North Carolina Contractor License Fees
The 25 verified whole-dollar state fees North Carolina publishes — split across the three boards, with both fee conflicts left unresolved and printed side by side. Every figure below was machine-read from an official board page, the NCLBGC's laws book, or the disclosed Cornell LII mirror of the rules on 2026-10-09. Municipal permit fees are not state fees — no North Carolina city rate was opened.
01 State fees vs financial responsibility vs local fees
- NCLBGC — $75 / $100 applications, capped renewals — the laws book prices the limited application at $75 and the intermediate at $100, and the renewal at "not to exceed" $125 (unlimited) / $100 (intermediate). S-NC-LBGC-LAWS
- No licence bond, no licence insurance — the NCLBGC itself states neither is required; financial responsibility ($17,000/$80,000/$75,000/$150,000) is the substitute, and the $175,000/$500,000/$1,000,000 surety bond applies only in lieu of financials, so no bond or insurance row is seeded. S-NC-LBGC-FAQ S-NC-LBGC-FAQ
- $10 Homeowners Recovery Fund — collected once, not annually. S-NC-HRF-ROWAN
- Local fees — no North Carolina municipal code or permit schedule was opened; every city and county rate stays LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. S-NC-LBGC-FAQ
02 Licensing Board for General Contractors — applications, renewal caps, the recovery fund
| Fee | Amount | Kind | Charged by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General contractor licence — application fee, INTERMEDIATE Laws book verbatim (snippet verified 2026-10-09): '$100.00 if the application is for an intermediate license'. | $100 | application | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) | S-NC-LBGC-LAWS |
| General contractor licence — renewal fee cap, INTERMEDIATE ('not to exceed') The '$100.00 …' that follows the unlimited cap in the laws book's renewal sentence (snippet verified 2026-10-09); the limited-renewal cap was not exposed and is withheld. | $100 | renewal | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) | S-NC-LBGC-LAWS |
| Homeowners Recovery Fund fee — per single-family/modular permit unit Rowan County's official page (machine-read 2026-10-09) publishes '$10.00 Homeowners Recovery Fund Fee' per unit and the $9 quarterly forwarding under NCGS § 87-15.6(b) / 21 NCAC 12A .0902 — read because the NCLBGC's own HRF page 403'd this fetcher (disclosed in the source). Charged by permit offices statewide; detached garages, bulkheads, piers and docks are excluded (§ 87-15.5(7)); apartment units pay nothing (FAQ). | $10 | miscellaneous | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) | S-NC-HRF-ROWAN |
| General contractor licence — application fee, LIMITED Laws book verbatim (snippet verified 2026-10-09): '$75.00 if the application is for a limited license'. The unlimited counterpart was not exposed in any official snippet — unofficial mirrors say $125, which is NOT_VERIFIED and withheld. | $75 | application | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) | S-NC-LBGC-LAWS |
| General contractor licence — renewal fee cap, UNLIMITED ('not to exceed') Laws book verbatim (snippet verified 2026-10-09): renewal 'not to exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00) for an unlimited license, one hundred dollars …'. The exact amount CHARGED per limitation is not published on any page read — only the caps are seeded (research §O withheld). | $125 | renewal | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) | S-NC-LBGC-LAWS |
The renewal window is October 1 – December 31 (a late renewal keeps the licence active through December 31 while the application is processed), and the recovery fund fee is a one-time $10. The exact per-limitation renewal amount charged — only the "not to exceed" caps were machine-read — is withheld below. S-NC-LBGC-LAWS
03 NCBEEC — the two published electrical fee tables (CONFLICT-NC-001)
| Fee | Amount | Kind | Charged by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical examination review (optional, once) Examinations page (machine-read 2026-10-09): exam review $25, once, monthly group sessions. | $25 | miscellaneous | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-EXAM |
| Limited electrical licence — annual fee (board LICENSING PAGE figure) Licensing page verbatim (machine-read 2026-10-09): 'Limited License - $100/year'. CONFLICT-NC-001: the board's own rule .0404 schedule says $95.00 — both official figures are seeded and published beside each other. | $100 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-LIC |
| Intermediate electrical licence — annual fee (board LICENSING PAGE figure) Licensing page verbatim: 'Intermediate License - $150/year' (read 2026-10-09). CONFLICT-NC-001: rule .0404 says $140.00. | $150 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-LIC |
| Unlimited electrical licence — annual fee (board LICENSING PAGE figure) Licensing page verbatim: 'Unlimited License - $200/year' (read 2026-10-09). CONFLICT-NC-001: rule .0404 says $190.00. | $200 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-LIC |
| Special Restricted electrical licence — annual fee (board LICENSING PAGE figure) Licensing page verbatim: 'Special Restricted Licenses - $100/year' (read 2026-10-09). CONFLICT-NC-001: rule .0404 says $95.00. | $100 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-LIC |
| Limited electrical licence — annual fee (rule .0404 SCHEDULE figure) Rule .0404's fee schedule (machine-read 2026-10-09; .0404 amended eff. 2020-07-01) states $95.00 for the first tier. CONFLICT-NC-001: the board's licensing page says $100/year. No amendment record reconciling the two was found this pass. | $95 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-0400 |
