Moving to Georgia as a general contractor: every state's rule

1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($210). Non-refundable application fee of $210: a $200 application fee plus a $10 processing fee, as printed on the Board's fee schedule and its general contractor examination application. Applications are filed and paid in the GOALS portal; confirm the current amount on the GOALS fee schedule at https://goals.sos.ga.gov/GASOSOneStop/s/fee-schedules before paying..
2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, given by PSI after the Board approves you: 115 questions in 330 minutes, open book, 70% (81 correct) to pass. A NASCLA score already earned elsewhere is accepted by transcript..
3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($106). PSI fee for the NASCLA exam when taken through Georgia's PSI program. A candidate who already passed it elsewhere pays NASCLA for the transcript instead..
4. 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Georgia Business and Law exam, given by PSI: 50 questions in 120 minutes, open book with the Georgia-NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management (3rd edition), 70% (35 correct) to pass. Both exams must be passed within the one-year approval period..
5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($60). PSI fee for the Business and Law exam, paid to PSI when you schedule it..
6. 6Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility of at least $150,000. Affirmed minimum net worth of $150,000 for the unlimited General Contractor license, or $25,000 for the Limited Tier. A qualifying agent affirms the company's net worth, not their own. Audited or reviewed financial statements are not required with the application, but the Board may ask for them..
7. 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). General liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence, shown on a current ACORD certificate of insurance naming the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217 as certificate holder. It must be in place before the license is issued. An individual applicant must be the named insured; for a qualifying agent the company is the insured. Workers' compensation insurance is also required once the business has three or more employees..
8. 8Business license. Obtain a business license. To contract through an LLC, corporation, partnership or other entity, the business must be registered with the Georgia Corporations Division, with a certificate of authority if it was formed outside Georgia, and you apply as its qualifying agent. An individual license cannot be used for work done by a company, even one you own..
9. 9Other. Character, tax and identity disclosures: a Secure and Verifiable Document such as a driver's license or passport with the affidavit of lawful presence, confirmation that income, payroll and unemployment taxes have been paid (for the company if you are a qualifying agent), answers on judgments and any bankruptcy in the last 10 years, and disclosure of any criminal history other than minor traffic violations with a letter of explanation and court documents. The Board reviews criminal history case by case; it does not require fingerprints..

Published fees on this path total $376, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.