Delaware Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)

How Delaware licenses contractors

The Delaware Division of Professional Regulation oversees statewide HVACR, plumbing, and electrical licenses, while the Division of Revenue issues business licenses for general contractors. Prometric (prometric.com/delaware) administers the trade exams on behalf of the boards.

Delaware mixes coastal climate and piedmont clay: Wilmington basements flood when the Christina River overtops, beach builds must survive 140‑mph winds, and inland freeze–thaw cycles pop brick facades. Expect question sets on hurricane shutter anchorage, sump sizing for high water tables, and vapor control in salt-laden air.

Official source: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation

Delaware contractor license types

All master-level applicants must document five years of supervised experience, provide employer affidavits, and maintain the $300,000 liability insurance minimum before DPR will activate the license.

What's on the Delaware contractor exam

Prometric runs exams in Dover and Newark plus select regional centers. Seats fill quickly during spring license renewals, so book early.

What Delaware exam questions emphasize

• Wind uplift hardware and coastal exposure category D detailing
• High water-table excavation safety, sump pump sizing, and vapor barriers
• Service-entrance conductor calculations per Delaware NEC amendments
• Lien, contract, and consumer-protection provisions from Title 6 and Title 25

Exam-day logistics

• Arrive 30 minutes before the slot with two matching IDs and your DPR approval letter
• Only the references listed in the bulletin are allowed; highlight but do not annotate
• Score reports print immediately—upload them to DELPROS the same day

Trade-specific exam guides

If you're licensing in a single trade rather than the Delaware general contractor classification, the dedicated trade hub will get you to the right code book and exam structure faster.

• General contractor exam guide — IBC/IRC, NASCLA acceptance, and Business & Law.
• Electrical contractor exam guide — NEC (NFPA 70) calculations and grounding/bonding.
• Plumbing contractor exam guide — IPC/UPC drainage sizing, venting, and backflow.
• HVAC contractor exam guide — IMC ventilation, refrigerant management, and load calcs.

Delaware code books & approved references (2026)

Always confirm the exact editions and tab rules in your candidate bulletin before exam day. Editions can change between license cycles.

• 2018 International Mechanical Code with Delaware amendments
• 2018 International Fuel Gas Code
• 2018 International Plumbing Code
• 2020 National Electrical Code
• Delaware Title 24, Chapters 18 & 39 (HVACR and Plumbing statutes)
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart K & M for safety portions

Fees & timeline for the Delaware contractor license

• DELPROS application fee varies by trade (typically $141 for master licenses)
• Prometric exam fee (~$100 per attempt) paid at scheduling
• Initial license issuance and biennial renewal fees are collected through DELPROS
• Business licenses from the Division of Revenue add annual gross-receipts taxes
• Proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation must remain on file

Use the All States hub to budget multi-state expansions, then rely on DELPROS for the official Delaware fee schedule.

Delaware Business & Law focus

Delaware blends business-license requirements (Division of Revenue) with DPR trade regulations. Even trade exams quiz contractors on lien deadlines, insurance limits, and consumer protection rules.

• Register every jobsite with the Division of Revenue if the contract exceeds $50,000
• Memorize Delaware’s prompt-pay statute and penalty interest on public work
• Carry proof of workers' compensation when employing anyone beyond sole proprietors
• Use DPR-approved change-order language and 3-day rescission notice on residential jobs

Practice with our national Business & Law exam hub for cross-state baseline rules.

A focused 4-week study plan for the Delaware exam

Because delaware mixes coastal climate and piedmont clay: Wilmington basements flood when the Christina River overtops, beach builds must survive 140‑mph winds, and inland freeze–thaw cycles pop brick facades, this four-week outline targets what Delaware field inspectors and your licensing board exam items actually test—not generic national prep.

1. Week 1 — Map the exam. Pull your current candidate bulletin, list every reference, and confirm the modules you have to pass. Start a one-page error log. Spend extra time on: Wind uplift hardware and coastal exposure category D detailing.
2. Week 2 — Code book navigation. Drill open-book lookups (or memorisation drills if your module is closed-book) until you can find any answer in under 60 seconds. Anchor practice around: High water-table excavation safety, sump pump sizing, and vapor barriers.
3. Week 3 — Business & Law. Delaware blends business-license requirements (Division of Revenue) with DPR trade regulations. Even trade exams quiz contractors on lien deadlines, insurance limits, and consumer protection rules. Layer in scenario-based questions on contracts, lien notice, payroll, and insurance.
4. Week 4 — Full simulations. Prometric runs exams in Dover and Newark plus select regional centers. Seats fill quickly during spring license renewals, so book early. Run two full-length timed simulations. Review every miss with a one-sentence rule statement.