LicensebyState

Missouri to Washington: residential contractor license reciprocity

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

Missouri 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 Missouri has nothing to transfer

Missouri residential contractor · “Residential Building Contractor / Class C general contractor / construction business license (city-issued)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 19 sources

Issued by No state authority; cities and counties license, register or exempt residential contractors

Missouri issues no statewide residential contractor, home builder or remodeler license. The Division of Professional Registration's own list of regulated professions contains exactly one construction trade - Electrical Contractors - and Title XXII of the Revised Statutes, which holds every occupational licensing chapter from 324 to 346, has no chapter for contractors or builders at all. The one statewide construction credential Missouri does offer is the voluntary electrical contractor license under RSMo 324.900 to 324.945, and its own definitions confine it to electrical contracting; there is no building-contractor equivalent, so a residential builder has nothing at state level to apply for or transfer. Plumbers are examined by cities over 15,000 people and by first-classification counties under RSMo chapter 341, again locally rather than by a state board. Housebuilding is therefore regulated jurisdiction by jurisdiction, and Missouri splits sharply in two: Kansas City and Independence run genuine competency programs built on ICC or Prometric examinations, while St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Springfield, Columbia and Jefferson City ask a residential builder for nothing more than a business license and proof of workers' compensation. A contractor moving to Missouri qualifies separately in each place where permits will be pulled, and in the two testing cities the credential that actually travels is a passing score on a recognized national residential-builder examination rather than another state's license.

How local licensing works in Missouri

How it works in Missouri. There is no state contractor board, no state application and no state exam. Each city or county writes its own ordinance, so a builder holds whatever the local jurisdiction requires everywhere it works, and a credential from one Missouri city does not carry into the next of its own force. The single statewide preemption in Missouri construction law is the electrical one: RSMo 324.925 forces every political subdivision to recognize a statewide electrical contractor license and bars it from testing that holder's electrical proficiency. Nothing equivalent exists for builders, and the statute expressly leaves cities free to license and examine in other trades. What that produces is two very different kinds of place. In Kansas City and Independence a residential builder is examined and personally qualified. In St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Springfield, Columbia and Jefferson City the trades are examined and the builder is not - the builder simply buys a business license.

Kansas City. City Planning & Development runs a two-part system under Article XII of the Kansas City Building and Rehabilitation Code, and it is the only place in Missouri with a purpose-built residential builder credential. An individual first earns the Residential Building Supervisor certificate of qualification, which covers "constructing, structurally altering or enlarging any one- or two-family detached dwelling or townhouse including detached accessory buildings in excess of 400 square feet." The applicant files an application with a $60.00 nonrefundable fee and "shall earn a passing score on one of the two recognized exams administered for Kansas City, Missouri: the residential construction (10344) examination administered by Prometric or the standard residential building contractor (W13) examination administered by ICC." The exam is waived where the applicant holds "a passing score on a standard Prometric or ICC examination or other department-approved national testing agency examination comparable in content," documented to the Building Official's satisfaction - and the city states outright that it built the program to match Independence and Johnson County, so "if you have passed a residential builder exam in either of these jurisdictions, you will not be required to retest," and continuing education hours earned there count toward renewal. Being a Missouri-registered engineer or architect does not substitute for the exam. The company then applies for the Residential Building Contractor license, which needs a full-time managerial employee holding the supervisor certificate (the owner may be that person), a business license from the Finance Department, a current Missouri Secretary of State registration and a certificate of insurance carrying at least a $1,000,000 aggregate limit per occurrence and naming the City of Kansas City as additional insured. Fees are $60.00 to apply and $181.00 to issue, with $181.00 quadrennial renewals on both the license and the certificate; the certificate itself is free for its first four years. Applications go through CompassKC; [email protected], (816) 513-1500.

