Georgia Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)

How Georgia licenses contractors

The Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential & General Contractors (under the Secretary of State) issues both General (Unlimited) and Residential licenses. PSI (test-takers.psiexams.com/gacon) administers the NASCLA-based exams.

North Georgia deals with Appalachian ice, Atlanta battles 95°F humidity, and the Coastal Plain braces for hurricane gusts and termites. Exams emphasize wind uplift, flood vent sizing, termite barriers, and expansive red clay drainage.

Official source: Georgia Secretary of State — Professional Licensing Division

Georgia contractor license types

All applicants submit a $25,000 surety bond (or letter of credit) and provide GA Work Verification Affidavits plus three notarized reference forms.

What's on the Georgia contractor exam

PSI operates centers in Atlanta, Macon, Savannah, Augusta, Tifton, and online proctoring. Seats are released every week—book quickly during spring renewal rush.

What Georgia exam questions emphasize

• Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission erosion rules and red-clay drainage
• Southern pine span charts, uplift connectors, and high-wind fastening schedules
• Termite treatment and soil pretreatment record-keeping per Rule 553-12-.01
• Lien law timelines (90-day filing, 12-month enforcement) and prompt-pay statutes

Exam-day logistics

• Bring two current IDs that match your application name and your approval letter
• Reference books must be bound and tabbed; PSI inspects them before each exam
• NASCLA results remain valid for three years; schedule Business & Law immediately after passing

Trade-specific exam guides

If you're licensing in a single trade rather than the Georgia 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.

Georgia 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.

• International Building Code 2018 with Georgia amendments
• International Residential Code 2018 with Georgia amendments
• Georgia Soil & Erosion Control Manual
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management – Georgia Edition
• NASCLA Practice Manual (if taking the NASCLA exam)

Fees & timeline for the Georgia contractor license

• Application fee of $200 (General) or $150 (Residential) payable to the Secretary of State
• PSI exam fee currently $72 per module (NASCLA pricing differs)
• Fingerprint/background check for qualifying agents through Gemalto/Identogo
• License issuance fee plus biennial renewal ($100) with 6 hours of CE for Residential licensees
• Surety bond or LOC proof at $25,000 minimum

Compare multi-state budgets on the All States hub, then rely on the Georgia Board’s latest fee bulletin before mailing any checks.

Georgia Business & Law focus

Georgia’s Business & Law requirements closely mirror common contractor-law topics (contracts, liens, insurance, taxes, and compliance) with state-specific contracting statutes layered in. Verify the exact exam outline for your license class before test day.

• Tab Chapter 43 of the OCGA (Georgia construction licensing act) and Titles 10 & 44 for lien law
• Master financial statements, cash-flow, and ratio questions—they are 20% of the test
• Study workers' compensation posting and subcontractor insurance requirements
• Know disciplinary procedures for qualifying agents and how to change business entities

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

A focused 4-week study plan for the Georgia exam

Because north Georgia deals with Appalachian ice, Atlanta battles 95°F humidity, and the Coastal Plain braces for hurricane gusts and termites, this four-week outline targets what Georgia 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: Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission erosion rules and red-clay drainage.
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: Southern pine span charts, uplift connectors, and high-wind fastening schedules.
3. Week 3 — Business & Law. Georgia’s Business & Law requirements closely mirror common contractor-law topics (contracts, liens, insurance, taxes, and compliance) with state-specific contracting statutes layered in. Verify the exact exam outline for your license class before test day. Layer in scenario-based questions on contracts, lien notice, payroll, and insurance.
4. Week 4 — Full simulations. PSI operates centers in Atlanta, Macon, Savannah, Augusta, Tifton, and online proctoring. Seats are released every week—book quickly during spring renewal rush. Run two full-length timed simulations. Review every miss with a one-sentence rule statement.