Oregon splits construction licensing across 2 agencies. The Construction Contractors Board (CCB) licenses the business entity doing construction work. The Building Codes Division (BCD), inside the Department of Consumer and Business Services, licenses the individual tradesperson for electrical, plumbing, boiler, and HVAC work. You typically need both. CCB license endorsements are structured by project type and scale. Common endorsements include: - Residential General Contractor. - Residential Specialty Contractor. - Commercial General Contractor, Level 1 or Level 2. - Commercial Specialty Contractor, Level 1 or Level 2. - Home Inspector, Home Services Contractor, and a handful of narrower categories. Every CCB endorsement carries its own surety bond amount and liability insurance minimum, set by statute and CCB rule. Bond amounts and insurance floors are updated periodically. Check the CCB licensing page linked below for the current amount that applies to the endorsement you intend to hold, and confirm the number with CCB staff before you buy the bond. To get a CCB license a contractor must: 1. Register the business with the Oregon Secretary of State (LLC, corporation, or assumed business name). 2. Complete 16 hours of required training and pass the CCB pre-license exam, with limited exemptions for some license types. 3. Post the surety bond required for the endorsement. 4. Carry the liability insurance required for the endorsement. 5. Pay the 2-year license fee. CCB does not cover the trade license for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work. Those are issued by BCD. An electrical contractor needs both a CCB business license and a BCD electrical contractor license, and the journey-level workers on the crew need their own BCD-issued electrician or plumber licenses. Oregon takes unlicensed contracting seriously. Working without a required CCB license exposes the contractor to civil penalties and blocks the use of courts to collect on a disputed contract. Confirm the endorsement you need before you advertise or bid.
OR · Contractor licensing
Contractor licensing in Oregon
State contractor license requirements, bond, and insurance minimums.
Not legal, financial, or career advice. Trades Navigator compiles state board rules, statutes, and federal data into a navigable layer linked to primary sources. We do not maintain editorial attestation on each line. Always verify the specific number, fee, deadline, or rule against the linked primary source before relying on it. Confirm any decision with the relevant state agency, a lawyer, or an accountant.
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