LicensebyState

Texas to Utah: residential contractor license reciprocity

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

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

Applicants from jurisdictions DOPL has not determined equivalent, including the NASCLA examination route (all other states)

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

An applicant whose home jurisdiction is not shown in green on DOPL’s Endorsement to Utah: Contractor map takes the ordinary route, which for R100 involves no trade examination at all. The qualifier completes an approved 25-hour pre-licensure course plus the five-hour Business and Law course, passes the Utah Contractor Business and Law examination through Prov, and shows two years, meaning 4,000 hours, of paid work experience in the construction industry. That experience travels freely: it counts wherever it was earned, whether the qualifier was paid as a W-2 employee or as an owner and whether the work was licensed or exempt, and it is self-certified on the application rather than verified by an employer, so out-of-state years are not lost. A qualifier who has passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors does not have to document the two years at all: Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302b(2)(b)(i) accepts a passing NASCLA score in place of the experience requirement for every general classification, R100 included, and the application has a box for it. A Construction Management degree or an active Utah professional engineer license does the same. NASCLA does not remove the Business and Law examination or the pre-licensure courses. Where the origin jurisdiction issues no equivalent state-wide license, DOPL will still look at a city or county license, or a non-equivalent state license, as evidence towards Utah’s qualifications if the applicant files a verification showing the hours, examinations and other qualifications behind it.

Two things on DOPL’s published materials do not line up, and both are worth a phone call to the Division on (801) 530-6628 before paying any fee. First, the Apply for a General Contractor License page lists, as an alternative to the Business and Law examination, "One (1) year of licensed experience working in another State, District or Territory of the U.S. in the similar scope of practice sought in Utah if the license is currently active and in good standing", with no mention of an equivalency list, while Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302a(3) waives that examination only "for an applicant for licensure by endorsement under Section 58-1-302" and the application checklist limits endorsement to "a jurisdiction determined equivalent to Utah" on a map last updated 21 September 2020. Second, the current rule and both apply pages set general liability cover at $1,000,000 each incident and $2,000,000 in total, while the March 2026 application form prints a $3,000,000 aggregate. On the map itself, the jurisdictions shaded yellow as "Limited to Specific Classifications" (Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia) are ones DOPL says do not license contractors generally but may license a specific specialty such as electrical, plumbing, HVAC or elevator work, which is not an equivalent to a R100 license; the jurisdictions shaded grey as having no equivalent license are Kansas, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. Utah Code 58-1-302(2) is written state-neutrally and turns on scope of practice rather than on any named partner, and the map ends by inviting applicants to contact the Division if licensure laws have changed, so an applicant from a yellow or grey jurisdiction holding a license of genuinely similar scope can ask DOPL to look again.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302b(1) reads the requirement broadly: experience counts whether the qualifier was paid as a W-2 employee or as an owner and whether the work was licensed or exempt, and it includes construction work done in the military or for a railroad corporation and work done under a construction trades instructor as part of an educational program. It need not be supervisory and need not match the classification sought. An applicant who is a building inspector may substitute two years as a building inspector including one year as a licensed combination inspector, and an E100 applicant needs four years instead.
  • You must have passed a licensing exam in Texas that the destination considers comparable.Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302b(2)(b)(i) states that a passing NASCLA score satisfies the experience requirement in Utah Code 58-55-302(1)(e)(ii)(A), and DOPL’s contracting FAQ repeats it in the same words. The rule is written for the general classifications as a group rather than for B100 alone, and both the apply page and the qualifier affidavit offer the NASCLA box to every general classification applicant, so it is available at this residential level too. NASCLA is an examination credential, not a license and not an interstate agreement, so any applicant may use it whatever state they come from. It waives nothing else: the pre-licensure courses, the Utah Contractor Business and Law examination, insurance, financial responsibility, registration, background checks and fees all still apply.
  • The qualifier must be either an owner of at least 20 per cent of the licensee or a W-2 employee in a management position, and must be paid for at least 12 hours of work a week for the licensee. A qualifier may not qualify more than three licensees at one time without the written approval of the Commission and the Division.

