Do You Need a General Contractor License for Projects Over $40,000? Clarifying the Rules for Onsite Wastewater Contractors

It’s a common question among contractors: Does a General Contractor or Public Utility Contractor license become necessary when a project exceeds $40,000?

To address the confusion, our team reached out to both the NC General Contractors Licensing Board and the NC Onsite Wastewater Contractors and Inspectors Certification Board (NCOWCICB). Since both boards share the same attorney, obtaining a clear and unified answer was straightforward.

The executive director of the NCOWCICB clarified:

The $40,000 monetary threshold established by the NC General Contractors Licensing Board, which typically requires a General Contractor license, does not apply to onsite wastewater systems installed by NCOWCICB-certified contractors, as long as the work is limited to the onsite wastewater system.“

In short, if you are a certified onsite wastewater contractor and your work solely involves the onsite wastewater system, the $40,000 threshold for requiring a General Contractor license does not apply. This distinction helps ensure contractors in this specialized field can operate confidently within their certification scope.