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General contractor · State license

How to get a contractor license in Montana

State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

Since January 1, 2026, Montana requires construction contractors to hold a Construction Contractor License (CCL) from the Department of Labor & Industry (DLI), replacing the old registration. It's a business license, not a skills test: the law asks for business details and proof of workers' compensation coverage, and the fee is $70. It applies to contractors with employees and to corporations and manager-managed LLCs (short for limited liability company); a solo independent contractor with no employees is exempt. [1][2][3][4][5]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in Montana

You don't need any state license or card to start working in construction in Montana: the contractor law doesn't apply to someone working as an employee for wages. Your first step is to get hired by a builder or contractor, ideally in a registered apprenticeship your employer sets up with Montana Registered Apprenticeship. The contractor license only matters once you run your own business with employees. [4][5][9]

  • High school diploma or GED

    No state rule for construction workers or for the contractor license. Montana Registered Apprenticeship requires a high school diploma or equivalent Its FAQ (frequently asked questions) says a diploma, GED (General Educational Development test) or HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) at the start or within six months of starting. [3][9][13]

  • Minimum age

    16 with parental consent, or 18 without, for Montana Registered Apprenticeship State law says apprenticeship agreements must state that apprentices are at least 16. [9][12]

  • Register before you start work

    Nothing to register as an employee. If you're hired as a registered apprentice, your employer registers you with Montana Registered Apprenticeship. [5][9]

  • Helper jobs

    Allowed: the contractor law doesn't apply to a person working as an employee with wages as their only pay. Electrical and plumbing work need their own licenses See the Montana electrician and plumber pages. [5][10][11]

  • Pay while you learn

    Registered apprentices are paid from day one. On public construction projects covered by Montana's prevailing wage law, an apprentice's pay must start at no less than 40% of the journeyman wage and rise progressively. [14][15]

  • Credit for prior training or military

    State apprenticeship law allows up to 50% credit for prior training or experience, recommended by the employer or committee and approved by DLI. Veterans can use GI Bill benefits in Registered Apprenticeship. [12][13]

  • Going out on your own

    With employees, or as a corporation or manager-managed LLC, you need the Construction Contractor License ($70). Working alone with no employees, you need workers' compensation coverage or an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate ($125, no test). [4][5][8]

  • Still in high school?

    You can become a registered apprentice at 16 with parental consent. The Office of Public Instruction's approved Montana Career Pathways include Skilled Trades: Construction and Heavy Equipment, and the Montana University System's One-Two-Free dual enrollment gives eligible students (ages 16-19 and/or juniors and seniors) their first two college courses free. The contractor license has no experience requirement for high school hours to count toward. [3][9][16][17]

Where to apply in MontanaHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Licensing office Montana Department of Labor & Industry: Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program · (406) 444-6880 [1]

Montana contractor license at a glance

Who issues licenses
Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program [1]
Required since
January 1, 2026 HB 239 (House Bill) of 2025 replaced registration with licensing [1][2]
Who needs it
Contractors with employees, and corporations and manager-managed LLCs regardless of employee count [4]
Exam or experience
None in the law You provide business details and proof of workers' compensation coverage [3]
Fee
$70 to apply $70 to renew [4]
Small jobs
Projects under $2,500 total are exempt unless split up to evade the law [5]
Local licenses
Cities and counties may not require their own contractor licenses for the same purpose General business license fees still apply [6]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. What changed in 2026
  5. Who needs the license
  6. Fees, documents and local rules
  7. Working on your own without employees
  8. If you're licensed in another state
  9. Steps to get licensed
  10. Where to get the hours
  11. Licensed in another state?
  12. Questions people ask

The license pathway in Montana

  1. 1

    Construction worker or apprentice

    • At least 144 hours a year recommended for registered apprentices under state law

    No state license. The contractor law doesn't apply to employees working for wages. [5][12]

  2. 2

    Independent contractor (no employees)

    • $125 Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (if you don't buy workers' comp coverage)

    Exempt from the contractor license if you have no employees, unless you're a corporation or manager-managed LLC. You need workers' compensation coverage or an exemption certificate. [4][5][8]

  3. 3

    Licensed construction contractor

    • $70 application; $70 renewal

    A business license for contractors with employees and for corporations and manager-managed LLCs. You list owners or officers, your EIN (Employer Identification Number) if any and proof of workers' compensation coverage. [3][4]

What changed in 2026

House Bill 239 (2025) "comprehensively overhauled" Montana's construction contractor rules, moving from a basic registration to a licensing program managed by DLI. Since January 1, 2026, all construction contractors must be licensed, and contractors with an active registration on December 31, 2025 were converted to the new license.

The license is still about business accountability, not trade skills. DLI says it enforces standards of professional conduct and makes sure contractors carry workers' compensation and unemployment coverage for their employees. [1][2][4]

Who needs the license

A "construction contractor" is a person or company that, as an independent business, offers, bids on or does construction, alteration, repair, demolition or improvement work on buildings, roads, excavations or other improvements to real estate for someone else. That includes flooring, scaffolding, roofing and siding.

