Utah General Contractor License Requirements

Official classification: B100 General Building Contractor (also E100 General Engineering Contractor and R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor) · Issued by the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).

🏗️ General ContractorUT ✔ Verified 2026-06-19

In Utah, general contractors must hold the B100 General Building Contractor (also E100 General Engineering Contractor and R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor), issued by the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), and no state surety bond is required. Full requirements — experience, exams, fees, insurance, renewal and reciprocity — are detailed below.

How to become a licensed general contractor in Utah

Follow these steps to earn your B100 General Building Contractor (also E100 General Engineering Contractor and R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor). Every figure is verified against the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL); full detail for each step is further down the page.

Build the required experience. At least 4,000 hours (2 years) of paid construction work experience, OR an accepted alternative: holding a prior Utah license qualifier, a construction-management degree, a licensed professional engineer, or passing the NASCLA exam.
Pass the Utah Business and Law exam (or 1 year of active licensed experience in another U.S. jurisdiction, or qualifier on a Utah license prior to May 9, 2017) exam. Providers, passing scores and fees are in the Exams section below.
Check the insurance rules. Liability: Required: minimum $1,000,000 per incident and $3,000,000 aggregate (DOPL listed as certificate holder). Property damage: Covered within the general liability policy. Workers' compensation: Required if you have employees, or a Workers' Compensation Coverage Waiver from the Utah Labor Commission.
Clear the background check. No routine fingerprint background check; DOPL reviews criminal history via its Criminal History Guidelines.
Meet the credit / financial requirement. No credit-score requirement, but financial responsibility must be demonstrated; poor standing triggers a bond.
Submit your application and fees. Apply through the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) — $175 (primary classification) application fee, plus a Included in application fee license fee. Processing time: Variable; DOPL does not publish a guaranteed processing time.
Keep the license active. Renewal: Every 2 years (expires Nov 30 of odd years). Continuing education: 6 CE hours per renewal (3 must be taught live). A general contractor must complete a 30-hour pre-licensure course before initial licensure (specialty contractors take a 25-hour course).

For the general path in every state, see the General Contractor guide →

Utah general contractor license lookup

To confirm a general contractor is properly licensed in Utah — or to check the status of your own license — search the issuing agency's official license database. The record shows whether the license is active and in good standing.

Verify a license now: Search the official secure.utah.gov database →

License types

B100 General Building Contractor — Broadest building license; construction, alteration, and repair of structures (Utah Code 58-55-102), including specialty scopes with specified exclusions
E100 General Engineering Contractor — General engineering construction (Utah Code 58-55-102)
R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor — Residential and small commercial construction (Utah Code 58-55-102)

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	At least 4,000 hours (2 years) of paid construction work experience, OR an accepted alternative: holding a prior Utah license qualifier, a construction-management degree, a licensed professional engineer, or passing the NASCLA exam.
Application fee	$175 (primary classification)
License fee	Included in application fee
Renewal fee	$128
Renewal period	Every 2 years (expires Nov 30 of odd years).
Continuing education	6 CE hours per renewal (3 must be taught live). A general contractor must complete a 30-hour pre-licensure course before initial licensure (specialty contractors take a 25-hour course).
Bond required	No flat state license bond. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility (questionnaire); a surety bond is required only if they fail it. Conditional minimums: $50,000 for B100 or E100; $25,000 for R100 (R156-55a-602).
Liability insurance	Required: minimum $1,000,000 per incident and $3,000,000 aggregate (DOPL listed as certificate holder)
Property damage	Covered within the general liability policy
Workers' comp	Required if you have employees, or a Workers' Compensation Coverage Waiver from the Utah Labor Commission
Background check	No routine fingerprint background check; DOPL reviews criminal history via its Criminal History Guidelines.
Credit requirement	No credit-score requirement, but financial responsibility must be demonstrated; poor standing triggers a bond.
Reciprocity	No reciprocity agreements, but Utah issues licenses by endorsement (Utah Code 58-1-302) to applicants licensed in another state with a similar scope of practice, at least one year of experience under that license, and good standing; DOPL publishes the approved jurisdictions. For a contractor license, at least 50% of the ownership must match the out-of-state license. Utah also accepts the NASCLA exam and out-of-state experience toward qualification. · other states' agreements
Processing time	Variable; DOPL does not publish a guaranteed processing time.

What a Utah general contractor license costs

Application fee	$175 (primary classification).
License fee	Included in application fee.
Utah Business and Law exam (or 1 year of active licensed experience in another U.S. jurisdiction, or qualifier on a Utah license prior to May 9, 2017)	$85.
Surety bond	No flat state license bond. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility (questionnaire); a surety bond is required only if they fail it. Conditional minimums: $50,000 for B100 or E100; $25,000 for R100 (R156-55a-602).
Renewal fee	$128.
Renewal period	Every 2 years (expires Nov 30 of odd years).

