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Mountain West Trades

Montana contractor license requirements

By Mountain West Trades editors · Updated

Last verified

Do you need a contractor license in Montana?

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) licenses construction contractors through its Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program. Since January 1, 2026, construction contractors in Montana must be licensed with DLI unless an exemption applies; contractors with an active Montana registration on December 31, 2025 were converted to the new license. (source) Montana's construction contractor licensing law does not apply to, among others: independent contractors who have no employees (they may register voluntarily); employees whose only pay is wages; electricians and plumbers licensed in Montana working within their license; and casual, minor or inconsequential jobs whose total contract price for labor, materials and all other items is under $2,500, unless the work is only part of a larger operation or the operation was divided into contracts under $2,500. (source)

This guide summarizes what Montana requires to run a contracting business, with a link to the state's own source for every requirement. Licenses for individual electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians are separate; see the trade guides linked below. Rules change; check the linked source before you apply.

License classes

Montana's construction contractor license has a single license category, Construction Contractor, with no general, residential or specialty classes. Electrical contractors, plumbers and some other trades are licensed separately by other DLI boards and programs. (source)

Experience and exams

Montana's construction contractor license has no experience requirement and no qualifying individual. Applicants must submit a complete application form with all required fees and documentation. (source)

No exam is required for Montana's construction contractor license; the licensing rule requires only a complete application with the required fees and documentation. (source)

Bond and insurance

Montana's construction contractor licensing law sets no bond requirement for the license. MCA 37-45-204, carried over from the former contractor registration law, still refers to a bond with the state of Montana named as obligee, but no current section of the law creates one. Cities and counties may not require their own registrations, licenses or bonds for the same or a similar purpose, though they can still charge a general license fee that applies to all businesses. (source)

A Montana construction contractor license must include proof that the contractor complies with workers' compensation laws. Neither the licensing law (Title 37, chapter 45, MCA) nor its rules (ARM chapter 24.227) require general liability insurance. (source)

Fees and renewal

The construction contractor license costs $70.00 to apply (non-refundable) and $70.00 to renew. Renewing late adds a $70 late fee on top of the renewal fee. (source)

The construction contractor license renews every two years, on the anniversary date of the license. It must be renewed on or before that date or it lapses. (source)

Check a contractor's license

Montana's public contractor license lookup: https://ebizws.mt.gov/PUBLICPORTAL/searchform?mylist=licenses

Sources

  1. 24.101.413 RENEWAL DATES AND REQUIREMENTS - Administrative Rules of Montana — last verified
  2. 24.227.403 APPLICATIONS - Administrative Rules of Montana — last verified
  3. 37-45-104. Exemptions, MCA — last verified
  4. 37-45-201. Construction contractor license required -- application, MCA — last verified
  5. 37-45-204. Provisions exclusive -- certain local authority not limited or abridged, MCA — last verified
  6. Construction Contractor - Montana Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program — last verified
  7. Montana Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program - Montana Department of Labor & Industry — last verified