Georgia contractor licenses: which trades the state licenses and which it leaves alone

Georgia splits contractor licensing across several offices, and the line between them decides whether your crew needs a license at all. The Secretary of State's Licensing Division runs the boards for general contractors, electricians, plumbers and conditioned air (heating and cooling) contractors. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Health cover spraying and septic work. This page walks through each trade, who licenses it, and where the specialty exemption stops. It is general information, so confirm each rule with the agency before you quote a job. Our Georgia startup page covers forming the company, workers' comp and taxes.

Who needs a general contractor license in Georgia?

Anyone who performs, or offers to perform, residential or commercial general contractor services for pay. The State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors, within the Secretary of State's office, issues four categories. The board's FAQ lists the minimum net worth and general liability insurance for each:

Only the Limited Tier carries a project cap, at $1 million. Residential contractors must complete continuing education each year: 3 hours for Residential Basic and 6 for Residential Light Commercial. Commercial general contractors have no continuing education requirement. Since January 1, 2026, licensees who must do continuing education have to record it in CE Broker.

A company that is registered with the Corporations Division needs at least one licensed qualifying agent. If that person leaves, the licensee must tell the board within 30 days, and the company then has 180 days to finish open contracts before the license number goes inactive. If you hold a license as an individual and later form an LLC, the company needs its own qualifying agent application. As of October 2026, Georgia has reciprocity for Residential Basic contractors with Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina, and for unlimited commercial contractors with Louisiana and Mississippi. The home state license must have been earned by exam, you must live in that state or have your business chartered there, and the license must have been active at least 3 years with no discipline for law violations.

The national picture is in our guide to getting a contractor license.

Where the specialty contractor exemption stops

O.C.G.A. 43-41-17 lets specialty contractors do limited trade work for an owner without a residential or general contractor license. The board keeps a list of recognized specialties. Several of them are the everyday trades of a service company:

• Re-roofing of existing structures: rooftop equipment, demolition and remediation.
• Remediation: waterproofing, damp proofing, painting, sandblasting, caulking and sealing, and water blasting.
• Siding and cornice work: including replacing windows, with no structural alterations allowed.
• Masonry: stone, brick, pavers, grouting and stucco.
• Outdoor environment: landscape and irrigation, fencing, retaining walls, arbors and outdoor kitchens.
• Finish carpentry and rough carpentry: trim, cabinetry, interior doors, framing and setting windows and doors.

The list carries a revision date of January 2012 and the board says it is under development, so ask in writing if your work is not named. Two limits matter. First, the exemption does not reach any work that Georgia licenses under Title 43, Chapter 14. Second, a specialty contractor can take on outside work only when the job is mostly exempt work and the extra is incidental to it. The statute caps that extra at the greater of $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract value when the contract is signed. A painter who also wants to rebuild a deck on the same job should price that carpentry against the cap.

A separate exemption covers repair work for an owner. Under subsection (g), anyone may do it without a license if they disclose that they are unlicensed and the work does not affect structural integrity. Roofers should also read our national roofing license guide.

Electrical, plumbing and conditioned air have their own boards

These three trades are regulated under Title 43, Chapter 14, and the specialty exemption never applies to them.

The plumbing division says Georgia has no reciprocity with any other state for master or journeyman plumbers. It also does not register plumbing companies, because the master plumber holds the license. Plumbing licenses renew by November 30 of even-numbered years, with 4 continuing education hours each year. Electrical licenses expired June 30, 2026, with a late renewal window to August 15. Our guides on becoming a licensed electrician and a licensed plumber cover the nationwide path.

Pest control, lawn spraying and septic work run through other agencies

Spraying for hire is licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture under the Pesticide Use and Application Act of 1976. Anyone who applies pesticides to another person's land for a fee or under a maintenance contract needs a pesticide contractor license. That includes lawn care firms, tree surgeons and mosquito control contractors. The contractor must employ at least one full-time certified commercial applicator licensed in the right category. Category 24 covers ornamental and turf pest control and requires 10 recertification hours. Category 35 covers industrial, institutional, structural and health related pest control with 6 hours. Applying for a fee without a license can bring an injunction and a fine of up to $1,000 per violation.

Structural pest control is separate. The Structural Pest Control Commission certifies operators in fumigation, household pest control and wood-destroying organism control. An applicant needs two years of verifiable experience, one of them in the last five years, or an entomology or public health degree plus one year of recent experience. The exam costs $45 per category, certification and renewal cost $100 each, and certificates expire June 30 of odd-numbered years. A certificate alone does not let you work for hire. The operator must be employed by a licensed pest control company or hold a company license. See our pest control license guide for the general path.

Septic work belongs to the Department of Public Health. Installers must be 18 or older, pass an exam at 70 points (exams cost $50 each), and work for a certified company. New company certification in 2026 costs $400 for installing, $400 for pumping and $800 for both. If a certification lapsed for more than two years, you reapply and retest.

Trades with no state license, and what still applies

As of October 2026, no Georgia agency named on this page licenses mowing, house cleaning, junk removal or pressure washing as such. Two cautions apply. A pressure washer who starts rebuilding fences or siding has moved into specialty work, and anything that touches electrical, plumbing or air conditioning belongs to the Chapter 14 boards.

Taxes and insurance still apply. The Department of Revenue says every contractor who builds, repairs or improves real property must register for a sales and use tax number through the Georgia Tax Center. The State Board of Workers' Compensation requires coverage at three regular employees, and LLC members count toward that number. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17) lets a county or city keep a local contractor licensing requirement that was in effect on July 1, 2004, so also ask the city where you work about a business license. Our pressure washing and handyman startup guides cover those trades.

What to check before you quote a job

1. Name the trade on the invoice. If it is electrical, plumbing or conditioned air, confirm the license or hire a licensed subcontractor.
2. If your work sits on the specialty list, add up any outside work. Stay under the greater of $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract.
3. Look up every license in the Secretary of State's license search before you hire a subcontractor.
4. Put your license numbers on your website where the agency or your insurer expects them.

Frequently asked questions