What Is a General Contracting Qualifying Agent?

What does a general contractor license cover?

It covers taking responsibility for a construction project as a whole: building, remodeling, repairing or adding to a structure, and managing the trades that do the work. The general contractor usually holds the contract with the owner, runs the job, and hires specialty contractors for the trades the general license doesn't cover. States divide general contracting in different ways. Many split it by the kind of building, such as residential, building and unlimited classes. Others cap licenses by the dollar value of a single project, and some separate building work from heavy civil work such as roads and utilities. A number of states have no statewide general contractor license and leave licensing to cities and counties (learn more about your state here).

What does a qualifying agent do in general contracting?

The qualifier is the licensed person responsible for the construction work the business contracts for. The business can bid and sign contracts only for work the qualifier's license covers, permits are pulled under it, and the qualifier answers to the building department and the licensing board for how the job is built. Day to day, that means overseeing the whole project: reviewing bids and contracts so the business only takes work its license covers, scheduling and coordinating subcontractors, making sure each subcontractor holds the specialty license its work requires, keeping the job moving through inspections, and dealing with corrections when one fails.

Using subcontractors doesn't move the responsibility off the qualifier. They stay accountable for the project as a whole, including the parts subcontractors build. That's why genuine supervision means actually directing the work, and a qualifier who only lends a name to a permit isn't supervising. That's a license rental. See our guides on how the qualifying agent relationship actually works and renting or leasing a contracting license.

What can a general contractor do itself, and what has to be subcontracted?

A general contractor can hold the prime contract for a whole project and do the general building work itself: the structural and finish work that makes up most of a building, such as framing and carpentry. Where electrical, plumbing and HVAC are licensed trades, the general license doesn't let the GC do that work itself. The GC either subcontracts it to a contractor holding that specialty license or holds the specialty license too. What varies by state is where the line falls: which other trades must be subcontracted (some add roofing, fire protection or swimming pools), whether a GC can take a job that involves only one specialty trade, and whether a GC can self-perform some specialty work as part of a larger multi-trade project (learn more about your state here).

What does it take to get licensed as a general contractor?

Each state sets its own requirements. Many states accept a national commercial general building exam from NASCLA in place of their own trade exam, and may still require their own business and law exam. See our guides on what experience is required, how to gain experience, and what education is required.

What else should you know?

Most of what applies to any trade is covered in our guides. See starting a contracting business without a license and how long you have to replace a qualifying agent for when a business needs a qualifier, renting or leasing a contracting license for why renting isn't an option, and the state-by-state directory for how requirements differ. See all ten trades on our trades page, and the full list of guides on our guides page.

How do you find a general contracting qualifier or a business hiring one?

findQualifier.com is a public, searchable board of licensed professionals advertising their availability to work as a qualifier, by state and trade. Browse available qualifiers, browse businesses looking to hire, or post a listing.