What you'll do to get licensed in Utah

  1. 1Other. Approved pre-licensure education completed by the qualifier before applying: a 25-hour pre-licensure course plus the five-hour Business and Law course, 30 hours in total for a general classification. DOPL accepts the course only from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Utah Home Builders Association (UHBA) or the Associated General Contractors of Utah (AGC); a qualifier who completed the 25-hour course before 1 October 2019 does not need the extra five hours. The Division does not publish the providers’ course prices, so ask the provider..
  2. 2Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Utah Contractor Business and Law examination, taken by the qualifier through Prov either at one of 21 Utah test centers or remotely through Prov’s Examroom service. It is 60 questions in two hours, open reference, and the cut score is 70 per cent; the subject areas are business organization, licensing, estimating and bidding, contract management, project management, labor laws, lien laws, financial management, risk management, tax laws and safety. No DOPL pre-approval is needed to sit it, and a failed attempt may be retaken after 30 days for each of the first three failures and after six months for any failure after that. Pass before submitting the application..
  3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($85). Prov examination fee for the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam, paid to Prov and charged again for each retake..
  4. 4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($175). Non-refundable DOPL application processing fee of $175 for each classification requested (application version v20260327). A contractor asking for more than one classification pays it more than once..
  5. 5Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Non-refundable DOPL application processing fee of $50 for each qualifier named on the application..
  6. 6Application fee. Pay the application fee ($1). Electronic Reference Library surcharge of $1, collected on every application to fund licensee access to national, state and local building codes and standards. An unincorporated applicant also pays $20 for each owner holding less than 8 per cent, filed with the Appendix F Owner-Worker Status Report..
  7. 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($1,000,000). General liability insurance certificate naming DOPL as certificate holder, covering the whole scope of work on the license and in force for the entire duration of active licensure. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302d and both DOPL apply pages set the minimum at $1,000,000 for each incident and $2,000,000 in total; the March 2026 application form prints $3,000,000 as the aggregate, so confirm the figure with the Division on (801) 530-6628 before binding cover. The cover must be kept up even while the contractor is not working, unless the license is placed on inactive status..
  8. 8Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance naming DOPL as certificate holder if the applicant has employees or owner-workers holding less than 8 per cent, together with a Utah State Tax Commission withholding account number and a Department of Workforce Services unemployment registration number, or a signed contract with an approved Professional Employer Organization. An applicant with no employees files a Workers’ Compensation Coverage Waiver from the Utah Labor Commission instead and must tell DOPL in writing before any employee starts work..
  9. 9Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility. Satisfactory evidence of financial responsibility. Utah Code 58-55-306 lets this be shown by completing and signing the Division’s financial responsibility questionnaire, which asks about judgments, liens, tax liens and child support delinquencies in the past eight years and bankruptcy in the past seven, or by posting a bond. DOPL publishes no minimum net worth, working capital or credit score, and it may audit at random or on reasonable need, weighing judgments, restitution orders, collection actions, bankruptcy schedules, late payment history, financial statements, tax returns and a current credit report. For an unincorporated applicant the Division considers each owner’s personal finances..
  10. 10Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($25,000) (if applicable). License bond, required only where the Division is not satisfied that financial responsibility has been demonstrated. Under Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-602 the minimum is then the greater of 30 per cent of the cumulative outstanding debts, judgments, liens and obligations of the entity, its owners and qualifiers, or $25,000 for the R100 classification. A bankruptcy filed, pending or discharged within three years instead sets it at 30 per cent of the total liabilities scheduled with the bankruptcy court. The surety must appear in Treasury Circular 570, the bond runs until DOPL gives written permission to drop it, and the Commission may set a higher or, on clear and convincing evidence, a lower amount..
  11. 11Business license. Obtain a business license. Registration with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for any corporation, LLC, LLP or partnership, including an out-of-state entity, plus a federal Employer Identification Number; a sole proprietor may use a Social Security number and is licensed in their own given name. The license is issued in the registered legal name, business must be done in that name unless a DBA owned by the licensee is separately filed with DOPL, and if the corporate registration lapses the contractor license expires with it by statute..
  12. 12Background check. Complete a background check. Criminal background check under Utah Code 58-1-301.5 consented to and completed by the qualifier and by every individual holding at least a 10 per cent voting interest in the applicant, with disclosure of any criminal history the Division asks for. A yes answer on the qualifying questionnaire about discipline, pending criminal action, a misdemeanour in the past ten years or a felony at any time brings a requirement to file a personal account, police reports, court records and probation or parole reports for each incident..
  13. 13Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of approved continuing education in each two-year license term, of which at least three must be core education and at least three must be live in-class attendance, with no more than three hours online, and at least one hour in energy conservation. It is a condition of renewal rather than of getting the license. Licenses expire on 30 November of each odd-numbered year..

