How to Get a Contractor License in Georgia via NASCLA Reciprocity

Georgia is one of 15 states (plus USVI) that accepts the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor Examination toward licensure — but “accepts NASCLA reciprocity” doesn’t mean the exam is the only thing standing between you and a license. Here’s exactly what Georgia’s State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (SLBRGC) requires.

Step 1: Pass the NASCLA Commercial GC exam

Georgia’s licensing board accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors in lieu of Georgia’s own General Contractor Trade Examination (sos.ga.gov). This is the trade-knowledge exam covering business organization, estimating, contract law, OSHA safety, and the other core content areas.

Georgia also has state-to-state reciprocity agreements with several other states directly (including Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina) for contractors who already hold an active out-of-state license.

Step 2: Georgia still requires its own Business and Law exam

This is the detail that trips people up: NASCLA reciprocity replaces the trade exam, not the Business and Law exam. Georgia requires the state-specific Business and Law exam in addition to your NASCLA result — budget study time for both.

Step 3: Meet the net worth and insurance requirements

• Standard General Contractor license: affirm a net worth of at least $150,000.
• Limited Tier General Contractor license (lower project-value cap): affirm a net worth of at least $25,000 if you can’t meet the standard tier.
• General liability insurance: a minimum of $500,000 in coverage is required regardless of tier.

Step 4: Submit your NASCLA transcript and application

Once you’ve passed the NASCLA exam, order your official NASCLA transcript and submit it with your application to the SLBRGC, along with proof of your Business and Law exam result, net worth affirmation, and insurance certificate.

Application fee: $210 total ($200 application fee + $10 processing fee), payable by check or money order to the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. Fees are non-refundable — always confirm the current fee on the Georgia Secretary of State’s licensing board page before applying, since state fees change.

What NASCLA reciprocity does NOT cover in Georgia

• The Georgia-specific Business and Law exam (still required)
• Net worth and insurance documentation
• The $210 application fee
• Any experience-verification the board requests

Studying for both exams

Because the NASCLA trade exam content is standardized nationally, how you prepare for it doesn’t change based on targeting Georgia specifically — it’s the same 10 content areas everywhere. Georgia’s separate Business and Law exam is state-specific and outside Certeo’s v1 scope (see our NASCLA Reciprocity Guide for how the two exams differ).

Sources

• Georgia Secretary of State — State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors
• Georgia SLBRGC Reciprocity — Commercial General Contractor, Qualifying Agent application (PDF)

This guide summarizes publicly available Georgia licensing requirements as of 2026. Requirements, fees, and net worth thresholds are set by the Georgia State Licensing Board and can change — always verify current requirements directly with the board before applying.