Who can qualify a general contractor license, what the qualifier answers for, owner or employee rules, how many companies one person may qualify, and the replacement window in eight states.
A general contractor qualifying agent is the licensed individual whose exam results, experience and supervision stand behind a construction company's general contractor license. The title changes by state (qualifying agent, qualifier, RMO or RME, qualifying party, designated employee), and so do the rules on who may serve, how many companies one person may qualify and how fast a company must replace a qualifier who leaves. This guide sets those rules side by side for eight states that license general contractors statewide. For every state's full licensing path, see how to get a contractor license in each state.
At a glance
- Who serves: an owner, officer or qualifying employee who passed the state's exam, such as Florida's primary qualifying agent (s. 489.105).
- The duty: supervision of the company's construction work; in Georgia every qualifying agent is jointly responsible for field work at all sites (O.C.G.A. 43-41-9).
- More than one company: limited in most of these states, from North Carolina's two license cap to Nevada's 25 percent ownership test.
- Replacement window: from 30 days in Nevada to 180 days in Georgia after the only qualifier leaves.
- Non owners: must be real employees, such as 32 hours a week in California or 30 hours with a W-2 in Virginia.
What a General Contractor Qualifying Agent Does
The company's license rests on the person the board examined. In Florida, a business must apply through a qualifying agent whose affidavit states that he or she has final approval authority for all construction work and for business matters such as contracts, checks and payments, unless the board approves a financially responsible officer (s. 489.119). Georgia requires a similar affidavit covering the construction work and every job where the qualifier's license pulled the permit (O.C.G.A. 43-41-9).
The responsibility is personal. Florida makes all primary qualifying agents jointly and equally responsible for all operations, all field work at all sites and financial matters, while a secondary qualifying agent answers only for jobs permitted under his or her license (s. 489.1195). California requires supervision and control of construction operations, and defines direct supervision as supervising operations, making technical and administrative decisions, checking jobs for proper workmanship or supervising on site; it treats a violation as a misdemeanor with a fine of $3,000 to $5,000, up to six months in county jail, or both (B&P 7068.1).
Nevada spells out the daily authority: technical and administrative decisions, hiring and directing employees, and devotion solely to the company's business (NRS 624.260). Arizona makes the qualifying party responsible for the licensee's violations for licensing purposes, while stating that this creates no personal liability on that basis (A.R.S. 32-1127).
The Names States Use for the GC Qualifier
The job is the same everywhere; the title is not. Our guide to what a qualifying party is explains the general idea, and our contractor license qualifier page covers every trade.
- Qualifying agent: Florida (primary and secondary), Georgia and Tennessee.
- Responsible managing officer or employee: California, which adds a responsible managing manager or member for an LLC (B&P 7068), and Nevada.
- Qualifier or qualifying party: North Carolina (G.S. 87-10).
- Qualifying party: Arizona, the person responsible for the licensee's conduct who owns an interest or is regularly employed (A.R.S. 32-1101).
- Designated employee and qualified individual: Virginia, where the designated employee passes the Board's exam for a Class A or B firm and a qualified individual stands behind each classification (54.1-1100).
General Contractor Classes a Qualifier Can Hold
A qualifier tests for a specific class, and the class sets what the company may build.
- Certified general contractor (Florida): unlimited as to the type of work, except as s. 489.113 provides (s. 489.105).
- Certified building contractor (Florida): commercial and residential buildings of no more than three stories, plus remodeling of any size building that does not affect structural members.
- Certified residential contractor (Florida): one, two and three family residences of no more than two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story.
- Commercial general contractor (Georgia): Georgia licenses residential and commercial general contractors, and its general contractor applications include a limited tier (Georgia GC How to Guide).
- B general building contractor (California): structures whose construction takes at least two unrelated building trades or crafts (B&P 7057).
- North Carolina: building, residential, highway, public utilities or specialty, each limited (single projects up to $750,000), intermediate (up to $1,500,000) or unlimited (G.S. 87-10).
- Virginia: Class C covers single contracts over $1,000 and under $30,000, Class B $30,000 to under $150,000, and Class A $150,000 or more, with 12 month totals as a second test (54.1-1100).