| Intermediate electrical licence — annual fee (rule .0404 SCHEDULE figure) Rule .0404 schedule figure $140.00 (read 2026-10-09). CONFLICT-NC-001: the licensing page says $150/year. | $140 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-0400 |
| Unlimited electrical licence — annual fee (rule .0404 SCHEDULE figure) Rule .0404 schedule figure $190.00 (read 2026-10-09). CONFLICT-NC-001: the licensing page says $200/year. | $190 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-0400 |
| Special Restricted electrical licence — annual fee (rule .0404 SCHEDULE figure) Rule .0404 schedule figure $95.00 for the Special Restricted tier (read 2026-10-09). CONFLICT-NC-001: the licensing page says $100/year. | $95 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-0400 |
| Electrical examination fee (PSI, paid with the application) Examinations page verbatim (machine-read 2026-10-09): '$125.00 examination fee', PSI, 90-day Authorization Period; 'A minimum grade of 70 is required to pass'; a 90-day wait precedes any retest. The only unconflicted exam figure in the state. | $125 | application | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-EXAM |
| Electrical licence — late renewal administrative fee Licensing page/rules .0405–.0406 verbatim (read 2026-10-09): '$25.00 … upon applications received after the expiration date'. Reinstatement stays possible for 12 months; beyond that, 500 hours of primary experience plus fees, the late fee and CE. | $25 | renewal | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-LIC |
| Electrical licence — duplicate certificate Licensing page (machine-read 2026-10-09): duplicate certificate $15. | $15 | miscellaneous | NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC) | S-NC-BEEC-LIC |
Both tables are the SAME board on the SAME host: the Licensing page is what applicants are shown today, rule .0404 (amended eff. 2020-07-01) is the operative fee provision. No amendment record reconciling them was machine-readable, so neither is dropped — that is CONFLICT-NC-001, unresolved. S-NC-BEEC-LIC
04 SBEPHFS — licence tiers, exams and the two exam figures (CONFLICT-NC-002)
| Fee | Amount | Kind | Charged by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Limited Plumbing licence — annual 21 NCAC 50 .1102 verbatim (read 2026-10-09): $150 Restricted Limited Plumbing — the same price as the full contractor tier despite the shorter (9-month) experience gate. | $150 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1102 |
| Licence issued WITHOUT Board examination 21 NCAC 50 .1102 verbatim (read 2026-10-09): $30 licence without Board examination — the administrative path distinct from the Neighbor State Recognition Act (REQ-NC-PLB-RECIPROCITY-001). | $30 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1102 |
| Local-government inspector licence (with Code Officials Qualification Board credentials) 21 NCAC 50 .1102 verbatim (read 2026-10-09): $25 for a local-government inspector holding Code Officials Qualification Board credentials. | $25 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1102 |
| Examination application fee — BOARD FAQ figure FAQ verbatim (machine-read 2026-10-09): 'The examination application fee is $150.00 and is non-refundable.' CONFLICT-NC-002: rule .1101(c) (amended eff. 2023-03-01) says $100.00. The FAQ may predate the amendment, but no correction notice was found this pass — the inference is not asserted and neither figure is dropped. | $150 | application | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-FAQ |
| Fire sprinkler (installation / inspection / residential / maintenance technician) — annual 21 NCAC 50 .1102 verbatim (read 2026-10-09): $150 for the fire-sprinkler family — including the RESIDENTIAL installation tier a home addition touches. | $150 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1102 |
| Technician licence listed second-or-later (or under a contractor) — annual 21 NCAC 50 .1102 verbatim (read 2026-10-09): $75 — the tiered technician fee for additional individuals on one firm's licence. | $75 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1102 |
| Plumbing/heating/fuel-piping contractor licence — annual 21 NCAC 50 .1102 (Cornell LII mirror, host disclosed; amended eff. 2020-07-01, machine-read 2026-10-09): $150 annual plumbing/heating/fuel-piping contractor licence, also new or renewed. Expiry December 31 each year. | $150 | license | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1102 |
| Examination application fee — RULE .1101 figure ($25 application + $75 examination) 21 NCAC 50 .1101(c) verbatim (Cornell LII mirror, host disclosed; amended eff. 2023-03-01, machine-read 2026-10-09): 'requires a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00), consisting of an application fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and an examination fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00), which is nonrefundable'. CONFLICT-NC-002: the board's FAQ says $150.00 — both official figures are seeded. | $100 | application | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (SBEPHFS) | S-NC-PHFS-1101 |
SBEPHFS licences are priced per tier on December 31 expiries; the examination application figure is contested between the rule (.1101(c), amended eff. 2023-03-01) and the board FAQ — CONFLICT-NC-002, unresolved, both seeded. S-NC-PHFS-1102
05 CONFLICT-NC-001 and CONFLICT-NC-002 — both unresolved on purpose
NCBEEC Licensing page (machine-read 2026-10-09) publishes verbatim: 'Limited License - $100/year … Intermediate License - $150/year … Unlimited License - $200/year … Special Restricted Licenses - $100/year' — the board's own current-facing page.
