Any North Carolina contractor who wants to renew their license must complete four hours of continuing education every year. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors offers a list of pre-approved courses on its website.
There are several ways to fulfill the North Carolina contractor continuing education requirements. Contractors can take courses offered by Rocketcert, a North Carolina Home Builders Association subsidiary. These courses cost $60 each and can be completed online.
Hours and Topics Covered
The four hours of continuing education must include one hour of business practices and three hours of general contracting. The business practices course must cover contracts, lien law, insurance, bonds, and safety. The three hours of general contracting can be any combination of the following topics:
Code of Ethics: The NC Licensing Board for General Contractors offers a Code of Ethics course that lasts about an hour. It is meant for licensees who have never taken the course before, but contractors who have previously taken it can still fulfill continuing education requirements.
Construction Law and Regulation: The last requirement includes a 1.5-hour course on construction law and regulation. Contractors must take the course to receive credit for continuing education. It can also be used to fulfill continuing education requirements for license renewal.
Green Building Techniques: On top of North Carolina contractor continuing education requirements, the licensing board requires all contractors to take a one-hour course on green building techniques every two years. Contractors must pass the exam at the end of this course to receive credit for continuing education.
Project Management and Bidding: For the three hours of general contracting continuing education, certified contractors can choose from a list of courses on project management and bidding. These courses cover estimating, scheduling, planning, and customer relations.
Sustainable Construction Practices: The licensing board also offers a one-hour course on sustainable construction practices. After taking the course and passing a related exam, certified contractors can earn 0.5 continuing education hours.
Passing The Exams
After completing all requirements, contractors must pass a state exam to receive credit for continuing education. The exam is given twice a year and costs $215. It consists of six multiple-choice questions for each topic covered, with a maximum of 20 points per question. Because the licensing board considers project management and bidding one topic, contractors need only pass the exam once every two years.
Alternative to Pre-Approved Courses
Certified contractors can choose from courses on project management, bidding, and general contracting to fulfill their continuing education requirements. These courses are not from Rocketcert, so they do not cost extra. The licensing board is also working on a database of contractor education courses. This will include listing the courses, how many hours they contain, and how much they cost.
Getting Your General Contractor License
The licensing board for North Carolina contractors offers a searchable list of pre-approved courses to fulfill continuing education requirements. Search for them by code, title, and topic using the licensing board’s website.
License Renewal Process
Certified contractors can renew their licenses online on the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors’ website. They need to log in with their user name and password. After that, they can search for courses and print a license certificate if they pass the exam on the first try. Contractors need to renew their licenses every two years.
Conclusion
The NC Code of Ethics for General Contractors states that contractors must take all three requirements for continuing education every year. The NC licensing board does not have a specific list of pre-approved courses to fulfill the continuing education requirements. Instead, it lists a list of E-Courses, meaning contractor education courses that are available online.
