With over 17 years of experience in trade licensing, Contractor School Online (CSO) is your primary resource to help you pass your State Contractor License Exam! We offer Online Practice Tests, study materials, books and more.

To become a certified contractor in Alabama, depending on the trade you are interested in, you may be required to pass a trade exam and Business, Law and Management. Use our Information Request Form to find out more.

Contractor School Online (CSO) will assist you with their professional consultants and provide study materials, also practice tests for the Business, Law, and Management and your trade if available. If purchases are made elsewhere make sure the correct author, title and year are appropriate for the trade.

CSO Business, Law and Management Practice Test coincides with the required State Contractor’s Manual.

Please note: Inventory Pricing - Contractors State Bonding and Subjects may change without notice.

Construction Work Regulated:

Prequalification is required for public works and highway work. Electrical, plumbing, asbestos abatement and lead abatement work is regulated at the state level.

License Requirements

Highway and Public Works Pre-Qualification:

• Contractors must submit experience documentation and financial statements for pre qualification. Financial statements categories are compiled for projects to $200,000, reviewed for projects to $1,000,000 and audited above $1,000,000. The pre qualification expires 15 months after the date of the financial statements.
• Processing time on applications takes two to four weeks. As of October 1995, there were 306 pre qualified contractors.
• For projects less than $50,000 prequalification may be waived by the Commissioner in the absence of other pre qualified bidders, the ability of the bidder and time constraints.

Plumbing Contractors:

• Applicants must pass a trade examination with a score of 70% and submit documentation on their experience. Licenses are renewed annually.

Electrical Contractors:

• Applicants for Journeyman & Master must pass a two part, open book trade examination with a 70% score on each part.
• The Master license requires one year experience as a journeyman. The journeyman requires 576 hours of electrical schooling and four years experience as an apprentice. The examination fee is $25 and the license and annual renewal fees are $60 for the master and $20 for the journeyman. Fifteen hours of continuing education on each new code edition is required every three years of master and journeyman licenses.

Asbestos Abatement Contractors:

• Applicants must submit documentation of completion of an approved asbestos contractor/supervisor course and a list of projects within the past years.
• There is an annual renewal fee of $500. There were 50 licensees as of October 1994.

Lead Abatement Contractors:

• Applicants must pass a trade examination with a score of 70% and provide building trade experience of one year for supervisors and two years for contractors.
• The lead abatement program became effective January 1, 1995.

Other:

• Public works contracts require a 100% performance and payment bond as well as a 5 % bid guaranty.

Reciprocal Agreements

There is an electrical reciprocity agreement for master & journeyman with the states of Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine. Plumbing reciprocity is extended to licensees of Maine and Vermont (residents only).

License Types

Electrical Contractors:

• Apprentice (Registration)
• Journeyman
• Master

Plumbing Contractors:

• Journeyman
• Master

Asbestos Contractors:

• Entity license
• Supervisor
• Worker
• Inspector
• Management Planner
• Project Designer