General Contractor (Unlimited)
Scope: Commercial structures of any height statewide
Testing: NASCLA exam or PSI’s Georgia trade exam plus the Business & Law module; applicants must document four years with one year as superintendent
Georgia Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)
Georgia licensing commonly blends trade knowledge with Business & Law fundamentals—and in some cases NASCLA can satisfy the trade portion. Use our Georgia practice exam flow to build timed pacing, reference navigation, and “what’s the next step?” decision-making. Always confirm your exact license track before scheduling.
Last verified: June 2026 via Georgia Residential & General Contractors Licensing Board. Official source: Georgia Secretary of State — Professional Licensing Division.
- Trade + Business & LawCommon requirement
- NASCLA acceptedFor some paths
- PSI testingScheduling/vendor
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 licensing at a glance
- Trade + Business & Law — Common requirement
- NASCLA accepted — For some paths
- Typical cost: Application fee of $200 (General) or $150 (Residential) payable to the Secretary of State
- NASCLA Accredited Examination accepted for qualifying Building paths
- Common license path: General Contractor (Unlimited)
Georgia contractor license types
Residential Basic
Scope: One- and two-family dwellings <= 3 stories
Testing: PSI Residential Basic test built on the IRC, OSHA, and Georgia amendments plus Business & Law
Residential Light Commercial
Scope: Wood-frame light commercial up to 4 stories/25,000 sf
Testing: Residential-Light Commercial exam referencing IRC/IBC chapters, masonry, and structural steel basics
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
Georgia contractor exam blueprint (verified June 2026)
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential & General Contractors (Secretary of State) |
|---|---|
| When required | Any residential or general work over $2,500 |
| Exams | NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building exam (115 questions, 330 minutes, open-book) plus the Georgia Business & Law exam |
| Exam vendor | PSI (Atlanta, Macon, Tifton); the NASCLA exam is scheduled through NASCLA |
| Passing score | 70% on each |
| Net worth | $150,000 for General Contractor or $25,000 for General Contractor – Limited Tier, proven by a notarized CPA letter |
| Experience | 4 years of construction experience (2 under a GC, 1 in management) — or a 4-year related degree plus 1 year |
| Money | $200 application fee · $106 NASCLA exam · $60 Business & Law exam (to PSI) · $500,000 general liability insurance |
What trips Georgia applicants up
Georgia uses the NASCLA exam for the trade portion, so passing it once lets you send your transcript through NASCLA's National Examination Database (NED) to other NASCLA states without retaking. The real bottleneck for most applicants is not the exam — it is the CPA net-worth letter, which is required before the Board approves you to test.
Verified sources: GA Licensing Board — PSI Bulletin #971 · NASCLA — Participating State Agencies.
Who needs a Georgia contractor license (and who does not)
Georgia separates Unlimited general contracting from Residential Basic and Residential-Light Commercial. Monetary scope drives the exam path.
| General Contractor (Unlimited) | Covers: Unlimited commercial/general building within Georgia rules Authority: Georgia licensing division — NASCLA or state exam + Business & Law |
|---|---|
| Residential Basic / Light Commercial | Covers: Residential and limited light-commercial scopes Authority: Residential classifications — confirm limits before bidding commercial work |
| Out-of-scope bidding | Covers: Bidding above your residential classification limits Authority: Not allowed — upgrade classification before pursuing larger contracts |
Most-missed Georgia contractor exam topics
Erosion control, southern pine uplift, and termite documentation show up more than generic national GC outlines.
- Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission erosion and red-clay drainage rules
- Southern pine span charts, uplift connectors, and high-wind fastening
- Termite treatment record-keeping per Georgia rules
- Lien filing and enforcement timelines that differ from neighboring states
- Business & Law items still required when using a NASCLA transcript
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 Georgia Business & Law simulator and the national Business & Law exam hub for cross-state baseline rules.
NASCLA acceptance in Georgia
Georgia accepts the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Exam for General Contractor (Unlimited) and Residential-Light Commercial candidates. Submit your NASCLA transcript plus proof of Business & Law passage and complete the Georgia application and financial review. Confirm the current board bulletin before you schedule, then drill timed practice so Business & Law and remaining state filing steps do not surprise you after a NASCLA pass.
NASCLA reciprocity peers for Georgia contractors
If you carry a Georgia license and want to work in another NASCLA-accepting jurisdiction, the following state boards will credit your NASCLA Accredited Examination score (you still file a state-specific application and Business & Law module):
- How Alabama credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Arkansas credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Florida credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Louisiana credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Mississippi credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Nevada credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How North Carolina credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Oregon credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How South Carolina credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Tennessee credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Utah credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How Virginia credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
- How West Virginia credits the NASCLA Accredited Examination
More: National NASCLA exam guide and our in-depth NASCLA Accredited Exam study walkthrough.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
FAQs - Georgia contractor exam
Who licenses contractors in Georgia?
The Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors under the Secretary of State.
Do I need NASCLA?
NASCLA is optional but accepted for General Contractor (Unlimited) and Residential-Light Commercial applicants.
What score do I need?
Both the trade exam and Business & Law module require at least 70%.
What experience is required?
Four years of construction experience with at least one year in a supervisory role, plus three notarized references.
How often do I renew?
Every two years. Residential licensees must complete 6 hours of CE per cycle.
What insurance is required?
General contractors must maintain workers' compensation if they have employees and carry general liability to satisfy contract requirements.
Does Georgia require a bond?
Yes, a $25,000 surety bond (or letter of credit) must be provided by each qualifying agent.
More Georgia contractor exam prep resources
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