How to get a contractor license in Michigan: LARA residential builders and maintenance & alteration contractors
Michigan uses a split system: part state, part local. Michigan licenses Residential Builders and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors at the state level through LARA, while commercial general contractors have no state license and are subject only to local requirements.
- Licensing level
- hybrid
- Exam vendor
- PSI
- Verified
- Official source
Michigan contractor licenses at a glance
| License | Issued by | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Builder license | LARA Bureau of Construction Codes | LARA-approved prelicensure course, the PSI residential builder exam (business, law and trade), then the LARA application. Required to build or remodel residential structures above the statutory dollar threshold. |
| Maintenance & Alteration (M&A) Contractor license | LARA Bureau of Construction Codes | Same course, exam and application, limited to the trade classifications you select (carpentry, roofing, masonry and others). The exam covers only those trades plus business and law. |
| Commercial general contractor | City or county | No state license. Register or license with the building department where you work. |
Start at the source
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes is the official authority. Its site, www.michigan.gov, carries the current requirements, applications and any candidate bulletin. Everything on this page routes back to it, because requirements change and the agency's version is the one that counts.
The path, wherever you are
- Confirm the licensing level above with the authority, then pull the current application checklist from its site.
- Where a trade exam is required, get the candidate bulletin: it names the exam vendor, the topics, and the exact reference editions allowed on the table.
- Buy the referenced code books in the exact editions listed, and tab them yourself within whatever marking the bulletin permits.
- Train the lookup, not just the knowledge: contractor trade exams are commonly open book, which makes finding the governing section fast the actual tested skill.
- Expect a separate business and law exam in many jurisdictions, with its own reference book.
Why open book changes your prep
An open-book exam gives you the answers and takes away the time to find them. The candidates who fail are rarely the ones who knew the least; they are the ones who found things slowest. That lookup skill is what this site trains:the free timed drill shows you your seconds-per-lookup in two minutes.
Not sure whether you need a contractor license or an ICC inspector certification? The two are issued by different bodies and scored differently: seeinspector certification vs contractor licenseand why the ICC passing score is a scaled 75.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Michigan maintenance and alteration contractor license?
A LARA license for contractors who repair, remodel or alter residential structures in specific trades rather than building whole homes. You choose the trade classifications on the application, pass the PSI exam for those classifications plus business and law, and the license limits you to the trades you hold. LARA's Residential Builders pages carry the classification list, the prelicensure course requirement and the forms.
How do I get a LARA residential builders license?
Complete a LARA-approved prelicensure course, pass the PSI residential builder examination (business and law plus the trade section), then file the LARA application with the course certificate and fee. LARA publishes the current course hours, fees and the PSI candidate bulletin; the bulletin names the code editions you may bring to the open-book exam.
Does the State of Michigan license commercial contractors?
No. Michigan's state licenses cover residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors only. Commercial general contractors are regulated by the city or county where the work happens, and the trades (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) hold separate state licenses through LARA.
Does Michigan require a state contractor license?
Michigan uses a split system: part state, part local. Michigan licenses Residential Builders and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors at the state level through LARA, while commercial general contractors have no state license and are subject only to local requirements.
Who do I contact to get licensed in Michigan?
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes is the state authority. Its official site carries the current application requirements.
Is the Michigan contractor exam open book?
Where Michigan or its localities require a trade exam, contractor trade exams are commonly open book against the adopted code and reference list, administered by PSI. The candidate bulletin for your specific exam is the authority, and it names the exact editions allowed on the table.
Sources
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/residential-builders
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/psi-examinations
Other states
| Louisiana | state |
| Maine | local |
| Maryland | hybrid |
| Massachusetts | state |
| Minnesota | hybrid |
| Mississippi | state |
| Missouri | local |
| Montana | state |
The kit that goes on the table
2024 IRCThe book itself
2021 IRC + tabsIf you register on 2021
2024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourself
Construction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errorsMatch the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.
The 120-second study sheet, free
Every topic weight on all four residential exams, the code-vocabulary glossary, and the two-week study sequence, on one printable page. Enter your email and we will send you straight to it.
No spam. One useful sheet and occasional notes.