LicensebyState

Florida to Michigan: residential contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 21 sources

Michigan gives no credit for a Florida residential contractor license. You qualify from scratch.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Out-of-state builders (every state; Michigan has no reciprocity or endorsement)

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

LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes states that "the State of Michigan does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing," and Article 24 contains no reciprocity, endorsement or license-by-credential route for builders. A builder or remodeler licensed elsewhere therefore applies exactly as a first-time applicant: 60 hours of approved prelicensure education across seven set subjects, the $195 non-refundable application with a copy of a state-issued photo ID and the course certificate, LARA approval to test, and a passing score on the Michigan examination at a PSI center. Out-of-state years and projects shorten nothing, because Michigan sets no experience requirement to begin with, and Michigan gives no credit for another state's trade exam. A nonresident may hold the license — the statute says a nonresident "may become a licensee under this article by conforming with this article" — but must file a notarized Consent to Service of Process with the application, and must still maintain a physical place of business in Michigan, which cannot be a post office box; a foreign corporation must also be authorized to do business in Michigan. The one route to a license without the Michigan exam is for service members, veterans and their dependents who have held a license in the same occupation in another state in good standing for at least a year that LARA finds substantially equivalent, and a spouse of an active-duty member stationed in Michigan can get a six-month temporary builder or M&A license on an out-of-state license for $15.

The business-and-law part is not a separate sitting. Since 14 November 2019 PSI has delivered the Residential Builder trade part and the business-and-law part as one combined 160-question examination, and an M&A candidate answers the same 50 business-and-law questions inside each trade examination taken. Order of operations matters: the 60 hours must be finished before the application, LARA must approve the applicant before PSI will schedule, and everything - application, examination and licensure - must be completed within one year of the date LARA received the application, or the fees are forfeited and the application is void. The 45-day estimate combines LARA's published application review time of three to five weeks with the up-to-ten business days PSI takes to make contact, and does not include the time needed to complete the 60-hour course. LARA publishes no NASCLA route for either level, and Michigan is not among the state agencies that accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination, so a NASCLA transcript does nothing here. A veteran who was engaged in construction work while serving can replace the 60-hour course with a commanding officer's affidavit, but must still pass the examination, and must complete the full 60 hours before retaking it if the first attempt fails.

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Do not count
Typical processing
About 45 days

What you must already have

  • At least 18 years old. For a company license, every partner, officer or member must also be at least 18.
  • Good moral character, declared and signed on the application: that the applicant will serve the public in a fair, honest and open manner, and that any judgment of guilt in a criminal proceeding or civil action has been rehabilitated or is not reasonably related to the occupation.LARA may require evidence of good moral character from the applicant and from each partner, trustee, director, officer, member or shareholder of a company applicant (MCL 339.2404(1)). An applicant seeking relicensure must also have satisfied any outstanding penalties or conditions imposed by discipline in Michigan or any other jurisdiction.
  • A place of business in Michigan. MCL 339.2404(4) requires a residential builder or M&A contractor to maintain a place of business in this state, the application will not accept a post office box, and a branch office license is issued for each additional Michigan place of business.This is the requirement that most often surprises an out-of-state applicant. It is a condition of holding the license, not only of applying for it. A nonresident individual or company is otherwise eligible under MCL 339.2406 on filing the notarized Consent to Service of Process, and a foreign corporation must be authorized to do business in Michigan.
  • Holding a builder, home improvement or general contractor license in another state is neither required nor worth anything here: it does not shorten the 60-hour course, waive the examination, reduce a fee or create any separate application route.The only exceptions are the armed-forces examination waiver under MCL 339.217 and the temporary military spouse license under MCL 339.213, both of which are built on an out-of-state license but are open only to service members, veterans and their dependents.

