Alabama General Contractor License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 7 min read

Alabama general contractor licenses, for prime contractors and subcontractors, are issued by the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors and renew every year in a renewal month set by the first letter of the company name. Renewal costs $200 for a prime contractor and $100 for a subcontractor, paid by money order or cashier's check with the Board's notarized renewal form, which is online only. Renewals are due 30 days before the license expires, and prime contractors send a current financial statement and proof of liability insurance with theirs.

At a glance

Who needs it: Anyone who, for a price, fee or wage, builds, supervises, alters, maintains, repairs, rehabilitates or demolishes a building, highway, sewer, structure, site work, grading, paving or other project in Alabama where the cost of the undertaking is $100,000 or more, or a swimming pool over $5,000. A subcontractor working under a general contractor or another subcontractor on an undertaking of $100,000 or more needs a license too (Code of Ala. 34-8-1)
Homes: Building or repairing a residence, a private dwelling or a residential swimming pool is exempt from the general contractor law (Code of Ala. 34-8-7)
Renews every: Year. The license expires 12 months after it was issued or renewed, during your renewal month, and becomes invalid on the last day of that month
Renewal month: Set by the first letter of the company name: A December, B November, C October, D to F September, G and H August, I to L March, M and N April, O to R May, S June, T to Z July. Check your expiration date on the Board's license search
Fee: $200 for a prime contractor, $100 for a subcontractor
Payment: Money order or cashier's check payable to the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors. Personal and company checks are returned; cash only in person at the Board's office
Deadline: Renewals are due 30 days before the license expires. A renewal and fee the Board receives at least 30 days before expiration keep your current license in force until the Board renews or denies it (Code of Ala. 34-8-2)
Too early: Renewals received more than 45 days before the license expires may be returned
Renew: With the Board's 2026 prime or subcontractor renewal form, downloaded from its website: forms are online only and no longer mailed. Sign it in front of a notary (original signatures only) and send it with the fee to the Board at 445 Dexter Ave, Suite 3060, Montgomery, AL 36104
Prime contractor package: A current financial statement no more than one year old (audited, reviewed or compiled under US GAAP by a CPA or a Board-approved licensed public accountant, or the Alabama Department of Transportation booklet; no deficits, cash or tax basis statements), proof of current liability insurance listing the Board as certificate holder, a current Alabama Secretary of State print screen for corporations, LLCs, LPs and LLPs, copies of any Alabama certification cards your classifications need, and proof of citizenship or lawful presence
Bid limit: Prime contractors need a net worth and working capital of at least $10,000, or the renewal is rejected (a license bond can make up a shortfall: contact the Board before sending one). Once working capital meets $10,000, a bank line of credit can raise it to the level of your net worth. The financial statement sets your bid limit, at most 10 times the lesser of the two: A up to $100,000, B $250,000, C $500,000, D $1,000,000, E $3,000,000, U unlimited. Subcontractors have no bid limit
Financial statement not ready: A renewal form and fee the Board receives at least 30 days before expiration extend the license 90 days for the financial information. Send it within those 90 days, or a $50 late penalty applies. The renewal form asks for a written request on company letterhead before the license expires
Late penalty: $50, added to the renewal fee when you renew more than 90 days after the license expired (Code of Ala. 34-8-2)
After it expires: You can still renew up to one year after expiration, adding the $50 late penalty if it's more than 90 days late. After more than a year you must file a new application (Rule 230-X-1-.01), and the Board warns prime contractors that this may mean taking the trade exam(s) and the business and law exam again. Using an expired license is a Class A misdemeanor (Code of Ala. 34-8-6)
Continuing education: None: the Board's renewal page, its 2026 renewal forms and its renewal rule don't ask for continuing education
Inactive license: A prime contractor can go inactive by telling the Board in writing (Code of Ala. 34-8-2 says at least 30 days before the license expires) and renew it every year for $200, with no financial statement, insurance or Secretary of State information. Within 10 years it can be reactivated by filing the active renewal paperwork and fees
After you renew: The new expiration date shows on the Board's license roster by the next business day. Your license number must be on every construction contract, subcontract, bid and proposal (Code of Ala. 34-8-6)

Act 2026-396 changed the exemptions in Code of Ala. 34-8-7 from October 1, 2026, adding residential swimming pools and some routine or regular maintenance, repair, cleaning and facility support work. The Board says to ask it about a specific project before bidding or starting work.

Code of Ala. 34-8-7 asks subcontractors for a statement of financial condition with renewals, which the 2026 subcontractor form's checklist doesn't list. Ask the Board what it wants before you send yours.

If your company's name, ownership or structure has changed, contact the Board: changes may require a new application. Prime contractors whose test qualifier has changed must also contact the Board.

Questions about your renewal: call the Board at 334-272-5030 and ask for the renewal and licensing specialist.

