---
title: "How to Get a Nevada Contractor License: NSCB Steps"
url: https://pictureperfectvideo.com/nevada-contractor-license-nscb
description: "How new contractors get licensed by the Nevada State Contractors Board: classifications, the qualifier, experience, exams, financial statement, bond and fees."
updated: 2026-10-26
business: Picture Perfect Video LLC
phone: 945-212-2522
email: info@pictureperfectvideo.com
---

Las Vegas · Contractors

# How to Get a Nevada Contractor License: NSCB Steps for New Contractors

By [Charles Andrulis](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/about) · Picture Perfect Video · October 25, 2026

Nevada licenses contractors through one agency, the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), under NRS chapter 624. Getting licensed is not a single test. It is a packet: a business ID, a classification, a qualified person with documented experience, two exams, a financial statement, a bond and fees. This guide walks a new Las Vegas contractor through each step using the Board's own pages and the statute, then covers what to do once the license arrives.

The short version: qualifier, application, exams, bond, then the license number goes on every ad.

Want this done for you? We make video ads and content for Las Vegas contractors. See [Las Vegas contractor marketing](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-contractor-marketing) or [book a free call](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/contact?industry=contractor&city=Las%20Vegas#book-consultation).

## The short answer

Register the business and get a Nevada Business ID. Choose your classification. Name a qualified individual with at least four years of experience within the last 15. Send the NSCB application with the $300 nonrefundable fee, a financial statement and a bank verification form. Pass the Business and Law (CMS) exam and the trade exam within six months of filing. After approval, post the bond the Board sets, between $1,000 and $500,000, show workers' compensation coverage and pay the $600 license fee. The license runs for two years.

## Step 1: Set up the business first

The NSCB application asks for a Nevada Business ID before you start, and the legal business name must match the name on file with the Secretary of State. A license can be issued to an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company or a joint venture, and it belongs to the business, not to the person who qualifies it. You do not have to live in Nevada to hold one.

The Board's new business checklist adds that a fictitious firm name is filed with the county clerk, and that you need city and county business licenses where you work.

## Step 2: Choose your classification

The license controls what work you may do. Class A is general engineering, for fixed works that need specialized engineering knowledge. Class B is general building, for buildings that use more than two unrelated trades. Class C covers the specialty trades. All subclassifications under one primary classification can go on a single application; a different primary classification needs its own application.

NSCB classifications new Las Vegas contractors often ask aboutClassification| Notes
---|---
B-2 Residential and small commercial| General building; the Board requires a monetary limit of at least $200,000
B-7 Residential remodeling| Also offered as a restricted license with lighter entry rules (see below)
C-1 Plumbing and heating| Specialty trade
C-2 Electrical| Specialty trade
C-15 Roofing and siding| Includes the C-15a roofing subclassification
C-21 Refrigeration and air conditioning| Specialty trade
C-37 Solar contracting| Specialty trade

The full scope of each classification is in Nevada Administrative Code chapter 624. If you are unsure which one fits your work, ask a license analyst before you apply.

## Step 3: Name a qualified individual

Every classification on a license needs a qualified individual, or qualifier: the person who meets the experience and exam requirements. It can be the owner, a partner, an officer, an LLC member or manager, or a bona fide employee. The qualifier makes technical and administrative decisions, supervises the work and may not take conflicting employment.

Experience. The qualifier needs at least four full years, 1,460 days across all certificates, as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification, within the 15 years before you apply. The usual proof is four Certification of Work Experience forms from employers, general contractors, subcontractors or customers, one per company, plus a Resume of Experience. A government issued master's certification, transferable military training or an accepted college or apprenticeship program (up to three years) can also count.

If the qualifier leaves. NRS 624.285 gives you 10 days to tell the Board in writing and 30 days to replace that person, or the license can be suspended.

## Step 4: Pick a monetary limit and prepare the financial statement

Your monetary limit is the largest contract you may take on a single construction site or subdivision site for a single client. You state a specific number on the application, and the Board checks it against your finances. A financial statement is required no matter how small the limit.