Published fees on this path total $311, 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
  • Law / code exam
  • Exam fee · $85

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance · $1,000,000
  • Insurance

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

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 Utah licenses residential contractors

Utah residential contractor · “R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 10 sources

Issued by Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)

Utah licenses contractors statewide through the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) under the Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act, Utah Code 58-55, and Rule R156-55a, and the homes tier is the R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor classification. Utah Code 58-55-102(42) defines it as the construction of single-family residences, multifamily residences up to four units, and commercial construction of not more than three stories above ground and not more than 20,000 square feet, together with any component of that construction except plumbing, electrical, mechanical and manufactured housing work, for which an R100 must employ a contractor licensed in the specialty; on single-family and multifamily residences up to four units the R100 may perform the mechanical work and employ a licensed plumber or electrician. Anything larger needs B100 General Building Contractor, and fixed works needing specialized engineering knowledge need E100 General Engineering Contractor. Smaller jobs can instead be taken under the specialty classifications, which need no experience and no examination: R101 Residential and Small Commercial Non-Structural Remodel and Repair (which may not be combined with any other specialty), R200 Factory Built Housing, B200 Modular Unit Installation and the S-series such as S220 Carpentry and Flooring, S270 Drywall, Paint and Plastering and S280 Roofing. The license belongs to the business, not the person: the entity applies and names a qualifier, an owner of at least 20 per cent or a W-2 employee in a management position paid for at least 12 hours a week, and that qualifier is the one who satisfies the course, experience and examination requirements. There is no Utah trade examination for R100; the only DOPL examination is the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam. Licenses expire on 30 November of each odd-numbered year and renewal takes six hours of continuing education.

Moving to UtahLeaving Utah

Why Texas has nothing to transfer

Texas residential contractor

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 15 sources

Texas issues no statewide residential contractor, home builder or remodeler license, and no state agency examines or qualifies people who build houses. The Texas Residential Construction Commission, which registered builders and remodelers from 2003, was abolished and its Act expired on September 1, 2009, and nothing replaced it. What Texas does license are individual trades: electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration contractors through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and plumbers through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, so a builder who self-performs that work needs the matching state license. Residential contracting itself is regulated, where at all, by cities through registration, insurance, bonding and permitting: San Antonio, Fort Worth, El Paso, Dallas and Austin all require a residential builder or home-improvement contractor to register before pulling a permit, while Houston states that general contractors are not required to be licensed. A builder moving to Texas therefore has no state license to transfer and no reciprocity to apply for; the practical work is registering in each city where they build, carrying the insurance and bonds those cities require, and hiring or becoming state-licensed trades. The one credential that does travel is a national ICC certification, which San Antonio accepts from the registration holder or a designated Certified Agent.

How local licensing works in Texas

How it works in Texas. There is no state license, no state application and no state exam for residential contractors. Cities control who may pull a residential building permit, and each city sets its own rules, so a builder registers separately in every jurisdiction where they work. Registration is about identity, insurance, bonding and (in one city) a national certification - not about trade competence testing, and not about what license you held in your last state. Nothing an out-of-state residential contractor holds gives a discount on any of it.

San Antonio. Development Services runs the most demanding residential program in the state, under Chapter 10-115 of the Code of Ordinances, with two registrations. A Residential Building Contractor registration covers 'the constructing, structural alteration, or enlarging any one or two-family detached dwelling' (new homes, additions, foundations, roofing, pools and spas, fences, minor repairs). It requires an FBI criminal history record dated within 30 days of submittal, liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence, $1,000,000 aggregate and $500,000 aggregate for products and completed operations with the City of San Antonio as certificate holder, and a certification: 'either the registration holder or one agent affiliated with the contractor must obtain a Residential ICC Certification or other certifications approved by the Building Official; or the company has a minimum of 5 years of continued registration with no violations ... suspensions, or revocation.' The fee is $170 and the term is two years. A Home Improvement Contractor registration covers 'nonstructural repair, replacement, remodeling, alteration, conversion, or modernization to any existing building', needs the same FBI background check and insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, costs $150 for two years, and carries no certification requirement. Both applications ask whether the applicant has lost or been suspended from home improvement or residential building privileges in any Texas jurisdiction. Apply through the BuildSA portal or in person at 1901 S. Alamo Street; customer service is (210) 207-1111.

Dallas. Building Inspection registers general contractors on one form, and its own note defines the category broadly: 'A General Contractor includes, but is not limited to, the following: residential general contractor, commercial general contractor, roofing contractor, fence contractor, foundation contractor, demolition contractor and pool contractor.' The form states an annual registration or renewal fee of $120.00 and requires a contracting company addressed inside the city limits to give a Certificate of Occupancy number or have a home office form on file. The responsible party assigns PINs to the company staff allowed to sign permit applications. There is no exam and no experience requirement. Registrations are renewed in person at a Building Inspection office or online through DallasNow; call (214) 948-4480.