What you'll do to get licensed in Michigan

  1. 1Other. Sixty hours of prelicensure education approved in advance by the Bureau of Construction Codes, completed before the examination and before the application is submitted, with at least 6 hours in each of: business management, estimating and job costing; design and building science; contracts, liability and risk management; marketing and sales; project management and scheduling; the current Michigan Residential Code; and MIOSHA construction safety standards. The remaining 18 hours come from other topics on the approved course list. Approved sponsors may be located outside Michigan, but the course itself must appear on LARA's approved list, and the certificate of completion is filed with the application..
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Michigan Residential Builder examination, administered by PSI: 160 multiple-choice questions, of which 50 are the business and law section, 240 minutes, passing raw score 116, closed book with no reference materials allowed. It is offered in English and Spanish at PSI centers in Dearborn, Holt-Lansing, Southfield, Grand Rapids, Gaylord and Marquette, and is not available for remote online proctoring. An M&A applicant instead sits a combined trade and business-and-law examination for each trade sought (75 to 105 questions, 135 minutes each), taking at least one and at most two trade examinations at a time. LARA writes the questions; PSI only schedules and proctors..
  3. 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Business and law section, 50 multiple-choice questions covering regulatory and statutory requirements, types of business organization, contracts, project management and administration, accounting and finance, insurance, bonds and liens, and personnel. Since 14 November 2019 it cannot be taken separately: it is embedded in the Residential Builder examination and in every M&A trade examination, and it is scored as part of the same combined result..
  4. 4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($195). Non-refundable application and license fee for an Individual Residential Builder or Individual Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license, paid to the State of Michigan with the application. Relicensure after a lapse of more than 60 days costs $185. The fee is waived for a veteran who files a DD-214 showing an honorable discharge or honorable character of service. LARA warns that fees are non-refundable and that submitting duplicate applications only slows review..
  5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($117). PSI examination fee for the combined Residential Builder trade and business-and-law examination, the same amount for a first attempt or a retest, paid to PSI by credit card once LARA approves the applicant to test. An M&A candidate pays $70 for one portion, $99 for two or $114 for three. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable and are good for one year from the date of registration; a reader with time and a half costs $50 more. Missing the appointment, arriving late or canceling with less than two days' notice forfeits the fee..
  6. 6Other. Copy of a state-issued photo ID with the application. An applicant whose photo ID was issued outside Michigan must also file a notarized Consent to Service of Process, which irrevocably appoints the Director of the Bureau of Construction Codes to receive service of process in any non-criminal proceeding arising under the Occupational Code. A company applicant organized outside Michigan files the same consent together with a certified copy of the corporate resolution authorizing it..
  7. 7Business license. Obtain a business license ($195) (if applicable). Residential Builder Company or M&A Contractor Company license, $195 non-refundable, needed only if the work will be contracted in the name of a corporation, LLC, partnership, LLP or LP rather than the individual. The company application is denied and the fee forfeited if it is filed without a qualifying officer, and that qualifying officer must hold and keep their own individual license. Changing the qualifying officer later costs $10. A branch office license, also $195, is required for each additional Michigan place of business..
  8. 8Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Continuing competency, checked at renewal rather than at licensure: 21 hours during each of the first and second three-year license cycles, then 3 hours per cycle from the third onward, including code, safety and legal-issues content. Licenses renew every three years by 31 May for $150, with a $20 late fee that rises to $35 after 60 days. Certificates are kept for at least five years and produced only if LARA audits. A company license carries no continuing education of its own, but the company and the qualifying officer's individual license must both be renewed..
  9. 9Insurance. Carry the required insurance (if applicable). Michigan does not make general liability insurance, a surety bond, a financial statement or a net-worth test a condition of a residential builder or M&A license. Insurance still matters in practice: a building permit application for residential work must name the worker's disability compensation carrier or give the reason the applicant is exempt, along with the license number and expiration date, the federal employer identification number and the Michigan employment security number or the reasons for exemption from each..

Published fees on this path total $312, 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
  • Trade exam
  • Law / code exam
  • Exam fee · $117

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 · $195 · if applicable

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

  • Continuing education

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance · if applicable

How Michigan licenses residential contractors

Michigan residential contractor · “Residential Builder, or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor (by trade)”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Residential Builders' and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors' Board