Financial statement the NSCB requires by monetary limitMonetary limit| Accepted statement
---|---
$25,000 or less| CPA prepared, the Board's financial statement form, or an accounting software balance sheet with an affidavit; current within six months
More than $25,000, under $500,000| CPA compiled (current within six months), or CPA reviewed or audited (within one year)
$500,000 to under $1,000,000| CPA compiled with full disclosures (six months), or reviewed or audited (one year)
$1,000,000 or more| Prepared and reviewed or audited by an independent CPA, current within one year

Your bank also completes a bank verification form. You can raise the limit later: a permanent change costs $250, and a single project increase costs $75 and must reach the Board at least five working days before you bid.

## Step 5: Submit the application

Apply through the NSCB online login or on the paper form. Include the $300 application fee, which is not refunded, the experience documents, a background disclosure and fingerprint waiver for every person listed, and copies of their IDs. Do not send fingerprints until the Board asks for them. An incomplete application must be fixed within 30 days of the deficiency notice or it is withdrawn.

Two free services help: a pre-submittal application review with a license analyst by phone, in person or on Zoom, and the online Business Assistance Program. Analysts take calls Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., at (702) 486-1100 in Las Vegas.

## Step 6: Pass the exams

Once your experience is verified, the Board mails an exam eligibility letter with a Candidate ID to the business mailing address. Exams are given by PSI, and exam fees are paid to PSI, not the Board.

  * Business and Law (CMS). Required of the qualifier. It is open book with the Construction Business and Law Manual for Nevada.
  * Trade exam. Specific to your classification and closed book, except for certain code references. Some classifications have none.
  * Deadline. All testing must be finished within six months of filing the application.
  * Retakes. Three attempts per exam, with a two week wait after a failure. A third failure voids the application, and you can reapply with a new fee after 30 days.

The trade exam can be waived if the qualifier has held a license for the past four years, with no discipline, in a state on the Board's State Equivalency Chart; the CMS exam is still required. B and B-2 applicants who passed the NASCLA accredited general building exam can ask for a trade exam waiver.

## Step 7: Bond, insurance and fees

After approval, a contingent approval letter tells you the bond amount. You then submit everything together:

What a new Nevada contractor license costsItem| Amount
---|---
Application fee| $300, nonrefundable
License fee| $600, covering the two year license period
License bond| $1,000 to $500,000, set by the Board from your license type, monetary limit, finances, experience and character
Cash deposit instead of a bond| The full bond amount by cashier's check, plus a $200 administrative fee every two years
Residential Recovery Fund| Up to $200 every two years for limits up to $1,000,000, $500 above that, $1,000 for unlimited
Exams| Paid to PSI; check the current amounts with PSI

The bond must come from a surety authorized in Nevada and rated A or better, and it must stay in force with no lapse. You also file proof of workers' compensation coverage or an exemption affidavit. Residential contractors who work on owner occupied single family homes register with the Recovery Fund. About two weeks after the license is issued, you receive a wall certificate, which must hang in your main office, and a pocket card. The license expires two years from the last day of the month it was issued.

The B-7 restricted license. Since October 1, 2025, the Board can issue a restricted B-7 license for remodeling an existing detached single family home. It requires two years of experience, a bond of at least $2,000, a business class and the CMS exam. Jobs are capped at $7,000 including labor and materials, life safety trades are excluded, and you cannot add enclosed space.

## Do not bid or advertise before the license is active

NRS 624.700 makes it unlawful to work as a contractor or submit a bid without an active license, and any such bid or contract is void. A first offense is a misdemeanor with a fine of $1,000 to $4,000 and up to six months in jail under NRS 624.750, and penalties rise from there. Under NRS 624.247, added in 2025, the Board can refuse a license for up to a year after an unlicensed bid on work of $1,000 or more. Advertising as a contractor without the right license is unlawful too, so the website, yard signs and ads wait for your license number. The small repair exemption under $1,000 is narrow; our [Las Vegas roofer license guide](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-roofer-license-check) explains it.