Fort Worth. Development Services requires that 'any firm, business, individual or organization obtaining a permit related to the building, mechanical, plumbing or electrical provisions' of the city codes hold a valid Contractor Registration, with a carve-out for a single-family homeowner working on their own residence. A residential builder registers as a Building Contractor: the completed application plus a copy of a valid driver's license, $168.75, expiring one year from the date of issuance. No trade license, exam or experience documentation is required for that type. Customer service is 817-392-2222.

El Paso. Planning and Inspections registers a General Contractor for 'New Residential, Additions, Alterations, and Roofing' as well as commercial work. The packet is an Assumed Name Certificate or corporate documents, the Contractor Registration Application, a certificate of general liability insurance of at least $100,000 with the City of El Paso as certificate holder, and a blanket building construction bond - the current application states $50,000 for general contractors, while the city's requirements sheet lists $25,000 (confirm the amount with the One Stop Shop before buying the bond). A $10,000 blanket bond covers a defined list of minor work such as fences, tents, temporary signs and patch-and-paint. The requirements sheet lists a $102.00 annual fee. The application 'must be filed annually to be eligible to obtain permits from the City of El Paso in accordance with Section 18.02.104.5 of the El Paso City Code.' One Stop Shop, 811 Texas Avenue, 915-212-0104.

Austin. Development Services is explicit that 'in Texas, anyone can be a General Contractor, including homeowners, and a state license is not required', but the general contractor named on a building permit must first register with Building and Trade Contractor Services through an Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) portal account, submitting the web registration form and a Letter of Authorization. General contractors register once and update only when their name, address or authorized agents change; the city publishes no fee for the registration.

Houston. Houston requires nothing of a residential builder. Its Residential Permitting 101 guide states that 'the building permit may be purchased by the owner, agent, contractor. General Contractors are not required to be licensed', and the plan review page repeats that 'a general contractor's license is not required to obtain building permits.' What Houston does require is that the trades register their state licenses with the city: a TDLR-licensed Master Electrician, a TDLR Class A or B air conditioning contractor and a TSBPE-licensed Master Plumber must each be registered with the City of Houston before buying a trade permit, and a sidewalk or driveway permit needs a contractor with a $2,000 surety bond.

Everywhere else. Smaller Texas cities and unincorporated county areas vary widely; many require only a permit and proof of insurance, and counties generally have no building-permit authority at all outside a city's limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction. Check the building or development services department of each city before contracting there.

Moving to TexasLeaving Texas

Common questions

Do I have to take the Utah residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Texas?
The trade exam is waived, but Utah requires a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Utah residential contractor license from Texas?
Published fees on this path total $311, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Texas work hours count in Utah?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Utah's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Utah to Texas?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Utah to Texas, 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. Utah Code 58-1-302 - License by endorsement · Utah Code 58-1-302(2) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  3. Utah Code 58-55-102 - Definitions (Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act) · Utah Code 58-55-102(20), (26), (42) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  4. Utah Code 58-55-302 - Qualifications for licensure · Utah Code 58-55-302(1)(c)(ii), (1)(e)(ii), (1)(e)(iii), (1)(e)(iv), (1)(e)(vii), (2)(b) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  5. Utah Code 58-55-306 - Financial responsibility · Utah Code 58-55-306 · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  6. Utah Contractor Application - All Classifications (with qualifier affidavit, checklist and fee table) · Utah Code 58-55-306; Utah Admin. Code R156-1-301, R156-55a-602 · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  7. Endorsement to Utah: Contractor (state-by-state equivalency map) · Utah Code 58-55; 58-1-302 · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  8. Utah DOPL - Contracting licensing home page · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  9. Utah DOPL - Contracting Continuing Education · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  10. Utah DOPL - Contracting Exam Information · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  11. Contracting Frequently Asked Questions (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
  12. Apply for a General Contractor License (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  13. Apply for a Specialty Contractor License (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
  14. State of Utah Contracting Exam - Examination Handbook (Prov, for DOPL) · Prov, Inc., examination administrator for the Utah Division of Professional Licensing · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  15. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a - Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Rule · Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-301c, -301h, -302a, -302b, -302d, -302f, -303a, -303b, -304, -306, -602 · Utah Office of Administrative Rules · 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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