How to get a contractor license in Colorado
Colorado does not issue a state-level general contractor license; licensing happens at the city or county level. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license; the state (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) licenses only electrical and plumbing trades, and general/building contractor licensing is handled entirely by individual cities and counties such as Denver, which generally do not reciprocate with each other.
- Licensing level
- local
- Exam vendor
- See agency
- Verified
- Official source
Start at the source
General contracting here is governed where you work: contact the building department of the city or county for its licensing or registration requirements, and confirm whether any state-level registration also applies.
The path, wherever you are
- Confirm the licensing level above with the authority, then pull the current application checklist from its site.
- Where a trade exam is required, get the candidate bulletin: it names the exam vendor, the topics, and the exact reference editions allowed on the table.
- Buy the referenced code books in the exact editions listed, and tab them yourself within whatever marking the bulletin permits.
- Train the lookup, not just the knowledge: contractor trade exams are commonly open book, which makes finding the governing section fast the actual tested skill.
- Expect a separate business and law exam in many jurisdictions, with its own reference book.
Why open book changes your prep
An open-book exam gives you the answers and takes away the time to find them. The candidates who fail are rarely the ones who knew the least; they are the ones who found things slowest. That lookup skill is what this site trains:the free timed drill shows you your seconds-per-lookup in two minutes.
Not sure whether you need a contractor license or an ICC inspector certification? The two are issued by different bodies and scored differently: seeinspector certification vs contractor licenseand why the ICC passing score is a scaled 75.
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado require a state contractor license?
Colorado does not issue a state-level general contractor license; licensing happens at the city or county level. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license; the state (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) licenses only electrical and plumbing trades, and general/building contractor licensing is handled entirely by individual cities and counties such as Denver, which generally do not reciprocate with each other.
Who do I contact to get licensed in Colorado?
Start with the building department of the city or county where you will work, and confirm whether any state registration also applies.
Is the Colorado contractor exam open book?
Where Colorado or its localities require a trade exam, contractor trade exams are commonly open book against the adopted code and reference list. The candidate bulletin for your specific exam is the authority, and it names the exact editions allowed on the table.
Sources
- dpo.colorado.gov/Electrical
- dpo.colorado.gov/Plumbing/Applications
- www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing
- estespark.colorado.gov/contractorlicensing
Other states
| Alaska | state |
| Arizona | state |
| Arkansas | state |
| California | state |
| Connecticut | state |
| Delaware | hybrid |
| Florida | state |
| Georgia | state |
The kit that goes on the table
2024 IRCThe book itself
2021 IRC + tabsIf you register on 2021
2024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourself
Construction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errorsMatch the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.
The 120-second study sheet, free
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