to have been earned in Oregon, so years spent as a licensed contractor, journeyman, foreperson or supervisor in another state count toward the endorsement. The remaining steps are the same for every applicant: registration with the Oregon Secretary of State, an $80,000 or $25,000 commercial bond and $2 million or $1 million of aggregate liability insurance on the Board's own forms according to the level chosen, workers' compensation cover if the business has employees, and the $400 application fee.

Level 1 and Level 2 are licensed to perform identical work, so the choice between them is a choice about experience, bond size, insurance limit and continuing education rather than about scope. The key-employee experience is certified by the contractor on the application and again at renewal; the Board publishes no verification form for it and no list of documents it will accept, so confirm with the licensing call center on 503-378-4621 what evidence it wants for years worked outside Oregon. Two other RMI routes exist but rarely help an inbound contractor: continuous association with an Oregon-licensed business from before 1 July 2000 with no lapse over 24 months, and a sole proprietor exemption under Oregon Laws 2018 chapter 46, which in any case only produces a residential endorsement. OAR 812-003-0265 separately gives the spouse of an active-duty servicemember stationed in Oregon a temporary authorization of up to two years, available for both commercial general levels, on a current out-of-state general, commercial or residential contractor license in good standing, with competency shown by the NASCLA examination, the Oregon examination, or eight years of licensed contracting in another state, plus three hours of Board education. The license must be applied for within two years of passing the Oregon test, and the Board charges no separate fee for the endorsement on a new application.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility
Typical processing: About 42 days

What you must already have

You must have passed a licensing exam in South Dakota that the destination considers comparable.OAR 812-006-0310 accepts the pass whenever it was earned and proves it by the RMI's name appearing in the NASCLA National Examination Database. The NASCLA examination is an exam credential rather than a license or an interstate agreement, so it is open to a candidate from any state and confers no advantage tied to where the applicant is licensed. It does not waive the Oregon contractor test, the key-employee experience, the bond, the insurance or the fee. An applicant without it takes 16 hours of approved training instead.
For Commercial General Contractor Level 1, one or more key employees with a combined total of at least eight years of construction experience; for Level 2, a combined total of at least four years. A key employee is an owner or employee who is a corporate officer, manager, superintendent, foreperson or lead person.The qualifying years are time worked as a licensed contractor, journeyman, foreperson or supervisor or as any other employee engaged in construction work for a licensed contractor, and ORS 701.050 does not confine that to Oregon, so out-of-state years count. Completion of an apprenticeship substitutes for up to three years, a bachelor's degree in a construction-related field for up to three, a bachelor's or master's degree in business, finance or economics for up to two, and an associate's degree in construction or building management for one. The contractor certifies the total on the application and at every renewal.
The business must designate at least one Responsible Managing Individual: an owner or an employee who exercises management or supervisory authority over the construction activities of the business. An RMI who is not an owner may serve only one licensee at a time, and a business that loses its RMI must appoint a replacement immediately or a temporary RMI for no more than 14 days, or the license is suspended.
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.ORS 701.098(1)(d). The application also requires five years of construction-related court judgments, administrative orders, pending complaints, convictions and indictments from any state, and unsatisfied construction debt blocks a new license for the business owners and for the RMI until it is paid.

