Montana to Georgia: residential contractor license reciprocity
Georgia has no reciprocity agreement with Montana. Your Montana experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Georgia exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Licensure by examination, with out-of-state experience counting toward eligibility
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
An out-of-state residential builder arriving from a state that has no reciprocal agreement with Georgia applies by examination, exactly as a first-time applicant would, and the same is true of anyone applying for the Residential-Light Commercial classification because Georgia offers no reciprocity at that level. The license held elsewhere waives nothing, but the experience behind it counts: Residential-Basic applicants document at least two years working as or in the employment of a residential contractor, predominantly in the residential-basic category, together with significant responsibility for two completed residential-basic projects in the two years before applying, and Georgia does not require that the work was done in Georgia. Residential-Light Commercial applicants may instead qualify on a four-year degree plus one year of experience, on accredited college credits combined with experience totalling four years, or on four years of construction-industry experience with at least two as or for a residential contractor, plus two completed light commercial projects in the preceding four years. Once the Board approves the application, PSI administers the Georgia examination for the classification and the Georgia Business and Law examination. The Board does not publish an examination exemption for out-of-state licensees outside its named reciprocal agreements, and the old grandfathering route has closed.
Applications are filed in the GOALS portal and are generally processed within 20 business days of receipt; a deficiency letter restarts that count, and an application may be withdrawn if deficiencies are not cured within 60 days. Applications must be complete at least 15 days before a Board meeting to reach that meeting's agenda. Exam approval letters are valid for one year and allow three sittings within that year; if you do not pass within them you must wait a year from the date of your application before reapplying. Licenses renew by 30 June of even-numbered years, with a late renewal window of 1 to 31 July. The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted at either residential classification; the Board accepts it only in the General Contractor Division, so it is authored on the general level of this page.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 20 days
What you must already have
- At least 21 years old.
- Residential-Basic: at least two years of proven experience working as or in the employment of a residential contractor, predominantly in the residential-basic category, plus significant responsibility for the successful completion of two residential-basic projects in the two years immediately preceding the application. The rules do not require that the experience or the projects were in Georgia.
- Residential-Light Commercial: a four-year degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, building construction or a related field plus one year of experience, or accredited college-level credits combined with experience totalling four years, or four years of construction-industry experience of which at least two were as or in the employment of a residential contractor, plus two completed residential-light commercial projects in the four years immediately preceding the application.
What you'll do to get licensed in Georgia
- 1Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Georgia Residential-Basic Contractor examination or Georgia Residential-Light Commercial Contractor examination, depending on the classification sought. The Board approves you to sit first and sends an exam approval letter valid for one year; you then register with the Board's testing vendor, PSI..
- 2Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Georgia Business and Law examination, required of every residential applicant in addition to the classification examination and never waived..
- 3Application fee. Pay the application fee. A non-refundable application fee is due with the online application. The Board does not print the amount on its how-to guides; the current amount is on the fee schedule in the GOALS portal at https://goals.sos.ga.gov/, and the Board can be reached at (404) 424-9966..
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. Examination fee paid to PSI when you schedule each examination. The Board does not publish PSI's fees; they are in PSI's Georgia candidate information bulletin..
- 5Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility of at least $25,000. Proof of financial responsibility for whoever will hold the license, satisfied by any one of: an affirmed minimum net worth of $25,000, a completed Bank Credit Reference Form, a $25,000 surety bond, a $25,000 line of credit letter, or a $25,000 letter of credit. The figure is the same for Residential-Basic and Residential-Light Commercial. If you are applying as a qualifying agent, the proof must be in the business organization's name, not yours..
- 6Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($25,000) (if applicable). Optional alternative to affirming net worth: a $25,000 surety bond. The Board treats the bond, a line of credit letter, a letter of credit and a bank credit reference as interchangeable ways of showing the same $25,000 of financial responsibility, so it is a choice rather than an added cost..
- 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($300,000). General liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence for Residential-Basic or $500,000 per occurrence for Residential-Light Commercial, evidenced by a signed current certificate of insurance naming the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217 as certificate holder. Binders, information pages, policies and declaration pages are not accepted. An individual applicant must be the named insured; a qualifying agent's coverage must be in the company's name. Workers compensation insurance is required as well once the business has three or more employees in Georgia..
- 8Business license. Obtain a business license. If you will contract through a company rather than in your own name, that business organization must be registered with the Georgia Corporations Division and, if formed outside Georgia, authorized to transact business here, and you apply as its qualifying agent. An individual license does not let you perform work on behalf of any LLC or corporation, even one you own outright..
- 9Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Renewal condition rather than an entry requirement: Residential-Basic licensees complete three hours of continuing education a year and Residential-Light Commercial licensees six hours a year, tracked through CE Broker. Licenses renew by 30 June of even-numbered years..
- 10Other. Supporting documents filed with the application: an employment or project affidavit covering the required experience, the project references for the completed projects, a Secure and Verifiable Document such as a driver license or passport with an affidavit of lawful presence under O.C.G.A. 50-36-1, disclosure of any disciplinary action or sanctions with supporting court documents and a letter of explanation, bankruptcy documents if applicable, a list of affiliations, and an official transcript, diploma or certificate where you are qualifying on education..
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.
- Trade exam
- Law / code exam
- Exam fee
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 · $25,000 · if applicable
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $300,000
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
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Georgia licenses residential contractors
Georgia residential contractor · “Residential-Basic Contractor / Residential-Light Commercial Contractor”
Statewide license
Georgia licenses residential contractors statewide through the Residential Contractor Division of the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, part of the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division. There are two classifications: Residential-Basic covers detached one- and two-family residences and one-family townhouses not over three stories plus their accessory structures, and Residential-Light Commercial adds multifamily and light commercial buildings under four stories and under 25,000 square feet of interior space, or pre-engineered steel buildings up to 50,000 square feet. A license is required once the value of the work or the contractor's compensation exceeds $2,500. The credential is usually entity-held: an individual license only covers work in your own name or as a sole proprietorship, and to contract through an LLC, corporation or other registered business you apply as that company's qualifying agent, the person who holds final approval authority over its construction work, contracts and related financial affairs. Both classifications require the Georgia trade examination for the classification plus the Georgia Business and Law examination, proof of financial responsibility and general liability insurance in the licensee's or company's own name. Georgia offers reciprocity at the Residential-Basic level with a short list of named states, and none at the Residential-Light Commercial level.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Georgia residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Montana?
- Yes. Georgia requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- Do my Montana work hours count in Georgia?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Georgia's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 20 days.
- Does it work the other way, from Georgia to Montana?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Georgia to Montana, the mechanism is no credit.
Sources
- O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 41 - Residential and General Contractors (Board law as published by the Board) · O.C.G.A. 43-41-2, 43-41-5(b), 43-41-6, 43-41-7(2), 43-41-8(a)(3), 43-41-9, 43-41-17 · Georgia Secretary of State, State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 553-3 - Qualifications for Licensure, Residential Contractor Division · Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 553-3-.01 through 553-3-.07 · Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
- State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors · Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Licensure Comparison Chart - State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (Revised 02/25) · O.C.G.A. 43-41-2(5), (9), (10), (11); 43-41-17 · Georgia Secretary of State, State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors · Other · verified September 17, 2026
- Residential and Commercial General Contractors - Frequently Asked Questions · Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
- Residential Contractors: How to Guide (all Residential Contractor application types) · Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.