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Construction Work Regulated?

Who Regulates Construction?

Requirements?

State General Contractor Exams
National Exams
State General Contractor Exams National Exams

Construction Work Regulated?

Home and commercial construction, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are regulated at the state level. Additionally each public works project with a value of $50,000 or more requires all contractors and subcontractors to hold a state public works license. Prequalification is obtained through the licensing process. Construction managers are also licensed by the Public Works Licensing Bureau.

Who Regulates Construction?

Home and commercial construction contractor applications for registration may be obtained from:

Idaho Contractors Board
Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses
700 West Street, JR Williams Building
Boise, ID 83720-0063
(208) 334-3233/Fax (208) 334-3945
https://www.ibol.idaho.gov

Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, & Public Works Contractor licensing applications and information may be obtained from:

Idaho Division of Building Safety
1090 East Watertower Street, Suite 150
Meridian, ID 83642
(208) 334-3950/Fax (877) 810-2840
http://dbs.idaho.gov

Requirements?

Home and Commercial Construction Contractor Registration: General contractors and/or sub contractors who do work in excess of $2,000 (labor and materials) must register. Applicant must provide a completed application for registration. This application must include proof of a current $300,000 minimum general liability policy in effect with completed operations and general aggregate coverage, proof of current workers' compensation coverage, or an acceptable statement of exemption. Business registrations are valid for 1 year from issue date, and individual registration expire a year from the applicants birth date.

Contractor Registration fees are as follows:

Registration Type / Application Fee / Renewal Fee
RCE-Registered Entity / $35 / $35
RCT-Registered Individual / $35 / $35

Expires a year from the date issued
Expires a year from issued date on the registrant's birthday

Electricians:
Examinations are required for electrical and specialty electrical contractors, master, journeyman and specialty electricians. Apprentices must be registered and work under the supervision of a journeyman. In order to qualify to test for the journeyman class, an applicant must document at least 4 years (minimum of 8,000 hours) of work experience in the trade, in addition to 4 years of related vocational educational training. An out-of-state applicant from a non-reciprocal state must meet Idaho's vocational educational requirements or submit verification of twice the amount of experience (8 years defined as a minimum of 16,000 hours).

A specialty electrical license is required to perform electrical installations in the specialty categories (see Types of Licenses). Companies performing specialty work are required to be licensed as specialty contractors. The individuals, actually performing the work for the contractor, must be licensed as specialty journeyman or as registered trainees working under the supervision of a specialty journeyman. Specialty license are not required of unrestricted electrical contractors.

Electrical fees are as follows:

License Type / Application Fee / Examination Fee / Score required to pass / License Fee / Renewal Fee

Apprentice / N/A / N/A / N/A / $50/5 / $50/5
Journeyman / $15 / $75 / 70% / $55 / $45
Master / $15 / $75 / 75% / $65 / $45
Contractor / $15 / $75 / 75% / $125 / $100
Specialty Trainee / N/A / N/A / N/A / $30/3 / $30/3
Specialty Journeyman / $15 / $75 / 70% / $55 / $45
Specialty Contractor / $15 / $75 / 70% / $125 / $100
Annual Renewal Fee
3 Year Renewal Fee

Plumbers:
Apprentices must be registered. An individual must be employed by a licensed Plumbing Contractor, work under the supervision of a journeyman, maintain enrollment in and successfully complete a training program approved by the board, and maintain state registration.

An applicant for a Plumbing Journeyman license must have a minimum of 4 years working in the trade. In compliance with the requirements of the state in which the applicant received his/her supervision, or registered as a Plumbing Apprentice making plumbing installations on the job under the supervision of a qualified Plumbing Journeyman and complete any training courses. Applicants must also successfully complete the state Plumbing Journeyman examination, which consists of both a written exam and a hands-on practical exam.

An applicant for a Plumbing Contractor license must provide proof of having legally acted as an Plumbing Journeyman for a period of not less than 2 years. Applicants must successfully complete the state Plumbing Contractor examination. A performance bond in the amount of $2,000 will also need to be provided.

Plumbing fees are as follows for a 3 year certificate:

License Type / Initial Fee / Renewal Fee / Examination Fee / Score Required to Pass
Contractor / $75 / $36 / $75 / 175%
Journeyman / $15 / $7.20 / $75 / 75%
Specialty Contractor / $75 / $36 / $75 / 75%
Specialty Journeyman / $15 / $7.20 / $75 / 75%

Heating, Ventilation and A/C Contractors {HVAC): Apprentices must be registered, an individual must be employed by a licensed HVAC Contractor, work under the supervision of a Journeyman, maintain enrollment in or successfully complete a training program approved by the Board and maintain state registration. An applicant for an HVAC Journeyman License must have a minimum of 4 years working in the trade. In compliance with the requirements of the state, in which the applicant received his/her supervision, or as a registered HVAC Apprentice making HVAC installations on the job under the supervision of a qualified HVAC Journeyman and complete any required apprenticeship training courses. Applicants must also successfully complete the state HVAC Journeyman examination.

An applicant for an HVAC Contractor license must provide proof of having legally acted as an HVAC Journeyman for a period of not less than 24 months. Applicants must successfully complete the state HVAC Contractor examination. A performance bond in the amount of $2,000 will also need to be provided.

HVAC fees are as follows per year:

License Type / Initial Fee / Renewal Fee / Examination Fee / Score Required to pass
Journeyman / $50 / $25 / $75 / 70%
Contractor / $75 / $50 / $75 / 70%
Specialty Journeyman / $50 / $25 / $75 / 70%
Specialty Contractor / $75 / $50 / $75 / 70%

Public Works:
Contractors may hold only 1 class of license at a time. All applicants must show proof that he/she has experience in the requested class. Applicants must furnish an audited or reviewed financial statement for A, AA, AAA, or Unlimited class licenses. A compiled financial statement for B class license, and may utilize the inhouse financial statement for C and D class licenses. The examination fee is $75 and all applicants are required to pass an examination with a passing score of 70%.

Financial Requirements for Public Works license are as follows (Heavy, Highway, Building and Specialty Construction):

Class / Contract Limits (per bid) / Net Worth Requirements / Working Capital

D / $50,000 / $10,000 / $3,000
c / $200,000 / $25,000 / $7,500
cc / $400,000 / $75,000 / $25,000
B / $600,000 / $150,000 / $50,000
A / $1,250,000 / $300,000 / $100,000
AA / $3,000,000 / $450,000 / $150,000
AAA / $5,000,000 / $600,000 / $200,000
Unlimited / $5,000,000 / $1,000,000 / $600,000

Licenses are valid for 1 year expiring on the last day of the month the license was issued.

Construction Managers:
All construction managers must be licensed by Public Works Contractors Licensing. Works License Board may issue a temporary license for 1 year to a construction manager who is licensed in another state which has similar
requirements.

Below are the requirements for licensing:

a. A bachelor's degree in architecture, engineering or construction management from a college or university and a minimum of 4 years experience in managing construction projects; or a minimum of 5 years experience in managing
construction projects.
b. Pass exam administered by the CMAA.

Construction Manager fees are as follows:

Requirements / Fee
Initial Exam / $200
Initial License / $200
License Renewal / $200

RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS
Reciprocal agreements do not exist between any other states for the Contractors Registration. Idaho has a reciprocal agreement for Journeyman Electrical licenses with Colorado, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Reciprocal agreements also exist for journeyman plumbers licensed with Montana, Oregon and Washington.