Moving to District of Columbia as a general contractor: every state's rule
District of Columbia has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: no credit.
District of Columbia general contractor · “Basic Business License, General Contractor/Construction Manager endorsement (Classes A-E)”
Statewide license
The District of Columbia licenses general contractors and construction managers District-wide through DLCP, which issues a Basic Business License in the Contractor and Construction Services category with a General Contractor/Construction Manager endorsement. The license comes in five classes set by the value of a single contract project: Class A has no limit, Class B stops at $10,000,000, Class C at $5,000,000, Class D at $2,000,000 and Class E at $500,000. The license is entity-held and is not transferable, and no named qualifier stands behind it, because the District sets no trade examination, no business-and-law examination and no experience or apprenticeship requirement for this endorsement. What separates the classes is insurance: commercial general liability of $2,500,000 per occurrence for Class A, $1,500,000 for Class B, $500,000 per occurrence with $1,000,000 aggregate for Classes C and D, and $500,000 per occurrence for Class E, from an insurer authorized in the District and rated B+ or better by A.M. Best, with the D.C. Treasurer named as an additional insured. Applicants also file a credit report and a statement of outstanding judgments, and must disclose every jurisdiction where they hold a license and every disciplinary action taken against them anywhere. Electrical, plumbing and gasfitting, and refrigeration and air conditioning work is licensed separately by the DC Board of Industrial Trades and is not covered by this endorsement.
Every origin state
| State | Mechanism | Note | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Alaska | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Arizona | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Arkansas | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| California | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Colorado | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Connecticut | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Delaware | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Florida | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Georgia | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Hawaii | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Idaho | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Illinois | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Indiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Iowa | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Kansas | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Kentucky | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Louisiana | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Maine | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Maryland | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Massachusetts | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Michigan | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Minnesota | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Mississippi | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Missouri | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Montana | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Nebraska | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Nevada | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| New Hampshire | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| New Jersey | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| New Mexico | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| New York | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| North Carolina | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| North Dakota | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Ohio | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Oklahoma | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Oregon | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Pennsylvania | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Rhode Island | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| South Carolina | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| South Dakota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Tennessee | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Texas | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Utah | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Vermont | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Virginia | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Washington | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| West Virginia | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Wisconsin | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |
| Wyoming | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-17 |