Idaho Registrations and License Classes

Idaho's state credential surface has two families: the DOPL Contractor Registration (ch. 52 — a registration, not a license: "The Act requires registration, not licensure") and the Public Works Contractor license (ch. 19 — a real exam-based licence for government-funded work). There is no exam-based general-contractor class for private work.

Verified 2026-10-053 classifications2 credential familiesno GC class (private work)Indexation gate: passed

01 Two families, split by funding

REGISTRATION ch. 52 (private, > $2,000)+PWC LICENSE ch. 19 (public works)≠NO EXAM-BASED GC LICENSE (PRIVATE)

No exam-based contractor license for private work — verified absence — the FAQ says so verbatim and ch. 52 sets no exam, experience or CE requirement. (Rule ID-NO-GC-LICENSE.) S-ID-CON-FAQ
The registration trigger is $2,000 (materials + labor) — the broadest private-work threshold among the states researched; consequences of skipping it are lien denial, misdemeanor and a court-action bar. (Rule ID-REGISTRATION.) S-ID-54-5204
The Public Works licence carries a 70% exam and seven classes — Unlimited through C, set by net worth and working capital, with single projects under $100,000 exempt. (Rule ID-PWC-LICENSE.) S-ID-54-1902
PWC initial fees carry an open conflict — live board table vs Fact Sheet vs statutory caps (CONFLICT-ID-001); the live table is encoded. (Rule ID-PWC-FEES.) S-ID-PWC-PAGE

02 Contractor registration — DOPL, ch. 52 (title 54)

REGISTERED-CONTRACTOR

Registered Contractor (individual or business entity)

DOPL FAQ verbatim: 'The Act requires registration, not licensure. Any person who engages in a construction job with a dollar amount exceeding $2000.00 (materials & labor) and is not otherwise exempt.' § 54-5204(1): 'unlawful for any person to engage in the business of, or hold himself out as, a contractor within this state without being registered as required in this chapter.' No exam, no experience, no continuing education — registration requires the application, the insurance certificates and the fee.

Idaho Code § 54-5204 (Contractor Registration Act; eff. January 1, 2006) S-ID-CON-FAQ

Contractor Registration (Idaho Code ch. 52, title 54; Idaho Contractors Board, DOPL — 'The Act requires registration, not licensure. Any person who engages in a construction job with a dollar amount exceeding $2000.00 (materials & labor) and is not otherwise exempt'; no exam, no experience, no CE; $300,000-single-limit general liability including products/completed operations plus workers' compensation or a statement why not required; § 54-5208 denies lien rights and § 54-5217(2) bars court actions for compensation to unregistered contractors)

03 Public Works Contractor licenses — PWC Board, ch. 19 (title 54)

PWC-HEAVY

Public Works Contractor — Heavy / Highway / Building (7 classes)

§ 54-1902(1): 'unlawful for any person to engage in the business or act in the capacity of a public works contractor within this state without first obtaining and having a license issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.' § 54-1904 sets seven classes — Unlimited (contracts over $5,000,000; minimum net worth $1,000,000 with $600,000 working capital), AAA (≤ $5,000,000), AA (≤ $3,000,000), A (≤ $1,250,000), B (≤ $600,000), CC (≤ $400,000) and C (≤ $200,000) — with bid aggregates including subcontractor bids. The state exam requires 70% to pass (Fact Sheet).

Idaho Code ch. 19, title 54 (§§ 54-1902, 54-1904) S-ID-54-1904

PWC-SPECIALTY

Public Works Contractor — Specialty (7 classes)

The fourth of the Fact Sheet's four licence TYPES — '4. Specialty Construction' — with the type defining 'the scope of work that can be performed as a Public Works Contractor' and 'Detailed work history must be provided to determine if applicants qualify for the chosen construction type.' § 54-1902(3)(b) makes it unlawful to 'accept bids to sublet any part of any contract for specialty construction from a specialty contractor who at that time does not possess the appropriate license.'

Idaho Code ch. 19, title 54 (§§ 54-1902(3)(b), 54-1904) S-ID-PWC-FACT-SHEET

Public Works Contractor License (Idaho Code ch. 19, title 54; Public Works Contractors Licensing Board, DOPL — licence required for public works contracting (§ 54-1902); seven classes Unlimited/AAA/AA/A/B/CC/C set by net worth and working capital with bid limits from $200,000 to unlimited; four types (heavy, highway, building, specialty); state exam with 70% to pass; single projects under $100,000 are exempt (§ 54-1903(9)))