Independence. The city licenses the individual, not the company: "contractor licenses belong to the licensed individual, NOT a company," and "anyone hired to complete permittable work within the City of Independence" needs one. The residential tier is the Class C general contractor license, described as residential only, and the license "covers framing, footings, and general construction." Qualification is one of three things: ICC or Prometric test scores from within the last five years at 75 percent or better; "a current, active license with a jurisdiction that we reciprocate with," which the city defines broadly as "any jurisdiction that issues licenses in a similar fashion"; or, for a general contractor license, a bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture or construction science from an accredited college or university. Licenses expire on December 31 every year with no proration. A business license shows you may trade in the city; the contractor license shows you are qualified to do the work, and you need both. Authorized users may be added to a license, but the holder answers for their work. [email protected], (816) 325-7401.

St. Louis City. The Building Division operates four boards of examiners - electrical, mechanical contractors and pipefitters, plumbers and drainlayers, and sprinkler system contractors - and none of them touches building contractors. A residential builder needs a construction or contracting business license from the License Collector: a state tax number, the application form, clearance from the Collector of Revenue, an occupancy permit from the Building Division, and proof of workers' compensation coverage or a signed statement that the law does not require it. The city also requires that "all general contractors ... furnish a list of the sub-contractors on any job to the License Collector." No exam, experience or bond applies. Building Division, City Hall Room 425, 1200 Market St., (314) 622-3313.

St. Louis County. The county is explicit: "the County does not license general contractors," though it "does verify that out-of-state contractors are registered with the state," and it "does register all repair contractors that obtain permits for repairs from a natural disaster such as a flood or severe storm." What it does license is the trades, through Transportation and Public Works: electrical licensing, mechanical licensing (four contractor categories under the county Mechanical Code) and plumbing licensing, each with its own board, and "the County only issues trade permits to licensed contractors." A homebuilder in unincorporated St. Louis County therefore pulls permits without a county builder credential but must use licensed trade contractors. 41 South Central Ave., 6th Floor, Clayton, 314-615-5184. Note that most of the county's ninety-odd municipalities run their own building departments, so check the city as well.

Springfield. Building Development Services will not issue a permit until "a City-licensed General Contractor (GC) or Trade Master (TM) ... is listed on the permit," so the credential is mandatory - but it is a business license, obtained from the License Division, not a tested qualification. Springfield's testing program covers the crafts only: "electricians, plumbers, gas fitters, and mechanical craftsmen must be tested and certified to afford competence and knowledge of the codes," and those trades may substitute an out-of-jurisdiction exam score of 75 percent or better from Prometric, Experior, Block or ICC where the examination is identical to Springfield's. Contractors who carry workers' compensation file proof of it; those who are not required to carry it sign a notarized exemption statement. Permit desk 417-864-1585, License Division 417-864-1617.

Columbia. Community Development's Building and Site Development division licenses trades only - Trade Apprentice, Electrical Certification, Mechanical Certification and Plumbing Certification - because "electricians, plumbers, gas fitters and mechanical craftsman must be tested and certified," with the tests "administered by a private testing firm according to a regular schedule." There is no builder certification and no board of building examiners. A residential contractor takes out a city business license instead: $0.25 per $1,000 of gross receipts with a $75 annual minimum, a $10,000 annual maximum and a $45 application fee, plus a certificate of workers' compensation insurance for any construction business with one or more employees. Business License Division 573-874-7378.

Jefferson City. "All contractors performing work in Jefferson City must have a local license," but the split is the same as elsewhere: "electrical and plumbing contractors and their employees are required to obtain specific trade licenses directly from the Building Regulations Division," while "all other contractors are directed to the Business License Division to obtain their business license." A residential builder therefore files for the business license and takes no examination. Building Regulations (573) 634-6410, Business License Division (573) 634-6322.

Everywhere else. Missouri's other cities and counties set their own rules, and many require nothing but a permit and proof of insurance. Ask each building department what it licenses before you contract there. If you plan to sit an examination anywhere in Missouri, the practical move is the ICC standard residential building contractor (W13) or the Prometric residential construction (10344) paper, because those are the two Kansas City names outright and the same scores satisfy Independence, and a passing result documented from an approved agency is the nearest thing Missouri has to a transferable builder credential.

Moving to MissouriLeaving Missouri

Common questions

Do I have to take the Washington residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Missouri?
No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
What does it cost to get a Washington residential contractor license from Missouri?
Published fees on this path total $150.20, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Missouri 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 Missouri?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Washington to Missouri, 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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