North Carolina draws its lines by dollar amount. General contractors need a license at $40,000 and up, while electrical, plumbing and HVAC work needs one at any size. We build North Carolina contractor websites that show the license you hold, explain the work you can take, and turn visits into booked jobs.
A North Carolina general contractor license starts at $40,000. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors are licensed for any job, and plumbing and heating contractors must print their license number in their directory advertising. Landscape contractors are exempt below $30,000 and irrigation below $2,500. In Charlotte, permits run through Mecklenburg County. A site that is honest about your license and your job size attracts the work you are allowed to do and keeps the wrong calls away.
Plumbing, heating/HVAC and fire sprinkler contractors must show their license number and license qualification on contracts, proposals, permit applications and telephone yellow page advertising (21 NCAC 50 .0406). Electrical contractors must conduct all business advertising in the exact name on their license (21 NCAC 18B .0402). General contractors must put their license number on all contracts and bids (21 NCAC 12A .0501); the current rule text does not mention advertising or websites. Landscape and irrigation contractors may not advertise any title implying licensure unless licensed.
"The contractor license number and qualification of the firm shall be displayed on firm contracts, proposals, permit applications, and telephone yellow page advertising."
Whatever you hold in North Carolina, a state license, a registration or a city license, we put the number in the footer of every page and on your quote page, matching your Google Business Profile. Customers look you up before they call, and a number they can verify wins the job.
Main agency: North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (electrical, plumbing/HVAC, landscape and irrigation each have their own board, listed below). North Carolina's general contractor law only applies when a project costs $40,000 or more, so trades with no board of their own (for example painting, roofing, flooring, pressure washing and general handyman work) need no state license on jobs under $40,000; plumbing, HVAC and electrical are licensed at any job value. Source: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_87/GS_87-1.html
A general contractor license is only needed when the project costs $40,000 or more. Landscape work under $30,000 per job site in a 12-month period and irrigation work under $2,500 per jobsite are also exempt. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC have no small-job exemption. Source
Local rules on top of the state's. Open a city to see what it requires.
Building and trade permits in Charlotte are issued by Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement (Land Use and Environmental Services Agency), not the city. No separate city contractor license was found, but contractors must establish and post a bond account with the county to pull permits. A county residential permits guide hosted on charlottenc.gov lists a minimum bond of $2,000 for work in the City of Charlotte; that guide is out of date on other points, so the amount should be confirmed with Code Enforcement at 980-314-2633.
"A bond account must be established and posted through Mecklenburg County and the homeowner follows the contractor permitting process."
Permits are issued by the City of Raleigh Planning and Development department through its Permit and Development Portal. No separate city contractor license was found; applicants must register in the portal, and every general contractor and subcontractor must be entered on the permit application. Homeowners acting as their own contractor file an Owner Exemption Affidavit.
"All contractor information (General contractor and sub-contractors) must be entered into the portal when submitting the project."
Permits are issued by the City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections department (Building Inspections). Search results indicate city code Sec. 6-4 requires a $2,000 contractor bond on file before building, electrical, mechanical or plumbing permits are issued, but the city site and its code host blocked automated access, so the text could not be read and quoted.
Permits for both the City and County of Durham are issued by the joint City-County Building and Safety Department, through the Land Development Office (LDO) portal. Whether the city requires a separate contractor registration could not be confirmed at a primary source.
"The City-County Building & Safety Department provides permit, plan review, and inspection services for the City and County of Durham."
Full example sites for inspectors, engineers, adjusters, movers, junk haulers and more.
Website built free first, Google reviews, missed-call text-back, booking and follow-up. No contract.