What you'll do to get licensed in Oregon

1Other. At least 16 hours of pre-license training on business practices and law from a CCB-approved education provider, taken by the RMI. It is required of every applicant except an RMI who has passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, and except the narrow RMI route based on continuous Oregon licensure from before July 2000. Providers set their own prices, so the Board publishes no figure; the approved provider list is on the CCB site and the education team can be reached on 503-934-2227. (if applicable).
2Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. The Oregon contractor test, administered by PSI at test centers in Oregon and other states or by remote proctor: 80 scored questions in 180 minutes, plus 8 unscored questions and 20 minutes, with 70 percent needed to pass. It is open book against the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management for Oregon Construction Contractors, 2nd edition, which may be highlighted, tabbed and annotated beforehand. The subjects are Oregon contractor laws and regulations, business structure, employees, subcontractors, contracts, lien law, bidding and estimating, project management, building codes, jobsite safety, environmental factors, exterior shell, financial management and tax basics. There is no separate commercial or trade examination. A failed test may be retaken without limit, though not the same version on consecutive attempts, and the license application must follow within two years of the pass..
3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($60). PSI examination fee, payable when the test is scheduled. It covers first-time and repeat takers and stays valid for one year from the date of payment..
4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($400). CCB license application fee for a new license, set at $400 for applications received from 1 July 2025. It covers the two-year license; renewal is a further $400 every two years, and changing or adding an endorsement later costs $20. Application fees are not refunded. A licensee who is a sole proprietor or general partner on active duty in the armed forces does not pay a renewal fee falling due during that service..
5Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($25,000). A commercial surety bond sized to the level chosen: $25,000 for Commercial General Contractor Level 2 and $80,000 for Level 1. The Board accepts only its own CCB Commercial Surety Bond form, signed by an authorized agent of the surety or an attorney-in-fact, bearing a bond number, and filed within 60 days of the date the surety executed it. A commercial bond answers only for small and large commercial work, so a contractor also taking a residential endorsement posts a second, residential bond. Commercial Specialty Level 1 is $55,000 and Level 2 $25,000..
6Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($1,000,000). General liability insurance sized to the level chosen: at least $1 million aggregate for Commercial General Contractor Level 2 and at least $2 million aggregate for Level 1, covering products and completed operations, with the certificate naming Construction Contractors Board, PO Box 14140, Salem, OR 97309 as certificate holder. Proof is filed with the application and again at every renewal. A contractor holding both a commercial and a residential endorsement carries a single policy at the higher of the two amounts..
7Insurance. Carry the required insurance (if applicable). Workers' compensation coverage, required of any business that is non-exempt, meaning it has employees. A sole proprietor with no employees, and a business in which every owner, officer or member is a family member, may file as exempt; the Board defines family as parents, spouses, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law and grandchildren. A non-exempt applicant supplies its carrier, policy number, Workers' Compensation Division compliance number and employer tax identification numbers, and any change between exempt and non-exempt status must be reported to the Board within 10 days..
8Business license. Obtain a business license. A business entity that is required to register with the Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division must be registered, active and in good standing before the license issues, and every assumed business name used by the applicant must be registered as that entity's assumed business name. An out-of-state entity registers in Oregon in the same way. A joint venture is licensed and endorsed for bidding purposes if a named partner or joint venturer holds the license and endorsement..
9Background check. Complete a background check. The RMI clears a background check after the application is filed. The application itself asks the business and its owners and officers to disclose, for the five years before the application and from any state, unsatisfied construction-related court judgments and administrative orders, pending complaints alleging money owed, and judgments of conviction or indictments for the crimes listed in ORS 701.098, along with unpaid workers' compensation penalties and unpaid employee wages. Unsatisfied construction debt keeps both the owners and the RMI from obtaining a new CCB license until it is paid..
10Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($30,000) (if applicable). A separate $30,000 public works bond, filed with the Board before work starts on a qualifying public works project over $100,000. It is not part of the licensing application, but it is the second bond most commercial general contractors in Oregon end up posting. Disadvantaged, minority, women-owned, service-disabled veteran and emerging small businesses certified by the state may apply for an exemption..
11Continuing education. Complete continuing education (if applicable). Not required to obtain the license. Each two-year license period a Commercial General Contractor Level 2 must certify that one or more key employees completed at least 32 hours of continuing education; a Level 1 contractor's requirement scales with the lowest number of key employees it had during the period, at 16 hours for one, 32 for two, 48 for three, 64 for four and 80 for five or more. Hours count only if the key employee was employed by the contractor when the course was taken, and hours credited at one renewal cannot be reused at the next. Contractors who also hold certain Oregon licenses, including architect, engineer, electrician and plumber, are exempt..
12Other. A contractor whose Oregon work will include boiler, electrical, elevator or plumbing installation also needs the matching Building Codes Division contractor license, and OAR 918-030-0015 requires an active CCB license before the division will issue or renew one. The CCB license comes first, and it does not replace the division license..