Michigan licenses home building statewide through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under Article 24 of the Occupational Code (1980 PA 299). There are two credentials and an applicant holds one or the other, never both. The Residential Builder license "allows you to build a complete residential structure and to do maintenance and alteration (remodeling) work." The Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license covers only the trades printed on it, chosen from carpentry, concrete, excavation, insulation work, masonry, siding, roofing, screens and storm sash, gutters, tile and marble, house wrecking, swimming pools and basement waterproofing. A "residential structure" is a detached one- or two-family dwelling or a townhouse of not more than three stories, so neither license reaches apartment buildings or commercial work, and an owner building for their own use and occupancy, or a job whose total contract price is under $600, needs no license at all. The license is person-held: an individual applies in their own legal name, sits the exam and holds the license, and a company may not be named on that application. A corporation, LLC or partnership takes a separate company license and must designate one of its officers, partners, members or its managing agent as the qualifying officer; that person must hold the individual license as well, is responsible for supervising the company's construction operations, and the company license is suspended if they leave or let their own license lapse. Entry is by 60 hours of approved prelicensure education and one closed-book PSI examination that combines the trade and business-and-law parts. Michigan sets no experience, apprenticeship, bond, insurance or net-worth requirement, but every licensee must maintain a physical place of business in Michigan, and licenses run three years.

Moving to MichiganLeaving Michigan

Common questions

Do I have to take the Michigan residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Florida?
Yes. Michigan requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Michigan residential contractor license from Florida?
Published fees on this path total $312, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Florida work hours count in Michigan?
No. Michigan 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 45 days.
Does it work the other way, from Michigan to Florida?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Michigan to Florida, the mechanism is endorsement.

Sources

  1. Michigan LARA BCC - Armed Forces Applicants, Residential Builders and M&A Contractors (prelicensure course exemption) · MCL 339.2404b · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  2. Michigan LARA Form BCC-2000 - Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor License or Relicense Application (Rev. 07/2026) · 1980 PA 299; MCL 338.3434a · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes, Licensing Section · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  3. Michigan LARA Form BCC-2030 - Residential Builder Company or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor Company License or Relicense Application · 1980 PA 299; MCL 338.3434a · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes, Licensing Division · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  4. Michigan LARA BCC - Residential Builder and M&A Contractor License Fees · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  5. Michigan LARA BCC - Obtaining a Residential Builders License or Maintenance and Alteration Contractor License in the State of Michigan (licensure pathway map) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  6. Michigan LARA BCC - Consent to Service of Process (for non-residents only) · MCL 339.2406 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  7. Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (scope of state licensing, processing times) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  8. Michigan LARA BCC - Maintenance & Alteration Contractor License Information (trade list) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  9. Michigan LARA BCC - Military/Uniformed Services Examination Waiver Procedure and License Examination Waiver Request Form · MCL 339.217; 1980 PA 299 / 2016 PA 407 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  10. Michigan LARA BCC - Request for Temporary Military Spouse License Application (Residential Builder, M&A Contractor, Builder Salesperson) · MCL 339.213; 1980 PA 299, MCL 338.3434a · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  11. Michigan LARA BCC - Out-of-State License Verification Form and Instructions for Examination and Licensure Applicants with Out-of-State Experience/License (Rev. 3/22) · 1980 PA 299 / 2016 PA 407 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  12. Michigan LARA BCC - Prelicensure Education Requirements for Residential Builder and Maintenance & Alteration Contractor Applicants · MCL 339.2404b(1) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  13. Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - PSI Examinations · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  14. Michigan LARA BCC - Relicensure (Residential Builders) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  15. Michigan LARA BCC - License/Registration Renewals (Residential Builders section) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  16. Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Residential Builders and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors · 1980 PA 299, Article 24 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  17. Michigan Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, 1972 PA 230 - building permit applications and unlicensed residential work (MCL 125.1521, 125.1523a) · MCL 125.1521(3), 125.1523a · Michigan Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  18. Michigan Occupational Code, 1980 PA 299, Article 24 - Residential Builders and Residential Maintenance and Alteration Contractors (MCL 339.2401 to 339.2412) · MCL 339.2401, 339.2402, 339.2403, 339.2404, 339.2404b, 339.2405, 339.2406, 339.2410 · Michigan Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  19. Michigan Occupational Code, 1980 PA 299 - general provisions, MCL 339.213 (temporary license) and MCL 339.217 (license without examination for armed forces applicants) · MCL 339.213, 339.217 · Michigan Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  20. PSI - Michigan Residential Builder, Maintenance and Alteration (M&A) Contractor and Salesperson Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 3 August 2026 · PSI Services LLC for Michigan LARA · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  21. NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · 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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