Florida adds a geographic split: a certified contractor may contract in any jurisdiction in the state, while a registered contractor may contract only where it met local competency requirements (s. 489.105).
GC Qualifier Rules in Eight States
The table gives each state's term for the qualifier, whether one person may qualify more than one company, and the window after the qualifier leaves.
| State (board) | Qualifier term | More than one company? | When the qualifier leaves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (CILB) | Primary or secondary qualifying agent | Yes, with Board approval | 60 days to employ another |
| California (CSLB) | RMO, RME, RMM or member | 20% ownership or same majority officers; 3 a year max | 90 days; one 90 day extension possible |
| Georgia (GC division) | Qualifying agent | Yes, if each company meets the criteria | 180 days to employ one and apply |
| North Carolina (NCLBGC) | Qualifier or qualifying party | No more than two licenses | 90 days; no new bids meanwhile |
| Tennessee (TBLC) | Qualifying agent | One as employee; more only as majority owner | 10 day notice; 3 months, then inactive |
| Virginia (Board for Contractors) | Designated employee; qualified individual | Only if full time or in management at each firm | Report DE in 120 days, QI in 60 |
| Nevada (NSCB) | RMO or RME | Only under 25% ownership or public benefit tests | 10 day notice; 30 days at most |
| Arizona (ROC) | Qualifying party | One more, at 25% common ownership | 15 day notice; 60 days to requalify |
State notes
- Florida: after the first business, qualifying another needs Board approval, with a Board appearance unless the applicant owns 20 percent or more of it or shows W-2 employment there; a third business needs 20 percent of all three to skip the appearance, and a parent or subsidiary must be qualified separately (Rule 61G4-15.0021, effective December 23, 2025). See the Florida qualifying agent guide.
- California: a second firm needs 20 percent common ownership, a 20 percent subsidiary or joint venture, or the same majority of partners, officers or managers, and the cap is three firms in any one year period (B&P 7068.1). See the California RME guide.
- Georgia: a qualifying agent may serve more than one business organization if he or she meets the criteria for each, and each added business shows its own financial responsibility, if applicable, and insurance (O.C.G.A. 43-41-9). See the Georgia qualifying agent guide.
- North Carolina: "A person may serve as a qualifier for no more than two licenses," and a licensee may have more than one qualifier (21 NCAC 12A .0205). See the North Carolina qualifying agent guide.
- Tennessee: a qualifying agent may be listed on only one license as a full time employee, and on another company only as its majority owner (TN Commerce and Insurance QA FAQs). See the Tennessee qualifying agent guide.
- Virginia: the designated employee applies to Class A and B firms, and every firm names a qualified individual for each classification (18VAC50-22-60). See the Virginia designated employee guide.
- Nevada: one person may qualify more than one active license only if one person owns at least 25 percent of each licensee, one licensee owns at least 25 percent of the other, or one is a corporation for public benefit (NRS 624.260(5)). See the Nevada general contractor license.
- Arizona: a qualifying party may act for one additional licensee when there is 25 percent common ownership of each or one is a 25 percent owned subsidiary of the other (A.R.S. 32-1127). See the Arizona contractor license.
Owner or Full Time Employee
Every state here lets an owner or officer qualify the company, and every state tests a qualifier who owns nothing. That test separates a real qualifier from a name on a form; our guide to contractor license qualifiers as owners or employees walks through the tradeoffs.
| State | Owner route | If not an owner |
|---|---|---|
| California | Sole owner, general partner or RMO | RME: permanent, 32 hrs a week or 80% of hours |
| Georgia | Affiliated by ownership | Affiliated by employment, with authority affidavit |
| North Carolina | Owner, officer or partner | W-2, 20 hrs a week or majority of hours |
| Tennessee | Owner, general partner, 20% stockholder, LLC member | Full time employee with power of attorney |
| Virginia | Member of responsible management | 30 hrs a week and an annual W-2 |
| Nevada | Bona fide member of the firm | Bona fide employee who devotes time solely |
| Arizona | Ownership interest in the license | Regularly employed by the licensee |
Notes
- California: "actively engaged" means 32 hours a week or 80 percent of operating hours, whichever is less (B&P 7068).