DLI's FAQ says the license targets contractors with employees, plus corporations and manager-managed LLCs regardless of employee count. The law exempts, among others: employees working for wages; independent contractors with no employees; jobs under $2,500 total (unless split up to evade the law); owners working on their own property; and licensed electricians and plumbers working within their licenses. [1][4][5]

Fees, documents and local rules

The application asks for your Social Security number, proof of workers' compensation compliance, your federal employer identification number (EIN) if you have one, and the names and addresses of owners, partners, officers or LLC managers. DLI's FAQ gives the fee as $70 to apply and $70 to renew.

State law makes the contractor license exclusive: a city or county may not require its own contractor registration, license or bond for the same purpose, though it can charge a general business license fee. Building permits still come from the state Building Codes Program or a certified local government. [3][4][6][7]

Working on your own without employees

An independent contractor in Montana must have either self-elected workers' compensation coverage or an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (ICEC). The ICEC costs $125, needs no test, and requires business documents showing you run an established business. Independent contractors can be fined up to $5,000 per violation for working without an ICEC or workers' compensation coverage. [8]

If you're licensed in another state

Montana's contractor license has no exam, so there's nothing to transfer: out-of-state contractors apply for the Montana license like anyone else. See our reciprocity guide. [1][3]

Steps to get licensed in Montana

  1. Learn the trade as an employee

    Get hired by a contractor; no license is needed to work for wages. Ask about a registered apprenticeship through Montana Registered Apprenticeship. See our carpenter apprenticeship guide. [5][9]

  2. Set up your business

    If you use a business name other than your own, register it with the Montana Secretary of State; DLI suggests doing this before you apply. Get a workers' compensation policy to cover employees. [4]

  3. Apply for the Construction Contractor License

    Apply online through the CCL program page with the $70 fee, your business details and proof of workers' compensation coverage. [1][3][4]

  4. Use licensed trades for electrical and plumbing

    Electrical and plumbing work needs Montana electrician or plumber licenses; licensed electricians and plumbers working within their license are exempt from the contractor license. [5][10][11]

Where to get the hours

Programs that train general contractors in or for Montana, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.

Licensed in another state?

We didn't find a reciprocity agreement published by the licensing office for this license. Ask the office how it treats an out-of-state license or experience before you apply.

Open the reciprocity map · How reciprocity works

AlaskaAK MaineME VermontVT New HampshireNH WashingtonWA IdahoID MontanaMT North DakotaND MinnesotaMN IllinoisIL WisconsinWI MichiganMI New YorkNY Rhode IslandRI MassachusettsMA OregonOR NevadaNV WyomingWY South DakotaSD IowaIA IndianaIN OhioOH PennsylvaniaPA New JerseyNJ ConnecticutCT CaliforniaCA UtahUT ColoradoCO NebraskaNE MissouriMO KentuckyKY West VirginiaWV VirginiaVA MarylandMD DelawareDE ArizonaAZ New MexicoNM KansasKS ArkansasAR TennesseeTN North CarolinaNC South CarolinaSC District of ColumbiaDC OklahomaOK LouisianaLA MississippiMS AlabamaAL GeorgiaGA HawaiiHI TexasTX FloridaFL
MT Listed here (agreement or endorsement)

Questions people ask

Does Montana require a general contractor license?

Yes, since January 1, 2026, construction contractors need a state Construction Contractor License from DLI. There's no exam; the fee is $70. [1][4]

Do I need a contractor license if I work alone in Montana?

An independent contractor with no employees is exempt from the contractor license, unless the business is a corporation or manager-managed LLC. You still need workers' compensation coverage or an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate. [4][5][8]

Sources (17)
  1. Montana Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program, Montana Department of Labor & Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. HB 239 (2025), Chapter 644: Revising laws related to construction contractors, Montana Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. 37-45-201, MCA: Construction contractor license required -- application, Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. Construction Contractor License (CCL) FAQ (rev. 05/19/2026), Montana Department of Labor & Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. 37-45-104, MCA: Exemptions, Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. 37-45-204, MCA: Provisions exclusive -- certain local authority not limited or abridged, Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  7. Montana Building Codes Program, Montana Department of Labor & Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  8. Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (ICEC) Program, Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Employment Standards Division. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  9. How Do I Become An Apprentice?, Montana Registered Apprenticeship, Department of Labor & Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  10. 37-68-301, MCA: License required to engage in electrical work, Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  11. 37-69-301, MCA: License required (plumbers), Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  12. 39-6-106, MCA: Contents of apprenticeship agreements -- credit for prior training or experience, Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  13. FAQ, Montana Registered Apprenticeship, Department of Labor & Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  14. Montana Registered Apprenticeship, Montana Department of Labor & Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  15. 39-6-108, MCA: Apprentice wage rate, Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  16. Montana Career Pathways - Secondary Programs of Study, Montana Office of Public Instruction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  17. About Dual Enrollment, Montana University System. Accessed October 11, 2026.

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