Published fees on this path total $460, 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 · if applicable
Law / code exam
Exam fee · $60

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 · $25,000
Surety bond · $30,000 · if applicable

Liability insurance

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

Insurance · $1,000,000
Insurance · 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 · if applicable

How Oregon licenses general contractors

Oregon general contractor · “Construction contractor license with the Commercial General Contractor Level 1 or Level 2 (CGC1/CGC2) endorsement”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)

Oregon's unlimited tier is the Commercial General Contractor endorsement, carried on the same single construction contractor license the Construction Contractors Board issues to everyone: ORS 701.021 requires a current CCB license plus the endorsement that matches the work, and the endorsement is what sets the bond and the insurance. A Commercial General Contractor may bid or perform work involving an unlimited number of unrelated building trades on small or large commercial structures, and it comes in two levels that are allowed to do exactly the same work and differ only in what stands behind them. Level 1 requires one or more key employees with a combined total of at least eight years of construction experience, an $80,000 commercial bond and general liability insurance of at least $2 million aggregate; Level 2 requires four combined years, a $25,000 commercial bond and at least $1 million aggregate. A key employee is an owner or employee who is a corporate officer, manager, superintendent, foreperson or lead person, the qualifying years are time as a licensed contractor, journeyman, foreperson or supervisor or as another employee doing construction work for a licensed contractor, and an apprenticeship or a construction-related bachelor's degree substitutes for up to three years, a bachelor's or master's in business, finance or economics for up to two, and an associate's degree in construction or building management for one. Alongside it sit Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 1 and Level 2 for one or two unrelated trades and Commercial Developer; a license may carry one commercial endorsement, one residential endorsement, or one of each, and a contractor holding both posts two bonds and carries one liability policy at the higher amount. As at every level the license belongs to the business and must at all times have at least one Responsible Managing Individual, an owner or employee with management or supervisory authority over its construction activities, who has completed 16 hours of CCB-approved pre-license training and passed the Oregon contractor test. Oregon imposes no net worth, working capital or financial statement test; the key-employee experience certification, the bond and the insurance are the only financial gates.

Moving to Oregon Leaving Oregon

Why South Dakota has nothing to transfer

South Dakota general contractor

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 10 sources

South Dakota has no state general, commercial or building contractor license and no state board that examines or qualifies builders, so there is nothing at state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into. The Department of Labor and Regulation's occupational licensing list has an Electrical Commission, a Plumbing Commission and a Board of Technical Professions for architects and engineers, and no contractor board, so the credentials that matter at state level are the electrical and plumbing licenses held by the subcontractors and the design professionals who stamp the drawings. Commercial building is governed locally, and most of the state's larger cities license less at this level than at the residential one: Sioux Falls states that it 'does not require Commercial Building Contractors to be licensed at this time', Aberdeen says commercial contractors are not required to be licensed through the city because commercial projects are designed and overseen by architects and engineers, and Brookings publishes a residential contractor license and no commercial equivalent. Rapid City is the exception, licensing a Class A general contractor for construction of all types of structures on the ICC National Standard General Building Contractor (A) examination. Every contractor, commercial included, must hold a free contractor's excise tax license from the Department of Revenue before starting work anywhere in the state, and the 2% contractor's excise tax falls on the prime contractor's gross receipts.

How local licensing works in South Dakota

How it works in South Dakota. No South Dakota agency issues a general, commercial, building or unlimited contractor license, and there is no state qualifying party, business-and-law examination or financial responsibility test. Commercial construction is controlled through the building permit and the plan review, and by the state's requirement that commercial projects be designed and overseen by licensed architects and engineers. The one thing the state does require of every commercial contractor is a contractor's excise tax license from the Department of Revenue: 'an individual must be licensed before starting work in South Dakota. All contractors must be licensed regardless of the amount of the receipts they have or the amount of tax due.' It is free, it is applied for online, and the 2% contractor's excise tax is imposed on the gross receipts of the prime contractor. Get it first; cities ask for the card.

