Oregon contractor and trade licenses: how to get one, how to check one.

Do I need a license in Oregon?

If you are paid to build, repair, remodel or improve a structure in Oregon, you almost certainly need a Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license. That includes handymen, painters, roofers, flooring installers, deck builders and remodelers.

The only small-job exception is narrow. Under ORS 701.010, work can be exempt if the total for the whole project is under $1,000 and the work is casual, minor or inconsequential. The exemption disappears the moment you advertise as a contractor (a sign, a card, a website, a Facebook post), and splitting one job into smaller invoices does not count. If you are running a handyman business, you need the license.

Some trades need a separate state license on top of, or instead of, the CCB:

How to get a CCB license (the short version)

1. Choose your endorsement. Residential General, Residential Specialty, Residential Limited, Commercial General, Commercial Specialty, or a combination. It sets what work you can do.
2. Register your business name with the Oregon Secretary of State (an LLC or assumed business name).
3. Take the 16-hour pre-license training from a CCB-approved provider, then pass the CCB exam, given by PSI. Oregon does not accept other states' exams.
4. Get your surety bond. Third-party summaries of the 2024 bond increase list $20,000 for residential and commercial general, $15,000 residential specialty, and $10,000 for commercial specialty and residential limited. Confirm the current amount with the CCB.
5. Get liability insurance. General contractors need at least $500,000 in general liability; other endorsements have their own minimums.
6. Workers' comp if you have employees.
7. Apply online and pay the fee. Licenses run two years; the renewal fee was reported at $400 per cycle as of 2025.

Once licensed, your CCB number must appear on your contracts, ads, vehicles and business cards.

Electricians and plumbers

Electrical and plumbing work in Oregon is licensed by the Building Codes Division, not the CCB, and size does not matter: even a small job needs the right license. Individuals usually get there through a state-approved apprenticeship, and the business needs its own electrical or plumbing contractor license, usually on top of a CCB license. Start at Oregon BCD licensing.

Landscapers

The LCB says landscape maintenance is not regulated by the state: mowing, edging, weeding, small shrub and tree pruning, bark refresh, adjusting sprinkler heads and programming controllers. Landscape construction is: new walkways, edging installs, irrigation installs and planting trees all need an LCB license. Tree removal and stump grinding need an LCB or CCB license. A maintenance business can do small, unadvertised extra work for existing regular customers up to $500 per site per year.

House cleaners

Oregon has no state license for residential cleaning. You still need to set up the business properly: register the name with the Secretary of State, get general liability insurance (most customers expect it), consider a janitorial bond, and check your city. Portland, for example, requires businesses to register for its business license tax.

How to check a license in Oregon (for customers)

• Contractors: search the CCB license database. It shows status, endorsement, bond, insurance and complaint history.
• Electricians and plumbers: use the BCD license lookup linked from the BCD site.
• Landscapers: use the LCB license search.

Check the name matches the business on your estimate, the license is active, and the endorsement fits your job. Our 10 checks before you hire covers the rest.

Starting a business in Oregon?

We wrote step-by-step kits for the trades we get asked about most: house cleaning, landscaping, handyman and pressure washing. The Oregon start-up overview covers the steps every new business takes.