## Put the license number on every ad

NRS 624.720 requires all advertising by a licensed contractor to include the company name and license number. The law defines advertising broadly: signs, cards, vehicle markings, publications, broadcasts, the internet and directories. Build it in from day one:

Where your new license number belongsPlace| How to show it
---|---
Website| Footer and every service page, with your classification
Directories and Google Business Profile| In the business description next to your company name
Trucks and yard signs| Beside the phone number, large enough to read
Video and social ads| On the end card with the company name

## Then go get the first jobs

A license makes you legal. It does not make the phone ring. A new contractor competes with companies that have years of reviews and job photos, and the fastest way to close that gap is proof: your crew on real jobs, the owner on camera and the license number on screen.

That is what we do at Picture Perfect Video: we film Las Vegas, Henderson and Summerlin contractors on real jobs and turn one shoot into website video, ads and Google profile clips. See [Las Vegas contractor marketing](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-contractor-marketing), or [Las Vegas roofing video marketing](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-roofing-video-marketing) if you hold a C-15.

## Common questions

### How long does it take to get a Nevada contractor license?

The NSCB says processing times vary, so ask your assigned license analyst. The qualifier must pass all exams within six months of filing, and the certificate and pocket card arrive about two weeks after the license is issued.

### How much does a Nevada contractor license cost?

The application fee is $300 and the license fee is $600 for two years. You also post a bond the Board sets between $1,000 and $500,000, pay exam fees to PSI, and residential contractors pay a Recovery Fund assessment of up to $200 to $1,000 every two years.

### Can I get a Nevada contractor license without four years of experience?

Not as the qualifier for a standard license, but the business can use a qualified employee who has the experience. The B-7 restricted license for small residential remodeling requires two years of experience, with jobs capped at $7,000.

### Do I have to live in Nevada to get a contractor license?

No. If you have been licensed for four years with no discipline in a state on the Board's State Equivalency Chart, the trade exam can be waived, but you still take the Business and Law exam.

### Does my Nevada license number have to be on my ads?

Yes. NRS 624.720 requires all advertising by a licensed contractor to include the company name and license number, including signs, vehicles, the internet and directories.

Las Vegas contractor marketing

## Licensed? Now get the calls.

Book a free call. We will plan a filming day that shows your crew, your real jobs and your license number, made for your site, ads and Google profile.

[Book a free call →](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/contact?industry=contractor&city=Las%20Vegas#book-consultation)

Or email [charles@pictureperfectvideo.com](mailto:charles@pictureperfectvideo.com) · call or text 945.212.2522

## Related reading

  * [How to check a Las Vegas roofer's license](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-roofer-license-check)
  * [Nevada heat illness rule for Las Vegas contractors](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/nevada-heat-rule-las-vegas-contractors)
  * [Which Texas trades need a state license](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/texas-contractor-license-requirements)
  * [Las Vegas contractor marketing](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-contractor-marketing)
  * [Las Vegas roofing video marketing](https://pictureperfectvideo.com/las-vegas-roofing-video-marketing)

Sources checked October 25, 2026: Nevada State Contractors Board: [how to become a licensed contractor](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/how-to-become-a-licensed-contractor/), [license requirements](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/license-requirements/), [contractor's license application](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/contractors-license-application/), [New License Application (revised 09/2026)](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/New-License-Application.pdf), [general requirements FAQ](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/faq-for-general-requirements/), [qualifying party FAQ](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/faq-qualifying-party/), [license classifications](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/license-classifications/), [license examinations](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/license-examinations/), [bonds](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/bonds/), [raise your license limit](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/raise-your-license-limit/), [pre-submittal application review](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/pre-submittal-application-review/), [Business Assistance Program](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/licensing/business-assistance-program/), [new business checklist](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/resources/new-business-checklist/) and [advertising requirements](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/resources/advertising-requirements/); [NRS chapter 624](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-624.html) (sections 624.220, 624.247, 624.270, 624.280, 624.285, 624.470, 624.700, 624.720 and 624.750); [NAC chapter 624](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-624.html) (section 624.130 fees and section 624.600 examinations). Fees and requirements change, so confirm with the NSCB before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.

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