LicensebyState

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

Verified September 17, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Business Licensing Division

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

No credit 50
Every state's path into District of Columbia
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaNo credit2026-09-17
AlaskaNo credit2026-09-17
ArizonaNo credit2026-09-17
ArkansasNo credit2026-09-17
CaliforniaNo credit2026-09-17
ColoradoNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
ConnecticutNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
DelawareNo credit2026-09-17
FloridaNo credit2026-09-17
GeorgiaNo credit2026-09-17
HawaiiNo credit2026-09-17
IdahoNo credit2026-09-17
IllinoisNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
IndianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
IowaNo credit2026-09-17
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
KentuckyNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
LouisianaNo credit2026-09-17
MaineNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
MarylandNo credit2026-09-17
MassachusettsNo credit2026-09-17
MichiganNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
MinnesotaNo credit2026-09-17
MississippiNo credit2026-09-17
MissouriNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
MontanaNo credit2026-09-17
NebraskaNo credit2026-09-17
NevadaNo credit2026-09-17
New HampshireNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
New JerseyNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
New MexicoNo credit2026-09-17
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
North CarolinaNo credit2026-09-17
North DakotaNo credit2026-09-17
OhioNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
OklahomaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
OregonNo credit2026-09-17
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
Rhode IslandNo credit2026-09-17
South CarolinaNo credit2026-09-17
South DakotaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
TennesseeNo credit2026-09-17
TexasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
UtahNo credit2026-09-17
VermontNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
VirginiaNo credit2026-09-17
WashingtonNo credit2026-09-17
West VirginiaNo credit2026-09-17
WisconsinNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17
WyomingNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-17

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