Do you need a general contractor license in Ohio?

Journeyman level Licensed by cities or counties, not the state What's a journeyman?

The license pathway in Ohio

1. 1

   City contractor license or registration

   Ohio has no state general contractor license, so there's no state ladder to climb. Cities set their own rules. Columbus registers general contractors and separately licenses home improvement contractors, who need three years of experience and an exam. Check with the building department in each city where you'll work. [1][3]

Ohio has no state general contractor license

Ohio's contractor licensing law defines a "license" as one the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) issues to a heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractor, refrigeration contractor, electrical contractor, plumbing contractor or hydronics contractor. General contractors, builders and remodelers aren't on that list.

OCILB "issues State Licenses to Commercial Contractors" in those five trades only, so general contracting is left to cities and other local governments. [1][2]

The trades Ohio does license

If you plan to contract for this work yourself, or want to know who you'll hire, the state licenses these contractors through OCILB:

• Electrical: see the Ohio electrician license page.
• HVAC, refrigeration and hydronics: see the Ohio HVAC license page.
• Plumbing: see the Ohio plumber license page.

Each license takes five years as a tradesperson in that trade, two exams and at least $500,000 in liability insurance. The state license covers commercial work, and OCILB says local building departments may require it for residential work. [2][4]

City rules: Columbus

Columbus Building and Zoning Services licenses and registers contractors under Chapter 4114 of the city code. All contractors working in the city must get "the appropriate license or registration before they can apply for permits and begin the job."

General contractor. You need a completed, notarized application, a $25,000 bond on the city's form, and a certificate of liability insurance from an insurer licensed in Ohio. Columbus doesn't require board approval for general contractors. A registered general contractor can build new structures and do structural work on commercial buildings and on multi-family buildings (4 or more units). On 1-, 2- and 3-family homes, a general contractor can only coordinate the work and must subcontract it to city-licensed contractors.

Home improvement general contractor. To do structural work on existing 1-, 2- and 3-family homes, including garages and accessory buildings, you need this license instead. It requires at least three full years of "hands-on" home improvement experience, a score of 70% or higher on the International Code Council's 767 Ohio Home Improvement Contractor exam (taken through Pearson VUE), and approval by the city's Board of General and Home Improvement Contractors.

Fees are on the city's Building and Zoning Services fee schedule. Contact Building and Zoning Services at (614) 645-7433. [3]

Other Ohio cities

Other cities set their own rules, and some suburbs differ from the city next door. Cleveland, for example, registers contractors through its Department of Building & Housing, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors must hold the state license before they register. Before you bid a job, call the building department of the city where it is. [5]

Getting into construction in Ohio

Two routes into construction work in Ohio:

• Union carpentry: the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters runs a four-year apprenticeship with Ohio training centers. You work at least 1,300 hours a year for a union contractor and attend 160 hours of class a year, with no tuition.
• Registered apprenticeships: ApprenticeOhio oversees registered programs. Apprentices are full-time employees from day one and get raises as they progress.

See our guides to carpenter apprenticeships and helper jobs. [6][7][8]

Steps to get licensed in Ohio

1. Confirm you don't need a state license for your work

   General building work needs no state license in Ohio. But if you'll contract for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics or refrigeration work, you need that OCILB contractor license. [1][2]

2. Check each city where you'll work

   Contact the building department in each city. In Columbus, all contractors must get the right city license or registration before they can apply for permits. [3]

3. Meet the city's conditions

   Expect forms, fees, a bond and insurance. A Columbus general contractor needs a notarized application, a $25,000 bond and a certificate of liability insurance; a Columbus home improvement contractor also needs three years of experience and a passing ICC exam. [3]

4. Use licensed trade contractors

   In Columbus, a general contractor managing work on 1-, 2- and 3-family homes must subcontract it to city-licensed home improvement, mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors. [3]

Where to get the hours

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

• Union

  Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters

  Four-year commercial carpentry apprenticeship approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, with training centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. No tuition; Ohio graduates earn 30 college credits from Cuyahoga Community College. [6]

• State program

  ApprenticeOhio (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services)

  The state's registered apprenticeship office, with a statewide apprenticeship dashboard. You apply directly to a registered program. [7][8]

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