- North Carolina: a responsible managing person works at least 20 hours a week or a majority of the hours operated, whichever is less, and a non owner must be a W-2 employee, never an independent contractor (21 NCAC 12A .0205).
- Tennessee: the qualifying agent passes the exam for the classification, and a non owner is joined at any Board interview by an owner or officer (Rule 0680-01-.02).
- Virginia: "full-time employee" means at least 30 hours a week on the licensed business's work plus an IRS Form W-2 each year (18VAC50-22-10).
What the Qualifier Must Hold
Each state examines the qualifier and checks experience.
- Arizona: four years of practical or management trade experience, at least two within the last ten years, and a written exam taken no more than two years before applying; the exam is waived for someone who was a qualifying party in the same classification within the preceding five years (A.R.S. 32-1122).
- Nevada: four years as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification within the last 15 years, with up to three years creditable from approved college training (NRS 624.260(6)).
- Georgia: age 21 or older and four years of experience, at least two as or for a general contractor, or a qualifying degree plus one year; the qualifying agent also affirms the business has a net worth of at least $150,000 (Ga. Rule 553-4-.02).
- Virginia: the designated employee is at least 18 and passed the Board's exam; the qualified individual needs one year of experience for Class C and five years for Class A (18VAC50-22-40, 18VAC50-22-60).
- North Carolina: the exam covers plan reading, the State Building Code, estimating, lien law and the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act, and the license applies to undertakings of $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-10, G.S. 87-1).
- California: a company qualifying through an RME must also show knowledge of the building, safety, health and lien laws and the administrative principles of contracting (B&P 7068).
When the Qualifier Leaves
A departing qualifier starts a clock on the license.
- Nevada: notify the Board in writing within 10 days; the license stays in force no more than 30 days unless the Board extends the time for good cause; a missed notice means automatic suspension, and a late replacement can bring suspension or revocation (NRS 624.285).
- Arizona: the licensee and the qualifying party each notify the Registrar within 15 days, and the company must requalify within 60 days or the license is automatically suspended (A.R.S. 32-1127.01).
- Florida: when the departing agent was the only licensed contractor, the business has 60 days to employ another and may not contract until it does, unless it receives a temporary nonrenewable certificate that covers only incomplete contracts (s. 489.119).
- California: notify the Registrar and replace the qualifier within 90 days or the license is automatically suspended or the classification removed; one 90 day extension is possible for a disputed date, a death or an agency delay (B&P 7068.2).
- North Carolina: give written notice within 10 days; the license remains in effect for 90 days, but the company may not bid on or take new contracts meanwhile (G.S. 87-10, 21 NCAC 12A .0205).
- Tennessee: notify the Board within 10 days; a new qualifying agent must pass the exam and be appointed within three months, or the license becomes inactive until one is (Rule 0680-01-.02).
- Georgia: the business promptly notifies the division and has 180 days to employ a new qualifying agent and apply; the pending application keeps the license in force (O.C.G.A. 43-41-9).
- Virginia: a new designated employee is reported on the Board's form within 120 days and a new qualified individual within 60 days (18VAC50-22-220).
If your qualifier has just left, our emergency qualifier replacement page covers the first steps.
Expanding a General Contractor Into More States
A license in one state does not carry into the next. These differences decide how long a new state takes.
- Statewide or local: Florida certifies statewide but registers locally, and some places license at the city level. New York City registers general contractors through its Department of Buildings, whose February 2026 guidelines ask for three months of business bank statements each ending at $25,000 or more and general liability of at least $1 million (NYC DOB guidelines).
- Experience: among the states above, from one year (Virginia Class C, or Georgia with a degree) to five years (Virginia Class A); Arizona, Nevada and Georgia's main route ask for four.
- Financial requirements: Georgia's $150,000 net worth, Virginia's $45,000 net worth or $50,000 surety bond for Class A (18VAC50-22-60), and New York City's bank balance test differ widely.
- Exams: some states test law and business knowledge alongside the trade, as Arizona's statute (A.R.S. 32-1122) and California's B&P 7068 both require.
- Reciprocity: Georgia accepts a current equivalent license from Louisiana or Mississippi obtained by exam (Georgia GC How to Guide).
The Licensing Steps in Order
- Pick the state and the class the work needs, using the contract value or building type rules above.
- Decide who will qualify: an owner or officer who meets the experience test, or a qualifying employee.
- Confirm that person is not already qualifying another company past the state's limit.
- Document the qualifier's experience in the classification, within the state's lookback period.
- Form the business and put it in good standing with the state first; Arizona asks for that attestation on the application (A.R.S. 32-1122).
- Meet the company's financial and insurance requirements, such as Georgia's net worth affirmation.
- Sit the required exams and file the application with the qualifier's affidavit or attestation.
- Put the notice and replacement windows on the company calendar, with a backup plan for the qualifier.
Where a Qualifying Agent Fits
A qualifying agent qualifies the company: the qualifier's exam results and experience meet the board's standard, and the qualifier then supervises the company's general contracting work as a real member of the team. Read what a qualifying agent is for the full picture.
The Licensing Company places credentialed qualifying agents who hold the exact general contractor classification a company needs, each as a full time W-2 employee who actually supervises the work. Founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, recognized authorities in contractor licensing, built the firm around that standard, and each state's own rules still govern every approval. Our general contractor clients range from regional firms expanding into a neighboring state to national contractors maintaining licensure across 20 or more jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every general contractor company need a separate qualifying agent?
No. An owner who meets the experience and exam requirements can qualify the company personally: a California sole owner qualifies by personal appearance (B&P 7068), and a Florida individual contracting in his or her own name is licensed directly (s. 489.119). A company needs a qualifying employee when no owner holds the credential.
Who holds the license, the company or the qualifier?
It depends on the state. Georgia issues the license to the individual qualifying agent and to the affiliated business (O.C.G.A. 43-41-9). Tennessee says the qualifying agent is not the owner of the license unless he or she owns the entity that provides the financial statement and insurance (TN QA FAQs).
Does the qualifier have to be on every job site every day?
California's definition of supervision and control includes monitoring and being available to assist others to whom direct supervision has been delegated (B&P 7068.1). The qualifier still answers for the work, and Florida holds primary qualifying agents responsible for all field work at all sites.
Does New York license general contractors the same way?
New York City registers general contractors through its Department of Buildings. The checklist covers age, financial solvency and insurance, plus a background investigation for work on one, two and three family homes, rather than a qualifying agent exam (NYC DOB guidelines). Our New York general contractor license page covers New York in more detail.
Talk With Our Team
If your company needs a qualifier for a general contractor license, or your current one is leaving, call us at 615-219-2110. We will walk through the state, the class and the qualifier rules, then match you with a credentialed qualifying agent. You can also hire a qualifying agent online.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 489.105, Definitions, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Florida Statutes s. 489.119, Business organizations; qualifying agents, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Florida Statutes s. 489.1195, Responsibilities, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 61G4-15.0021, Business Organizations, retrieved 2026-09-30
- California Business and Professions Code 7057, retrieved 2026-09-30
- California Business and Professions Code 7068, retrieved 2026-09-30
- California Business and Professions Code 7068.1, retrieved 2026-09-30
- California Business and Professions Code 7068.2, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Official Code of Georgia 43-41-9 (Justia, 2025 Code), retrieved 2026-09-30
- Georgia Rules, Chapter 553-4, Qualifications for Licensure, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Georgia Secretary of State, General Contractors How to Guide, retrieved 2026-09-30
- North Carolina G.S. 87-1, retrieved 2026-09-30
- North Carolina G.S. 87-10, retrieved 2026-09-30
- North Carolina 21 NCAC 12A .0205, Qualifier, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Rules, Chapter 0680-01, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Tennessee Commerce and Insurance, Qualifying Agent FAQs, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1100, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Virginia 18VAC50-22-10, Definitions, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Virginia 18VAC50-22-40, Class C license, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Virginia 18VAC50-22-60, Class A license, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Virginia 18VAC50-22-220, Change of designated employee or qualified individual, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 624, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1101, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1122, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1127, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1127.01, retrieved 2026-09-30
- NYC Department of Buildings, General Contractor Registration, retrieved 2026-09-30
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.