Rapid City. This is the one city of the four that licenses commercial builders, and its Class A license is the most demanding contractor credential in South Dakota. Class A is the 'General Contractor' class, 'for construction of any and All types of structures', and it is issued on the ICC National Standard General Building Contractor (A) examination, known as the G11, taken through Pearson VUE: 4.5 hours, 90 multiple-choice questions, open book, based on the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code, with an examination fee of $115.00 and testing at the Career Learning Center, 730 E Watertown St. The license itself is $200 initially and $100 to renew, runs three years and carries six hours of continuing education per period. Every applicant files a certificate of insurance naming the City of Rapid City as certificate holder, and no other form is accepted, with minimum general aggregate liability of $1,000,000, $300,000 fire damage and $1,000,000 each occurrence, plus a workers' compensation certificate or a signed statement of non-participation. A copy of the South Dakota excise tax certificate is part of the packet, and an electrical contractor class separately requires proof of a South Dakota electrical contractor's license. No verifiable experience is required for Class A, and the packet offers no waiver, credit or reciprocity for a contractor license held in another city or another state: a licensee who lets the license lapse beyond the one-year grace period must reapply and pass the examination again. Building Services is on (605) 394-4120.

Sioux Falls. The city's position is one sentence long: 'The City of Sioux Falls does not require Commercial Building Contractors to be licensed at this time.' What it requires instead is that each individual project goes through plan review and obtains the proper permits. Note that apartment buildings count as commercial for construction purposes even though they are residential in use, so a multifamily builder falls outside the residential license as well. The electrical, mechanical, plumbing, refrigeration, sign and right-of-way trades are separately licensed by the city, and right-of-way contractors must be bonded and insured before working in a city right-of-way. Plans examiners are on 605-367-8248 and building inspectors on 605-367-8251.

Aberdeen. 'Because the majority of commercial construction projects are required to be designed and overseen by design professionals (i.e. Professional Architects and Professional Engineers), Commercial Contractors are not required to be licensed through the City of Aberdeen. Commercial Contractors are required to obtain a South Dakota Excise Tax License.' Electricians are licensed by the state, with state permits and state inspections in Aberdeen; plumbers are licensed by the state but permitted and inspected by city inspectors. Building Inspection is at City Hall, 123 South Lincoln Street, 3rd Floor, 605-626-7017.

Brookings. Community Development issues a residential contractor license, a plumber license, building permits and rental licenses, and publishes no commercial or general building contractor license; all work must conform to the International Building Code and electrical and plumbing work must be done by trades licensed by the state and the city. Because the city publishes no commercial contractor application, confirm what is expected of a commercial builder with Community Development on (605) 692-6629 before bidding. Building permits also apply on nonagricultural land in the joint jurisdictional area about three miles beyond the city.

Everywhere else. Other South Dakota cities set their own permit and licensing rules, and the further from the larger cities you go the more likely it is that a permit and proof of insurance are all that is asked. Check with each building official, and hold the state excise tax license wherever you work.

Moving to South Dakota Leaving South Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Oregon general contractor exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?: The trade exam is waived, but Oregon requires a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Oregon general contractor license from South Dakota?: Published fees on this path total $460, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my South Dakota work hours count in Oregon?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oregon's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 42 days.
Does it work the other way, from Oregon to South Dakota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Oregon to South Dakota, 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
CCB Frequently Asked Questions (application), updated 3/2026 · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
Construction Contractors Board - Continuing education · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
CCB License Endorsements chart (11/2024) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Other · verified September 17, 2026
Oregon Construction Contractors Board Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 17, 2026
Construction Contractors Board - How to get a CCB license (9 steps) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
CCB Sole Proprietorship License Application · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Form · verified September 17, 2026
Construction Contractors Board - Licensing (bonds, insurance, public works bond) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
OAR chapter 812, division 3 - Construction Contractors Board licensing · OAR 812-003-0131, 812-003-0142, 812-003-0152, 812-003-0153, 812-003-0260, 812-003-0265, 812-003-0270 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
OAR chapter 812, division 6 - Responsible Managing Individual, pre-licensure training, and testing · OAR 812-006-0100, 812-006-0110, 812-006-0150, 812-006-0160, 812-006-0300, 812-006-0310, 812-006-0450 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
OAR chapter 812, division 20 - Continuing education for construction contractors with commercial endorsements · OAR 812-020-0030 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
OAR 918-030-0015 - Contractor licenses (Building Codes Division requires a CCB license) · OAR 918-030-0015 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
ORS chapter 701 - Construction Contractors and Contracts (2025 edition) · ORS 701.005(16)-(17), 701.021, 701.042, 701.046, 701.050, 701.056, 701.063, 701.068, 701.073, 701.081, 701.084, 701.091, 701.098, 701.122 · Oregon Legislature · Statute · 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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