Exams

Utah Business and Law exam (or 1 year of active licensed experience in another U.S. jurisdiction, or qualifier on a Utah license prior to May 9, 2017)	Provider: Prov (provexam.com) · Passing: 70% (60 questions, 2 hours) · Fee: $85

Renewing a Utah general contractor license

The B100 General Building Contractor (also E100 General Engineering Contractor and R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor) renews on a fixed cycle set by the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL). Finish the continuing-education requirement before you file — boards generally will not process a renewal without it. Late and lapsed renewals are handled differently by every board, so check the renewal page linked below before the deadline passes.

Renewal period	Every 2 years (expires Nov 30 of odd years).
Renewal fee	$128
Continuing education	6 CE hours per renewal (3 must be taught live). A general contractor must complete a 30-hour pre-licensure course before initial licensure (specialty contractors take a 25-hour course).
Where to renew	Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)

Local / municipal notes

Pre-licensure education is 30 hours for general contractors (B100/E100/R100) versus 25 hours for specialty contractors.

Utah's classification codes: B100, E100, R100 and the S-numbers

Utah licenses contractors by DOPL classification code (Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-301). The three general codes are covered on this page; specialty trades carry S-numbers, and electrical and plumbing have their own E/P codes. The codes searchers ask about most:

B100 — General Building Contractor: the broadest building license (this page).
E100 — General Engineering Contractor: general engineering construction such as roads and utilities (this page).
R100 — Residential and Small Commercial Contractor (and R101 for non-structural remodeling and repair): the residential-scale general license (this page).
S220 — Carpentry and Flooring Contractor: a specialty classification (25-hour pre-licensure course instead of 30).
S280 — Roofing Contractor: see our Utah roofing license guide.
H100 — HVAC Contractor (replaced S350 on April 20, 2026): see our Utah HVAC license guide.
E200 — General Electrical Contractor: see our Utah electrician license guide.
P200 — General Plumbing Contractor: see our Utah plumber license guide.

Your primary classification is set at application ($175); the qualification path (4,000 hours of experience or an accepted alternative, pre-licensure course, and the Prov Business & Law exam) is the same across the general codes.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Utah general contractor license cost?

Application: $175 (primary classification). License: Included in application fee. Renewal: $128.

How do I look up a general contractor license in Utah?

Search the official license database at secure.utah.gov. The record shows whether the license is active and in good standing.

Do general contractors in Utah need a surety bond?

No flat state license bond. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility (questionnaire); a surety bond is required only if they fail it. Conditional minimums: $50,000 for B100 or E100; $25,000 for R100 (R156-55a-602).

What experience is required for a Utah general contractor license?

At least 4,000 hours (2 years) of paid construction work experience, OR an accepted alternative: holding a prior Utah license qualifier, a construction-management degree, a licensed professional engineer, or passing the NASCLA exam.

Is insurance required for general contractors in Utah?

Liability: Required: minimum $1,000,000 per incident and $3,000,000 aggregate (DOPL listed as certificate holder). Property damage: Covered within the general liability policy. Workers' compensation: Required if you have employees, or a Workers' Compensation Coverage Waiver from the Utah Labor Commission.

How long does it take to get a Utah general contractor license?

Processing time: Variable; DOPL does not publish a guaranteed processing time.

Is a background check required for general contractors in Utah?

Background check: No routine fingerprint background check; DOPL reviews criminal history via its Criminal History Guidelines.

Is there a credit or financial requirement for a Utah general contractor license?

Credit requirement: No credit-score requirement, but financial responsibility must be demonstrated; poor standing triggers a bond.

How often must a Utah general contractor license be renewed?

Every 2 years (expires Nov 30 of odd years). Continuing education: 6 CE hours per renewal (3 must be taught live). A general contractor must complete a 30-hour pre-licensure course before initial licensure (specialty contractors take a 25-hour course).

What is a B100 license in Utah?

B100 is Utah's General Building Contractor classification, the broadest building license DOPL issues. Qualifying requires 4,000 hours (2 years) of paid construction experience or an accepted alternative, a 30-hour pre-licensure course, and the Utah Business and Law exam through Prov.

What is the difference between B100, E100 and R100 in Utah?

All three are general contractor classifications from DOPL. B100 (General Building) covers building construction broadly; E100 (General Engineering) covers engineering construction such as roads and utilities; R100 (Residential and Small Commercial) is limited to residential and small commercial projects. The application, experience and exam requirements are the same.

Does Utah require continuing education for general contractors?

Yes: 6 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle, of which 3 hours must be taught live. Licenses expire November 30 of odd-numbered years and renewal is $128.

Does Utah require a contractor license bond?

Not automatically. Applicants complete a financial responsibility questionnaire; a surety bond is required only if they fail it, with conditional minimums of $50,000 for B100 or E100 and $25,000 for R100 (Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-602).

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-06-19 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) before applying. This is not legal advice.