LicensebyState

Colorado to Washington: residential contractor license reciprocity

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

Colorado does not issue a statewide residential contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Washington'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.

Everyone registers the same way; an out-of-state contractor license transfers nothing

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

A residential contractor licensed in another state registers in Washington exactly as a first-time applicant does, and holding that license neither helps nor hinders the application. L&I does not review, verify or credit out-of-state credentials for contractor registration, and it cannot waive anything, because there is nothing to waive: Washington's Contractor Registration Act and its rules impose no examination, no experience requirement and no competency test, and neither the statute, the rules nor the application form mentions reciprocity or another state's license. Washington also does not participate in the NASCLA Accredited Examination program, since it holds no contractor examination for that examination to replace. The steps are the same for an applicant from Idaho, from Florida or from down the street: file a Business License Application with the Department of Revenue for a UBI number (and file with the Secretary of State first if the business is a corporation, LLP or LLC), buy a continuous contractor surety bond of $30,000 for a general registration or $15,000 for a specialty registration, or assign a savings account for the same amount, buy general liability insurance naming L&I as certificate holder, complete and notarize the Application for Construction Contractor Registration (F625-001-000) with a notarized affidavit from every principal, and pay $150.20. The bond, the insurance certificate and the application must all carry the exact business name registered with the Department of Revenue. Registration lasts two years and renews for $150.20.

The 3-4 week figure is L&I's published processing time for applications sent by mail; applications completed in person at a local L&I office are handled at the counter, and the registration card follows in about two weeks either way. The only out-of-state accommodation anywhere in the registration statute is unrelated to skills: RCW 18.27.030(1)(c)(iii) lets an applicant domiciled in a state or Canadian province covered by an extraterritorial workers' compensation agreement file that jurisdiction's certificate of coverage instead of opening a Washington industrial insurance account. L&I's out-of-state specialists can be reached at [email protected] or 360-902-4817. Registration does not cover the licensed trades: a contractor whose crews do plumbing, electrical, elevator, boiler, asbestos or mobile home installation work needs the separate trade license or certification for that work as well.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Do not count
Typical processing
About 28 days

What you must already have

  • Every owner, member, partner and corporate officer must be at least 18 and provide a Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number, a government-issued photo ID number and a residential address, and must sign the application before a notary public.RCW 18.27.030(1)(a) and (g); the age and notarization requirements are stated in the instructions to form F625-001-000. Falsifying the application carries a fine of up to $10,000 and can lead L&I to deny or revoke the registration.
  • The application is denied if a principal has an unsatisfied final judgment for work subject to chapter 18.27 RCW, or owes certain unpaid debts to L&I, or if the business is a successor to a previously registered entity with such a judgment or debt. The application asks whether the applicant, a spouse or registered domestic partner, or anyone with common ownership, management or control has ever been registered as a contractor in Washington.
  • Washington asks for no trade experience, apprenticeship hours, education or examination result, so documented years of homebuilding in another state neither shorten nor replace any step.

