Required Books
The references listed below are permitted to be taken into the examination. These references may be tabbed (with a permanent index tab) and highlighted. They are available for purchase from our online contractor’s bookstore or by calling our office at 1-800-955-7277.
As of January 1, 2020 the Code books used for the Georgia exams will update. Exams taken after January 1, 2020 will be required to have either the 2018 International Building Code and/or the 2018 Residential Code. The 2006 editions of the International Codes can be used until December 31, 2019
Add All Required Books to Cart ($919.15)
-

2015 International Energy Conservation Code, Soft-cover
$63.00
Add to cart
-

2018 International Residential Code, softcover, Tabbed and Highlighted
$189.00
Add to cart
-

Carpentry & Building Construction, 6th Ed, 2016
$141.00
Add to cart
-

Contractors Guide to Quality Concrete Construction 4th Ed.
$104.00
Add to cart
-

Georgia Amendments to 2018 IRC, IBC, and IECC (PDF) 2020
$20.95
Add to cart
-

Georgia NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business Law & Project Management GA State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, 3rd Edition
$94.75
Add to cart
-

Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining & Bracing of Wood Trusses
$24.50
Add to cart
-

Modern Masonry, 2022
$135.00
Add to cart
-

OSHA 29. CFR 1926 for Contractors Highlighted & Tabbed
$55.00
Add to cart
-

Permanent Tabs for the Georgia Business & Project Management book, Builders Edition
$12.95
Add to cart
-

Permanent Tabs for the Georgia Residential Basic Exam Reference Books
$30.00
Add to cart
-

Pipe & Excavation Contracting
$49.00
Add to cart
Additional Services
Pre-approval from the state is required to sit for the examination.
Please note that the Georgia Business and Law exam is also required to be passed to obtain your contractor’s license.
Licensure will be required for the practice of contracting in Georgia for any job over $2,500.
Applicants must be a minimum of 21 years old.
Applicants must affirm a net worth of at least $25,000. If they cannot do that, then they must provide a $25,000 surety bond, line of credit, or letter of credit, or provide a Bank Credit Reference Form to show that they've had a bank account in their license name for at least 2 years.
$300,000.00 In GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE is REQUIRED. If you have more than 3 employees you must also have Workers Compensation Insurance.
Experience: Applicants must have at least 2 years of proven experience working as or be employed by a residential contractor, predominantly in the residential-basic category, AND must have had significant responsibility for the successful performance and completion of at least 2 projects falling within the Residential Basic category in the 2-years preceding the application. Those 2 projects must have been completed with the same residential contractor who the 2 years of experience were gained under. Other proven experience deemed substantially similiar by the Board may be accepted.
A Residential Basic Contractor is a person who performs contractor work or activity relative to detached one-family and two-family residences and one-family townhouses not over 3 stories in height. Also included are their accessory buildings and structures. There are no individual project size limitations.
Information & Applications for Conditioned Air, Electrical, Low Voltage, Plumbing, Medical Gas, & Underground Utilities as well as information for General and Residential Building Contractors licenses may be obtained from:
Construction Industry Licensing Board
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217
Phone (404) 424-9966
Applications must be completed online via the GA Secretary of State's GOALS system. You can create your account for online applications by going to https://goals.sos.ga.gov
A nonrefundable fee of $210.00 must be submitted with application.
Important Contacts
Georgia has reciprocity agreements for the Residential Basic license with Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Reciprocity applicants must have held an active license for the past three years that was issued on the basis of examination and that has not been penalized for violations of the law for the past three years. Reciprocity applicants must still take and pass the Georgia Business and Law exam.
An applicant for renewal of his/her Residential Basic contractor license must have completed 3 hours of acceptable continuing education each year, with a year beginning July 1st through June 30th.
Official documentation must be maintained by the contractor.
American Contractors Exam Services holds a two-day Residential Basic Contractor Seminar that guarantees that you will pass the Georgia Residential Basic Contractor license exam and the Georgia Business Law exam. American Contractors has been holding Seminars to help contractors pass their exam for over 22 years. Sign up today for the Georgia Exam Preparation Seminar.