New Hampshire Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)

How New Hampshire licenses contractors

OPLC licenses master electricians, plumbers, and gas fitters statewide via PSI exams. Cities such as Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth issue general-contractor permits that often require ICC credentials or documented experience.

Expect minus-ten design temps, 90-psf snow loads, salt spray along the Seacoast, and ledge basements that demand radon ventilation. Municipal exams stress frost walls, energy code, and flood-resistant detailing.

Official source: New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification

New Hampshire contractor license types

Even without a statewide GC license, contractors must register businesses, carry liability and workers-comp coverage, and comply with local energy and mechanical code adoptions.

What's on the New Hampshire contractor exam

PSI delivers trade exams in Concord, Nashua, Portsmouth, Littleton, and via remote proctoring; ICC exams are available through Pearson VUE centers.

What New Hampshire exam questions emphasize

• Frost depth footings (48-60 inches) and ice-dam mitigation
• Radon rough-ins per IRC Appendix AF
• Flood-resistant construction in coastal AE zones
• Lien law requirements under RSA 447

Exam-day logistics

• Bring approval letters, two IDs, and only the references listed in the PSI bulletin
• ICC exams permit IBC/IRC and the Contractor Business & Law manual with tabs
• Results upload to OPLC or city permit portals within 24 to 48 hours

Trade-specific exam guides

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

New Hampshire 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.

• 2023 National Electrical Code
• 2018 National Standard Plumbing Code
• NFPA 54 and 58
• 2018 International Residential Code and IECC (NH amendments)
• RSA 447 Mechanics Lien Law
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926

Fees & timeline for the New Hampshire contractor license

• $150-$200 trade license fees plus PSI exam fees
• $100-$300 municipal GC license/bond costs
• $200,000 bonding requirement for lead/asbestos contractors
• Liability and workers-comp insurance premiums
• ICC exam fees (about $150) for local GC credentials

Use the All States hub for budgeting; confirm fees with OPLC and local building departments.

New Hampshire Business & Law focus

Trade exams cover contracts, liens, insurance, and OSHA/EPA obligations. Municipal licensing also checks for insurance certificates, bonds, and knowledge of local ordinances.

• Understand RSA 447 mechanics lien filings and owner notification
• Register with the Department of Revenue Administration and Department of Labor
• Maintain OSHA-compliant cold-weather safety plans and EPA RRP certifications
• Document change orders and cancellation rights per state consumer laws

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

A focused 4-week study plan for the New Hampshire exam

Because expect minus-ten design temps, 90-psf snow loads, salt spray along the Seacoast, and ledge basements that demand radon ventilation, this four-week outline targets what New Hampshire 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: Frost depth footings (48-60 inches) and ice-dam mitigation.
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: Radon rough-ins per IRC Appendix AF.
3. Week 3 — Business & Law. Trade exams cover contracts, liens, insurance, and OSHA/EPA obligations. Municipal licensing also checks for insurance certificates, bonds, and knowledge of local ordinances. Layer in scenario-based questions on contracts, lien notice, payroll, and insurance.
4. Week 4 — Full simulations. PSI delivers trade exams in Concord, Nashua, Portsmouth, Littleton, and via remote proctoring; ICC exams are available through Pearson VUE centers. Run two full-length timed simulations. Review every miss with a one-sentence rule statement.