What you'll do to get licensed in Washington

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($150.20). Contractor registration issuance fee (WAC 296-200A-900(1)). The registration is valid for two years from issuance and renews for the same $150.20; reinstatement after a suspension costs $70.90 and a duplicate registration certificate costs $16.50. Pay by check or money order if applying by mail, or by cash, check, money order or credit or debit card in person at a local L&I office..
  2. 2Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($30,000). Continuous Contractor's Surety Bond (F625-003-000) naming the State of Washington as obligee, issued by a surety insurer authorized under chapter 48.28 RCW: $30,000 for a general contractor registration, or $15,000 if you register in a single specialty trade. The original signed and sealed bond must be filed with L&I, or the surety may file it through L&I's electronic bond and insurance policy system. An assigned savings account, certificate of deposit, time deposit or money market account at a bank, savings and loan or credit union with a Washington branch (form F625-008-000) may be posted instead. The amount steps up for a contractor with final judgments involving a residential single-family dwelling in the previous five years: for a general registration $40,000 after one judgment, $60,000 after two and $90,000 after three or more (specialty registrations $20,000, $30,000 and $45,000). Cancellation of the bond automatically suspends the registration..
  3. 3Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($250,000). General liability insurance of $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or a $250,000 combined single limit policy, written in the exact business name with L&I named as certificate holder. The original certificate must reach L&I by mail, through the designated insurance agent portal or in person at a service location; L&I does not accept certificates by email or fax. An assigned account in the statutory amounts may be filed instead as proof of financial responsibility (RCW 18.27.050(3)). Cancellation or expiry of the policy automatically suspends the registration..
  4. 4Business license. Obtain a business license. A Washington Business License Application filed with the Department of Revenue Business Licensing Service, producing the nine-digit Uniform Business Identifier (UBI) that goes on the contractor registration application; the UBI must stay active and valid for as long as the registration is held. A corporation, limited partnership, LLP or LLC, including one formed in another state, files with the Secretary of State first. L&I will not process the registration until it confirms that the business license application has been filed and an excise tax account is open. The Department of Revenue's application fee varies with the endorsements the business needs and is not published as a single figure; see dor.wa.gov for the current processing fee..
  5. 5Other. Notarized Application for Construction Contractor Registration (F625-001-000), with an individually notarized affidavit of signature from each owner, member, partner and corporate officer. Signatures must be original, so L&I cannot accept a copy or an emailed application; it is filed in person at a local L&I office or mailed to Contractor Registration, PO Box 44450, Olympia WA 98504-4450 together with the bond, the insurance certificate and the fee..
  6. 6Other. Workers' compensation coverage and an employment security department number if the business will have employees, opened through the Department of Revenue; a business with no Washington employees may substitute its UBI account number. An applicant domiciled in a state or Canadian province with an extraterritorial coverage agreement may instead file that jurisdiction's certificate of workers' compensation coverage (RCW 18.27.030(1)(c)(iii)). An employer identification number is needed from the IRS unless the applicant is a sole proprietor with no employees..
  7. 7Other. Model Disclosure Statement, Notice to Customer (F625-030-000), which the contractor must give the customer on every residential job of $1,000 or more and on commercial projects of $1,000 to $60,000. The registration number must also appear on all business communications, including business cards, advertising, estimates and bid proposals..
  8. 8Other. Separate trade licensing where the work calls for it. Contractor registration does not authorize plumbing, electrical, elevator, boiler, asbestos or mobile home installation work; each of those carries its own education, examination and licensing requirements under its own chapter, and electrical work is licensed under chapter 19.28 RCW rather than as a registration specialty. Lead-based paint work in pre-1978 housing is administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce and pesticide application by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. (if applicable).

Published fees on this path total $150.20, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

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 · $30,000

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance · $250,000

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

How Washington licenses residential contractors

Washington residential contractor · “General Contractor Registration (or a Specialty Contractor Registration)”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Contractor Registration

Washington does not license residential building contractors. It registers every construction contractor with the Department of Labor & Industries, and registration is the only credential a homebuilder or remodeler needs: there is no trade examination, no business-and-law examination, no experience or apprenticeship requirement, no financial statement and no named qualifying party anywhere in chapter 18.27 RCW or chapter 296-200A WAC. The same registration covers houses and commercial buildings, because Washington's two classifications divide work by the number of trades rather than by market. A General contractor registration is for a business whose work uses more than one building trade on a single job or under a single building permit, and it covers residential and commercial work alike; a Specialty contractor registration limits the business to one of 63 named trades such as roofing, framing and rough carpentry, siding, drywall or HVAC. L&I's own application makes the point explicitly: it asks whether you will do commercial, residential or both, then says the question is 'for statistical reasons and you will not be held to the type you choose.' A developer who subdivides land for residential purposes or builds one or more residential units needs the general registration, and there is no separate homebuilder, residential builder or home improvement credential above or below it. The registration belongs to the business rather than to a person, so a builder moving to Washington registers the sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or LLC that will sign contracts; every owner, member, partner and corporate officer signs the application before a notary and provides a Social Security number or ITIN, and each must be at least 18. What Washington requires instead of qualifications is financial protection for the customer: a Uniform Business Identifier from the Department of Revenue, a continuous $30,000 surety bond for a general registration or $15,000 for a specialty registration, general liability insurance of $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage or $250,000 combined single limit, and a $150.20 fee for a two-year registration.

