Quick answer: Nevada licenses almost all construction contracting at the state level through the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) under Chapter 624 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). Plumbers (C-1), electricians (C-2), HVAC/refrigeration contractors (C-21), roofers (C-15), painters (C-4), carpenters (C-3), landscapers (C-10) and general contractors (A, B or AB) all need an NSCB license before they bid or work regardless of the job size. The only meaningful gaps are the narrow handyman exemption for repair or maintenance work under $1,000 (labor and materials combined) and pure janitorial cleaning, which is not construction and needs no NSCB license.
The table below shows which of the common trades need a Nevada state license and which do not.
Which trades need a license in Nevada?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-1 (Plumbing and Heating), NRS/NAC 624. A permit is nearly always required, so the handyman exemption never applies. |
| Electrician | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-2 (Electrical), NRS/NAC 624. Electrical work is expressly excluded from the sub-$1,000 exemption. |
| HVAC | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-21 (Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning), NRS/NAC 624. Heating and air-conditioning work is excluded from the exemption. |
| General Contractor | Yes | NSCB license required – classification A (General Engineering), B (General Building) or AB. General contractors coordinate multi-trade projects under NRS 624. |
| Roofer | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-15 (Roofing and Siding), NRS/NAC 624. Roofing almost always requires a permit, so no exemption applies. |
| Painter | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-4 (Painting and Decorating), NRS/NAC 624. Commercial and contract painting is regulated construction in Nevada. |
| Carpenter | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-3 (Carpentry, Maintenance and Minor Repairs), NRS/NAC 624. Framing, finish carpentry and drywall are covered. |
| Landscaper | Yes | NSCB license required – classification C-10 (Landscape Contracting), NRS/NAC 624. Grading, planting, irrigation and hardscape are contracting work. |
| Handyman | Exempt | No NSCB license only if the job is repair/maintenance under $1,000 total (labor and materials) with no permit and no plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning work (NRS 624.031). There is no 'licensed handyman' credential. |
| Cleaner | No | No NSCB license required. Residential and commercial janitorial cleaning is not construction contracting under NRS 624. |
"Yes" means an NSCB-issued state contractor license is required before you bid or work. Even exempt handymen and cleaners still typically need a Nevada state business license and local/city business licensing, and may never perform work reserved for a licensed classification.
How Nevada licenses construction trades
Nevada regulates construction almost entirely at the state level through the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) under Chapter 624 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and Chapter 624 of the Nevada Administrative Code (NAC). Nevada is one of the strictest states in the country: under NRS 624.700 it is unlawful to act as, or even submit a bid as, a contractor without an active license, and NRS 624.020 defines a contractor broadly as anyone who constructs, alters, repairs, adds to, improves, moves or demolishes a structure.
Unlike states that only license a handful of trades, Nevada requires a license for essentially all construction work regardless of the contract value, subject only to a narrow minor-repair exemption. Licenses are issued in three broad families: Classification A (general engineering), Classification B (general building), and dozens of Classification C specialty licenses for individual trades.
NSCB classifications for the common trades
Each specialty trade maps to a specific NSCB Classification C license defined in NAC 624: C-1 Plumbing and Heating (plumbers), C-2 Electrical (electricians), C-21 Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (HVAC), C-3 Carpentry, Maintenance and Minor Repairs (carpenters), C-4 Painting and Decorating (painters), C-15 Roofing and Siding (roofers), and C-10 Landscape Contracting (landscapers). General contractors who run multi-trade projects hold a Classification A, B or combined AB license. Each license also carries a Board-set monetary limit that caps the value of a single contract the licensee may take on.
The handyman exemption in Nevada
Nevada's only broad exemption for unlicensed work is in NRS 624.031: work to repair or maintain property whose value is less than $1,000, including both labor and materials, does not by itself make a person a contractor. The exemption is deliberately narrow and disappears entirely if any of the following is true: a building permit is required; the work is of a type performed by a plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning contractor; the work is in a classification the Board says significantly affects public health, safety and welfare; the work is part of a larger project worth $500 or more (or split into small contracts to dodge the law); or the person is already licensed. Because so much home work triggers a permit or a trade, the practical exemption is very small, and there is no such thing as a 'licensed handyman' in Nevada.
Cleaning and other non-construction work
Pure janitorial and cleaning services are not construction contracting, so they need no NSCB license. That said, a cleaning business still needs a Nevada state business license from the Secretary of State and any city or county business license where it operates. The line matters: the moment a cleaning or maintenance job crosses into repair, alteration or installation work reserved for a licensed classification, or requires a permit, an NSCB license is triggered.
State business license and local requirements
An NSCB contractor license is separate from a Nevada State Business License, which nearly every business must obtain and renew annually through the Secretary of State. On top of that, cities such as Las Vegas, Henderson and Reno and the counties require their own local business licenses, and building permits are issued at the city or county level. Because permit thresholds and local rules vary, always confirm requirements with both the NSCB and your local building department before starting a job.
How to get licensed in Nevada
- Identify the correct NSCB classification for your trade (for example C-1 plumbing, C-2 electrical, C-21 HVAC, C-15 roofing, C-4 painting, C-3 carpentry, C-10 landscaping, or A/B/AB for general contracting).
- Document the required construction experience for that classification (Nevada generally expects about four years of verifiable, journey-level or supervisory experience) and identify a qualified individual to sit for the exams.
- Pass the required examinations, including the trade or classification exam and the Nevada Business and Law (construction management survey) exam.
- Prepare a financial statement to establish your monetary limit, obtain the required surety bond, and complete the fingerprint-based criminal background check.
- Submit your New License Application to the Nevada State Contractors Board with fees, then keep the license active by renewing on the Board's cycle and maintaining your bond.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a handyman need a license in Nevada?
Usually yes. Nevada has no 'licensed handyman' credential, and under NRS 624.031 a person can only work unlicensed on repair or maintenance jobs worth less than $1,000 total (labor and materials). That exemption vanishes if the job needs a building permit; involves plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning work; is part of a larger $500-plus project; or falls in a health-and-safety classification. Anything beyond that requires a Nevada State Contractors Board license.
What is the dollar threshold to work without a contractor license in Nevada?
$1,000. NRS 624.031 exempts repair or maintenance work valued at less than $1,000, including both labor and materials, but only when no permit is required, no regulated trade (plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning) is involved, and the work is not part of a larger project of $500 or more. It is one of the lowest thresholds in the country.
What classification do plumbers, electricians and HVAC contractors need in Nevada?
Plumbers need a C-1 (Plumbing and Heating) license, electricians need a C-2 (Electrical) license, and HVAC contractors need a C-21 (Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning) license from the Nevada State Contractors Board. All three trades are also expressly excluded from the sub-$1,000 handyman exemption, so a license is effectively always required.
Do painters and landscapers need a license in Nevada?
Yes. Unlike many states, Nevada treats painting and landscaping as regulated construction. Painters need a C-4 (Painting and Decorating) license and landscapers need a C-10 (Landscape Contracting) license from the Nevada State Contractors Board. Only very small repair jobs under the $1,000 handyman exemption could be done without a license.
Sources: Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), NSCB – License Classifications, NSCB – Exemptions, NSCB – How to Become a Licensed Contractor, NRS Chapter 624 – Contractors (Nevada Legislature), NAC Chapter 624 – Contractors (Nevada Legislature), 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.