# Nevada contractor license lookup and monetary limits

> How to check a Nevada contractor license with the NSCB: classification, monetary limit, bond, status, and why a sub claiming no workers' comp is a red flag.

Nevada licenses contractors statewide through the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB). To look up a license, use the NSCB [license search](https://app.nvcontractorsboard.com/Clients/NVSCB/Public/ContractorLicenseSearch/ContractorLicenseSearch.aspx) by license number, company name, or the name of a principal or qualified individual, then open the License Details page. The detail page shows the status, classification, monetary limit, and bond.

## When a license is required

Nevada's handyman exemption in NRS 624.031 is narrow. It covers repair or maintenance work valued under $1,000 in labor and materials, and it does not apply if a building permit is required, if the work is plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating, or air conditioning, if it is part of a larger project of $500 or more, or if the job was split to evade the law. Treat every subcontractor on a commercial or property job as needing a license.

## Classifications

The NSCB issues licenses in a few broad branches, each with subclassifications:

| Classification | Covers | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| A | General engineering | Highways, excavating, paving, A-20 industrial piping |
| B | General building | B-2 residential and small commercial, B-6 commercial remodeling, B-7 residential remodeling |
| AB | Both A and B | Qualified for general building and engineering |
| C | Specialty trades | C-1 plumbing and heating, C-2 electrical, C-15 roofing and siding, C-21 refrigeration and air conditioning |

A specialty license covers its own trade. A C-4 painting license does not authorize electrical work, and a B-2 is limited to structures of three stories or fewer above ground.

## The monetary limit

This is the Nevada field most people miss. By statute, the board places a monetary limit on each license: the maximum a contractor may undertake on one or more contracts on a single construction site for a single client. A contractor can apply to raise it, permanently or for one project. Under the board's rules, a bid or contract above the limit or outside the scope of the license is void, every bid must include the license number and limit, and a licensee must make sure each bidder they consider is appropriately licensed. Knowingly contracting with a contractor for work over their limit is itself grounds for discipline.

## How to check a license

1. Search by license number, or by company name.
2. Open the License Details page. The results list is only for picking the record.
3. Confirm the business name, classification, and any limitation.
4. Compare the License Monetary Limit with your subcontract value.
5. Read the status, status date, expiration date, and bond section.

You will see statuses such as Active and Cancelled Not Renewed, and a license can also be inactive, suspended, or revoked. Only Active authorizes work.

## The bond and workers' comp

Every NSCB license must be backed by a surety bond or cash deposit. The board sets the amount based on the license type, monetary limit, and the contractor's financial responsibility, within a range of $1,000 to $500,000. The detail page shows the bond type, number, surety, amount, effective date, and any cancellation date. Failing to keep the bond in force is grounds to suspend or revoke a license.

For workers' comp, NRS 624.256 requires proof of industrial insurance before an original or renewal license. The alternative is an affidavit that the contractor has no employees and does not intend to work as a subcontractor for a principal contractor or bid for one. So a sub who claims that exemption while working for you is a red flag. The license record does not show workers' comp coverage, so collect a certificate. See [workers comp exemptions for sole proprietors](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/workers-comp-exemptions-sole-proprietors).

## What to ask a subcontractor for

- The NSCB license number, classification, and monetary limit
- The exact business name on the license
- For a project over their limit, the board's approval of a single project increase
- A current certificate of insurance, including workers' compensation, in the same legal name

## Common traps

- **Active, but over the limit.** A $100,000 limit does not cover a $250,000 subcontract.
- **Wrong classification.** Check the subclassification, not just the letter.
- **Cancelled Not Renewed.** An old number can still appear on letterhead. Read the status date.
- **Canceled bond.** A bond cancellation date on the record is a warning even before the status changes.

## Check the county and city too

Nevada's license is statewide, but counties and cities issue permits and business licenses, and state law lets them add requirements. Confirm with the jurisdiction where the work is. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the NSCB. This is not legal advice.

For related reading, see [certificate of insurance red flags](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/certificate-of-insurance-red-flags) and [writing subcontract insurance requirements](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/writing-subcontract-insurance-requirements).

## Track it with ComplySub

ComplySub checks contractor license status for California, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. Nevada license tracking is not built in yet, so keep the NSCB record in the vendor file. For the insurance side, ComplySub checks a Nevada sub's certificates against the requirements you set once and flags gaps and expirations. Vendors upload through a link without an account, and reminders go out before dates lapse.

[Try ComplySub free](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/login)

_This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance and licensing rules vary by state, carrier, and contract; confirm what applies to you with your insurance professional, attorney, or licensing board._