Moving to WashingtonLeaving Washington

Why Colorado has nothing to transfer

Colorado residential contractor · “Residential / Home Builder contractor license (Class C in most jurisdictions)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 18 sources

Colorado issues no statewide residential or home builder contractor license. DORA's consumer page says plainly that general contractors are not licensed at the state level and tells consumers to check with their city, and the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's exam notice states that "Colorado does NOT have a state license for the building or mechanical trades." Homebuilding is licensed instead by each city, county or regional building department, most of which use a Class C tier for one- and two-family dwellings; Denver calls it Residential Contractor Class C, Colorado Springs calls it Building Contractor C (Home Builder), Fort Collins splits it into Classes D1 and D2, and Aurora calls it Residential Building Contractor. The license is normally issued to the contracting business and is qualified by a named individual who holds the supervisor certificate, so an arriving builder usually applies for the personal certificate first and the company license second. Almost every licensing jurisdiction accepts the same underlying credential - the ICC National Standard Residential Building Contractor (C) examination - which makes the exam, rather than an out-of-state license, the thing that actually travels. A license must be obtained in each jurisdiction where the builder will pull permits, and a few places, such as unincorporated Douglas County, require only registration and no exam at all.

How local licensing works in Colorado

How local licensing works. There is no state contractor board, so each city, county or regional building department writes its own contractor ordinance under its building code. Class letters mean different things in different places, and holding a license in one Colorado jurisdiction does not let you pull permits in the next one. Most jurisdictions build the residential tier around the ICC National Standard Residential Building Contractor (C) examination, which is open book, multiple choice and delivered by Pearson VUE; the same exam appears under different ICC exam IDs (W13, F13, G13) because each jurisdiction adopts a different edition of the building code and requires a current one. Passing an ICC exam is not itself a license - it is a credential you then present to each building department, which also verifies your experience.

Denver. Licensing is two steps. The individual first earns a Residential Contractor Class C supervisor certificate, which covers erecting, adding to, altering or repairing one- and two-family dwellings, U occupancy buildings and attached single-unit dwellings (IRC townhouses). It requires two years of field work as a journeyman carpenter or construction foreman with foundation, framing and roofing experience, documented with notarized letters, plus ICC exam #F13 National Standard Residential Building Contractor C. The certificate costs $60 and renews every three years. The business then applies for the Residential Contractor Class C license, $250 for three years. Denver states that it "does not accept or reciprocate contractor licenses and/or certificates from other counties or states."

Colorado Springs, El Paso County and nearby towns (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department). PPRBD licenses for unincorporated El Paso County, Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Green Mountain Falls, Monument, Palmer Lake, Calhan and Woodland Park. Building Contractor C (Home Builder) covers one- and two-family dwellings up to three stories plus accessory structures, and R-2 buildings of up to eight units and two stories; the license fee is $150 with a $50 non-refundable application fee. Building Contractor E covers residential accessory structures and interior nonstructural remodeling, $75. Applicants file three reference forms documenting experience, a liability insurance certificate naming PPRBD, a workers' compensation certificate or rejection of coverage, a Colorado certificate of good standing and a name-based judicial record check; the Licensing Committee and Board of Review act on each file. PPRBD accepts ICC National Standardized or ICC Colorado Standard exams passed on or after January 1, 2016 and states that "no out-of-state exams will be accepted."

Aurora. Residential Building Contractor "Requires ICC Residential Building Contractor 'C' Certification"; the supervisor license fee is $131 and the license fee is $235, and registration plus three job references are also required. Remodeling contractors register with three years of documented experience instead of taking an exam.

Fort Collins. The residential-only classes are D1 (single-family attached and detached, no more than two dwelling units, townhouses), D2 (detached garages and Group U Division 1 occupancies up to 1,000 sq ft), E(R) nonstructural residential alterations and MM. All of them require ICC exam G13, plus three project verifications, each with the permit and the final inspection or certificate of occupancy, signed by someone unconnected to the applicant's company. General liability of $1,000,000 per person and $2,000,000 per accident and aggregate is required. A new license with supervisor certificate is $300 for two years, including a $75 non-refundable application fee.

