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Licenses by State

How to check if a contractor is licensed in North Carolina

Edited by John Voll. Last verified .

In North Carolina, the state keeps license or registration records for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC contractors and roofing contractors, and each has an official lookup or board listed below. Check the record before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, and treat the board's own record as final.

Which board covers which trade

TradeWho keeps the recordOfficial lookup
General contractorNorth Carolina Licensing Board for General ContractorsSearch general contractor licenses
ElectricalNorth Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical ContractorsSearch electrical licenses
PlumbingNorth Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler ContractorsSearch plumbing licenses
HVACNorth Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler ContractorsSearch HVAC licenses
RoofingNorth Carolina Licensing Board for General ContractorsSearch roofing licenses

Step by step

  1. Open the official North Carolina lookup run by North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors and search the contractor by name or number.
    Open the official lookup
  2. For electrical work, also check the electrical contractor lookup from North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors.
    Open the lookup
  3. For plumbing work, also check the plumbing contractor lookup from North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing.
    Open the lookup
  4. For HVAC work, also check the HVAC contractor lookup from North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing.
    Open the lookup
  5. General contractor lookup: Verify License Search on the Licensing Board for General Contractors portal. source Electrical contractor lookup: Verify License Search on the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors portal. source Plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler lookup: Verify License Search on the Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors portal. source
  6. Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (Building or Residential or Highway or Public Utilities or PU (Communications) or PU (Fuel Distribution) or PU (Sewage Disposal) or PU (Sewer Lines) or PU (Water Lines) or PU (Water Purification) or PU (Electrical-Ahead of P.O.D.) or H (Grading & Excavating) or S (Asbestos) or S (Boring & Tunneling) or S (Concrete Construction) or S (Insulation) or S (Interior Construction) or S (Marine Construction) or S (Masonry Construction) or S (Metal Erection) or S (Railroad Construction) or S (Roofing) or S (Sidewalk Curb & Gutter) or S (Sign/Billboard) or S (Swimming Pools) or S (Wind Turbine) or Unclassified). The board's own record governs. A license is required for jobs above A general contractor license is required when the cost of the job is $40,000 or more. source
  7. Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: Surety bond of $175,000 for a Limited license ($500,000 for Intermediate), accepted in place of proving working capital or net worth. source

If the contractor is not licensed, or you have a complaint

  • Complaints about electrical contractors can be filed online or by mail with the electrical board. source
  • Consumers can file complaints about plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler work with the plumbing and heating board. source
  • The general contractor board takes complaints against licensees and unlicensed general contractors and may keep the complainant's identity confidential. source

Homeowner protections in North Carolina

  • A Limited general contractor license covers single projects up to $750,000, so check the license limitation against your job value. source
  • Homeowners Recovery Fund claims against a general contractor must be filed within one year after all court proceedings on the unpaid judgment end. source
  • A general contractor's surety bond, when posted, benefits any person damaged by the contractor's breach of a construction contract. source
  • A Limited electrical contractor license covers single projects of no more than $100,000 (statutory maximum). source
  • An Intermediate general contractor license covers single projects up to $1,500,000; Unlimited has no project value limit. source

Questions

How do I check if a contractor is licensed in North Carolina?
Search the contractor by name or license number on the official North Carolina lookup run by North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, then confirm the record is active and covers the type of work. For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work, use that trade's lookup in the table on this page.
What can I do if a contractor in North Carolina is not licensed?
Complaints about electrical contractors can be filed online or by mail with the electrical board. Consumers can file complaints about plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler work with the plumbing and heating board. The general contractor board takes complaints against licensees and unlicensed general contractors and may keep the complainant's identity confidential.

All North Carolina licensing rules by trade

Sources

This is not a government site. The licensing board's own record governs; always confirm on the official lookup. Information as of October 6, 2026.