Self-help guide

How to check a Nevada contractor's license and bond.

License status is the first thing we check on every file, because it determines which remedies exist. You can check it yourself in a few minutes.

Why it matters

If the contractor was licensed, you may have access to the State Contractors Board's complaint process, the contractor's license bond, and, for owner-occupied homes, the Residential Recovery Fund. If the contractor was not licensed, none of those are available, and recovery depends on collecting from the person directly.

Step by step

  1. Find the license number. Nevada contractors must put their license number on contracts, bids, and advertising. Look at your contract, the estimate, business cards, and vehicle signage.
  2. Search the Board's records. Go to the Nevada State Contractors Board website at nvcontractorsboard.com and use the license search. You can search by license number, business name, or the name of a principal.
  3. Match the name exactly. Confirm that the business name on your contract is the business that holds the license. Using someone else's license number is a common problem.
  4. Check the status and dates. Was the license active on the date you signed and while the work was performed?
  5. Check the classification and monetary limit. A license covers specific types of work up to a dollar limit. A contractor working outside its classification or above its limit may be violating NRS 624.3015.
  6. Check for discipline. The Board's disciplinary search shows public disciplinary orders.
  7. Ask about the bond. On request, the Board must tell you whether a bond is in effect, its amount, and whether actions are pending against it (NRS 624.273). The Board's offices can be reached at 702-486-1100 in Las Vegas and 775-688-1141 in Reno.

Save what you find

Print or save the license record as a PDF with the date. It belongs in your file, and it is one of the first things an attorney, the Board, or a judge will ask about.

The handyman exemption

Nevada exempts some small repair and maintenance jobs under $1,000, including labor and materials. The exemption does not apply if a building permit is required, if the work is plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating, or air conditioning, or if the job is part of a larger project (NRS 624.031).

If the contractor was not licensed

Read our guide to unlicensed contractors, and consider small claims court and a report to the Board.

This page is general information about Nevada law, not legal advice. Every dispute turns on its own facts and documents.