Boulder. Class C covers construction, alteration, wrecking or repair of any detached one- and two-family dwelling or townhome and requires the ICC C Contractors certificate. Boulder states that it "does not accept reciprocal licenses from other jurisdictions," and its license covers work inside city limits only. Fee amounts are published in Boulder's contractor license application and schedule of fees.

Jefferson County. For unincorporated Jefferson County, a Class C license (labeled 2018 G13) covers one- and two-family dwellings and accessory buildings. The county accepts "proof that you have passed an appropriate ICC exam within the last 3 years or ... a copy of a valid license issued from an ICC participating jurisdiction." The fee is $50 and the license renews annually.

Arapahoe County. Building Contractor Class C (residential) costs $180 and requires an ICC Class "C" certification or an equivalent certification from a recognized state or national certification entity. General liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate must name the county.

Lakewood. Contractors register with Public Works; class A-3 Residential covers new construction and remodeling. The registration page does not impose an exam on general contractors but asks A-1 and A-2 applicants to attach any ICC certifications held. The fee is $150 for the first probationary year and $400 for each subsequent three-year renewal.

Douglas County. Unincorporated Douglas County requires registration rather than a license and states that it "has no testing requirements." Registrants file the application, workers' compensation proof or an exemption statement and business liability insurance naming the Building Division; registration fees are currently waived and applications are processed in about two business days.

Out-of-state holders. No Colorado jurisdiction reviewed grants a residential contractor license on the strength of another state's license. Denver and Boulder say so expressly, and PPRBD will not accept out-of-state exam results. The practical route is to pass the ICC National Standard Residential Building Contractor (C) exam on a code edition the jurisdiction currently accepts, gather documented project experience and references, and then apply separately in each city or county where you intend to build. Jefferson County is the clearest exception: it will take a current license from another ICC participating jurisdiction in place of the exam. Confirm the class, exam code year and fee with the building department before applying, because these change independently in every jurisdiction.

Moving to ColoradoLeaving Colorado

Common questions

Do I have to take the Washington residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Colorado?
No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
What does it cost to get a Washington residential contractor license from Colorado?
Published fees on this path total $150.20, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Colorado work hours count in Washington?
No. Washington does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
How long does the application take?
The board's published or typical processing time is about 28 days.
Does it work the other way, from Washington to Colorado?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Washington to Colorado, 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. NASCLA Commercial Exam - Participating State Agencies · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  3. Washington Department of Revenue - Apply for a business license (UBI number) · Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  4. L&I Form F625-001-000 - Application for Construction Contractor Registration (rev. 07-2026) · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  5. L&I - Register as a Contractor · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  6. RCW 18.27.010 - Definitions (contractor, general contractor, specialty contractor) · RCW 18.27.010 · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  7. RCW 18.27.030 - Application for registration - Grounds for denial and suspension · RCW 18.27.030 · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  8. RCW 18.27.040 - Bond or other security required · RCW 18.27.040 · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  9. RCW 18.27.050 - Insurance or financial responsibility required · RCW 18.27.050 · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  10. RCW 18.27.060 - Certificate of registration - Issuance, duration, renewal - Suspension · RCW 18.27.060 · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  11. Chapter 18.27 RCW - Registration of Contractors (full chapter text) · Chapter 18.27 RCW · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  12. WAC 296-200A-016 - Definitions of the specialty contractor classifications for the purpose of contractor registration only · WAC 296-200A-016; WAC 296-200A-015 · Washington State Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  13. WAC 296-200A-025 - How does a contractor register, renew, reregister or reinstate its registration? · WAC 296-200A-025 · Washington State Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  14. WAC 296-200A-030 - How much are the surety bond or savings account amounts? · WAC 296-200A-030 · Washington State Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  15. WAC 296-200A-900 - What fees does the department charge contractors for issuance, renewal, reregistration, and reinstatement of certificates of registration? · WAC 296-200A-900 · Washington State Legislature · 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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