NCBEEC — Licensing (ten classifications, per-year fees, scopes)The board's own rule .0404 fee schedule (machine-read 2026-10-09; .0404 amended effective 2020-07-01) states $95.00 / $140.00 / $190.00 / $95.00 / $95.00 — the operative rule text. No amendment record reconciling the schedule with the licensing page's rounded figures was found this pass.
NCBEEC — Section .0400 licensing requirements (rule .0404 fee schedule)UNRESOLVED — both figures are official and current-facing: the rule .0404 schedule is the operative fee provision the board itself publishes, and the licensing page is what applicants are shown today. The $5 gap on every tier looks like a rounded marketing figure against the rule text, but NO amendment record, effective date or correction notice reconciling the two was machine-readable this pass, so that inference is NOT asserted. Both tables are seeded as fee rows (FEE-NC-ELEC-LIC-*-PAGE-001 and FEE-NC-ELEC-LIC-*-RULE-001) and published beside each other on the fees page, which shows both schedules side by side and never picks one.
Analysis notes
Detected 2026-10-09 while seeding the NCBEEC fee ladder. Both sides are the SAME board on the SAME host — a true same-authority seam, unresolved because the reconciliation (if any exists) lives in an amendment history no page read this pass exposes.
21 NCAC 50 .1101(c) (amended effective 2023-03-01; machine-read 2026-10-09 on the Cornell LII mirror, host disclosed) states verbatim: an 'application for a license by examination requires a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00), consisting of an application fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and an examination fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00), which is nonrefundable'.
21 NCAC 50 .1101 EXAMINATION FEES (Cornell LII mirror of the SBEPHFS rule)The board's FAQ (machine-read 2026-10-09) states verbatim: 'The examination application fee is $150.00 and is non-refundable.' The FAQ may predate the 2023 amendment, but no correction notice was found this pass.
SBEPHFS — FAQ (exam fee, CE elimination, renewal mechanics)UNRESOLVED — the rule .1101(c) was amended effective 2023-03-01 and is the operative fee provision; the FAQ is the board's current-facing page and states $150.00 without qualification. The plausible reading — the FAQ predates the amendment — is NOT verified (no correction notice or dated FAQ revision was machine-readable), so it is not asserted and no figure is dropped. Both figures are seeded as fee rows (FEE-NC-PLB-EXAM-RULE-001 $100 and FEE-NC-PLB-EXAM-FAQ-001 $150) and published beside each other; rule NC-PLB-EXAM returns whichever side the caller cites and never picks one.
Analysis notes
Detected 2026-10-09 while seeding the .1102 licence schedule against the FAQ. The licence fee due within 45 days of results (.1102) is NOT in conflict — only the examination application is.
Both seams are same-authority: the board's own page against the board's own rule text. Each side is official and current-facing, no correction notice or amendment history reconciling them was machine-readable this pass, so the plausible readings (a rounded marketing figure; a FAQ predating the 2023 amendment) are NOT asserted and no figure is dropped. This page publishes both schedules and rule NC-PLB-EXAM returns whichever side the caller cites — neither picks one.
06 Withheld on purpose — never guessed
- NCLBGC UNLIMITED application fee — $125 appears only in unofficial mirrors; NOT_VERIFIED.
- NCLBGC examination fee — PSI sets it; not on any page read. The NCBEEC exam's $125 is seeded because NCBEEC publishes it; the general contractor's is not.
- NCLBGC late-renewal ladder and per-limitation renewal amounts — only the "not to exceed" caps and the $25 NCBEEC late fee were machine-read; the rest is NOT_VERIFIED.
- NCBEEC bonding-ability amount — G.S. 87-43.2(a)(4) requires a statement of bonding ability but was not machine-read, so no amount is seeded.
- SBEPHFS book costs, background-check cost and activation fees — named on official pages, figures not read.
- Workers' compensation thresholds — handled by the NC Industrial Commission, not researched here.
- Municipal permit, inspection and business-licence rates — no North Carolina city or county rate was opened; LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED.