Alaska Contractor License Guide

• General contractors: oversee, supervise, and perform new home construction, commercial jobs, and residential remodeling valued at more than $10,000. Note: Should commercial or remodeling work be valued under $10,000, general contractors will be assigned a General Contractor Handyman license.
• Mechanical contractors: responsible for mechanical trades such as plumbing, refrigeration, or HVAC, but cannot install mechanical controls without a separate electrical and mechanical administrator’s license. Applications also require a mechanical administrator’s license. Note: Should individuals encounter asbestos, hazardous paint, or explosives, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development mandates that further certification is necessary.
• Specialty contractors: include roofing, excavation, carpentry, plaster contracting, and more. Note: When applying for a contractor license, if you select “other specialty” from the approved list of trades, include a detailed description for further governmental review. Should your work include more than three trades, you may need to apply for a general contractor license instead.

Application forms are available at the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development via the Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing page.

• Provide evidence of workers’ compensation insurance. Worker compensation insurance must be provided by a private insurance carrier licensed for business in Alaska. An “all states endorsement” is not sufficient. If you do not have any employees, please check the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Form (08-4712) to review your options.
• Purchase liability insurance. Minimum coverage of $20,000 for property damage, $50,000 for injury or death to one person, and $100,000 for the injury or death of more than one person. An insurance agency’s certificate of insurance or the Certificate of Insurance Coverage (form 08-4027c) will be accepted by the Department.
• License your business. A contractor is required to have a state business license. Contact Business Licensing at (907) 465-2550 or consult the Business Licensing page. A new business license costs $50 and is active for five calendar years.

The following Alaska contractor license bond amounts are required in order to be licensed, however you will pay only a percentage, or premium, to be bonded:

• General contractors: $25,000 bond
• General contractors with residential endorsement exclusively performing residential work: $20,000 bond
• General contractors/handymen (project valued under $10,000): $5,000 bond
• Speciality and/or mechanical contractors: $10,000 bond

A contractor license bond can be obtained and reported in one of three ways:

• Issued by an insurance company or surety company. Both the bonding company’s power of attorney and bond needs to be signed by the principal as well as the surety (form 08-4027a). From a financial perspective, this is likely the best option.
• A bank or trust company (authorized to do business and physically located in Alaska) issues a Time Certificate of Deposit or Savings Passbook. This document must read, “State of Alaska in trust for (contractor)”. The original document will be held by the State.
• Cash may be deposited into a State-held Trust Account (non-interest bearing) and a cashier’s check obtained. The cashier’s check shall be accompanied by a signed and notarized Assignment of Cash Deposit form.

Note: Upon mailing in your contractor application, you must provide the original surety bond duly signed by the principal and provider, with surety seal and power of attorney.

For a General Contractor’s license, unless you are expecting to carry out residential work, there’s no need to pass an exam. For General Contractors with Residential Endorsements, however, you will need to complete the Alaska Craftsman Home Program (ACHP), or the equivalent, within 2 years of your application.

Examinations and exam retakes both cost $150 and the results are valid for one year. You can find examination dates and times here. Exam sites are located in Juneau, Anchorage, and Fairbanks.

How to fill out your application

Applications must be fully completed, signed, and notarized.

Licensing/Application Fees

To apply for a contractor license, please contact the Alaska Division of Occupational Licensing.

• Non-refundable application fee: $65
• Licensing fee: $235

The $300 total fee should be paid via check or money order, and payable to the State of Alaska.

Mailing Address:

State Office Building
333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor
PO Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
Fax: (907) 465-2974
Email: license@alaska.gov

Renewal Information

General contractor and residential contractor endorsement licenses expire on December 31st of even years, while specialty and mechanical contractor licenses expire on December 31st of odd years. Please note: In Alaska, it’s illegal to submit a bid or work as a contractor until you have received a certificate of registration from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.