Colorado has no state general contractor license
Colorado does not issue a state license for general contractors.1 Cities and counties set their own rules; this page lists what Denver, Colorado Springs (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department), Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood and Larimer County (unincorporated) require.
On this page
Is there a Colorado general contractor license?
No. Colorado does not license general contractors at the state level.1
The official wording“Be aware! Not all occupations are licensed, such as roofers and general contractors.”1
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Hiring for Home Repair or Remodeling
City and county licenses
Licensing is local, and licenses generally do not transfer. Denver, the Pikes Peak region (Colorado Springs) and Aurora each run classed contractor licenses based on ICC exams. Check the jurisdiction where the work is.2
| City or county | What it requires | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Denver | Denver licenses General Contractor Class A, Building Contractor Class B and Residential Contractor Class C, each $250.00 and renewed every 3 years. A supervisor certificate ($60.00, renewed every three years) comes first, held by the applicant or an employee. The Class A supervisor certificate needs seven years of commercial experience including high-rise work and ICC exam F11; Class B needs four years and ICC exam F12; Residential Class C needs two years of hands-on work in foundation, framing and roofing and ICC exam F13. Denver accepts no outside licenses.2 | Official page2 |
| Colorado Springs (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department) County | The department licenses Building Contractor A-1 and A-2 (general commercial, $200), B-1 and B-2 (limited commercial, $175), and C (home builder, $150), each requiring an exam, with a non-refundable $50 application fee. It needs three references and general liability of 1,000,000/2,000,000. ICC exams G11 (A), G12 (B) and G13 (C) apply. It does not reciprocate other licenses.3 | Official page4 |
| Aurora | A Commercial Building Contractor needs ICC General Building Contractor "A" or "B" certification (SL fee $131.00, license fee $392.00). A Residential Building Contractor needs ICC "C" certification (SL fee $131.00, license fee $235.00). Registration and three job references are also required.5 | Official page6 |
| Fort Collins | Fort Collins requires a city contractor license, plus a city business license. General contractor classes A, B, C1, C2, D1, D2, E(R), E(C) and MM (with damage-repair "DR" variants) each need an ICC exam (G11 for A and B, G12 for C1 and C2, G13 for D1) and three project verifications. A new or reinstated license with supervisor's certificate costs $300; renewal costs $225. General liability of $2,000,000 general aggregate is required.7 | Official page7 |
| Lakewood | Lakewood requires contractor registration. The building classes are A-1 Unlimited Commercial (high-rise experience), A-2 Limited Commercial (2-story commercial or 4-story R occupancies), A-3 Residential and A-4 Commercial/Residential remodel. New registrations carry a one-year probation. Classes A-D cost $150.00 for the first year and $400 for each 3-year renewal.8 | Official page8 |
| Larimer County (unincorporated) | Contractors need a county license for unincorporated areas: Class A $150, Class B $125, Class C $100, all with $1,000,000 minimum insurance. It lasts twenty-four months. Applicants pass the matching ICC exam or show a qualifying Colorado local license, and prove three completed projects or two years of experience.9 | Official page9 |
Laws and rules
The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.
General contractor licenses in other states
Sources
Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.
- Home & Repair | Department of Regulatory AgenciesColorado Department of Regulatory AgenciesChecked November 5, 2026
- Contractor Licensing - City and County of DenverCity and County of Denver, Department of Licensing and Consumer ProtectionChecked November 7, 2026
- License Application - Pikes Peak Regional Building DepartmentPikes Peak Regional Building DepartmentChecked November 5, 2026
- License Types - Pikes Peak Regional Building DepartmentPikes Peak Regional Building DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- City of Aurora Development Services DepartmentCity of AuroraChecked November 5, 2026
- Contractor Licensing and Lookup - City of AuroraCity of AuroraChecked November 7, 2026
- Contractor Licensing - City of Fort CollinsCity of Fort CollinsChecked November 5, 2026
- Contractor Registration - City of Lakewood, COCity of Lakewood, ColoradoChecked November 5, 2026
- specializedLarimer CountyChecked November 5, 2026