How to renew

Look up your license on the Board's license search and note the expiration date. Your renewal month follows the first letter of your company name.
Download the 2026 prime or subcontractor renewal form from the Board's renewal page: the Board no longer mails them.
Prime contractors: get a current financial statement (no more than a year old, from a CPA or Board-approved accountant) showing at least $10,000 of net worth and working capital, and a certificate of liability insurance listing the Board as certificate holder.
Fill in the form, sign it in front of a notary, add your Secretary of State print screen (for an entity), certification cards and proof of citizenship, and pay with a $200 (prime) or $100 (sub) money order or cashier's check.
Send it so the Board has it at least 30 days before your license expires, but no more than 45 days before. Ask for a signature on delivery so you know it arrived.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

60 days outCheck your expiration date on the Board's license search and order a current financial statement and a certificate of insurance listing the Board as certificate holder (prime contractors).
45 days outThe earliest you can send the renewal without risking it being returned. Fill in the renewal form and get it notarized.
30 days outRenewal due: the Board should have your form, documents and money order or cashier's check by now, which also keeps your license in force until it acts.
End of the renewal monthNot renewed? The license becomes invalid on the last day of the month. Renewing more than 90 days after expiration adds a $50 late penalty, and after a year you need a new application.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

The liability insurance policy the Board needs current proof of, with the Board as certificate holder
Alabama certification cards your license classifications need (such as electrical, plumbing and gas fitting, heating and air)
Your bid limit: the Board sets it again at each renewal from the financial statement you send
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When does an Alabama general contractor license expire?

Every year, in your renewal month, which is set by the first letter of the company name: for example, A in December, S in June and I to L in March. The license becomes invalid on the last day of that month.

How much does it cost to renew an Alabama general contractor license?

$200 for a prime contractor and $100 for a subcontractor, paid by money order or cashier's check. Renewing more than 90 days after the license expired adds a $50 late penalty.

When should I send my Alabama contractor renewal?

Renewals are due 30 days before the license expires, and renewals received more than 45 days before it expires may be returned. The renewal forms are online only and no longer mailed.

Do Alabama general contractors need continuing education to renew?

No: the Board's renewal page, its 2026 renewal forms and its renewal rule don't ask for continuing education. Prime contractors send a current financial statement and proof of current liability insurance instead.

Can I renew an expired Alabama general contractor license?

Yes, up to one year after expiration, adding the $50 late penalty if it's more than 90 days late. After more than a year you must file a new application, and the Board warns prime contractors that this may mean taking the trade exam(s) and the business and law exam again.

Do I need an Alabama general contractor license to build homes?

Not this one: building or repairing a residence, a private dwelling or a residential swimming pool is exempt from the general contractor law (Code of Ala. 34-8-7). Ask the Board about a specific project before bidding or starting work.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Renewal Information

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Alabama guides

All Alabama guides on one page

General contractor guides for other states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

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How LicenseLedger works for general contractors

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Alabama General Contractor License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 7 min read

At a glance

Who needs it: Anyone who, for a price, fee or wage, builds, supervises, alters, maintains, repairs, rehabilitates or demolishes a building, highway, sewer, structure, site work, grading, paving or other project in Alabama where the cost of the undertaking is $100,000 or more, or a swimming pool over $5,000. A subcontractor working under a general contractor or another subcontractor on an undertaking of $100,000 or more needs a license too (Code of Ala. 34-8-1)
Homes: Building or repairing a residence, a private dwelling or a residential swimming pool is exempt from the general contractor law (Code of Ala. 34-8-7)
Renews every: Year. The license expires 12 months after it was issued or renewed, during your renewal month, and becomes invalid on the last day of that month
Renewal month: Set by the first letter of the company name: A December, B November, C October, D to F September, G and H August, I to L March, M and N April, O to R May, S June, T to Z July. Check your expiration date on the Board's license search
Fee: $200 for a prime contractor, $100 for a subcontractor
Payment: Money order or cashier's check payable to the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors. Personal and company checks are returned; cash only in person at the Board's office
Deadline: Renewals are due 30 days before the license expires. A renewal and fee the Board receives at least 30 days before expiration keep your current license in force until the Board renews or denies it (Code of Ala. 34-8-2)
Too early: Renewals received more than 45 days before the license expires may be returned
Renew: With the Board's 2026 prime or subcontractor renewal form, downloaded from its website: forms are online only and no longer mailed. Sign it in front of a notary (original signatures only) and send it with the fee to the Board at 445 Dexter Ave, Suite 3060, Montgomery, AL 36104
Prime contractor package: A current financial statement no more than one year old (audited, reviewed or compiled under US GAAP by a CPA or a Board-approved licensed public accountant, or the Alabama Department of Transportation booklet; no deficits, cash or tax basis statements), proof of current liability insurance listing the Board as certificate holder, a current Alabama Secretary of State print screen for corporations, LLCs, LPs and LLPs, copies of any Alabama certification cards your classifications need, and proof of citizenship or lawful presence
Bid limit: Prime contractors need a net worth and working capital of at least $10,000, or the renewal is rejected (a license bond can make up a shortfall: contact the Board before sending one). Once working capital meets $10,000, a bank line of credit can raise it to the level of your net worth. The financial statement sets your bid limit, at most 10 times the lesser of the two: A up to $100,000, B $250,000, C $500,000, D $1,000,000, E $3,000,000, U unlimited. Subcontractors have no bid limit
Financial statement not ready: A renewal form and fee the Board receives at least 30 days before expiration extend the license 90 days for the financial information. Send it within those 90 days, or a $50 late penalty applies. The renewal form asks for a written request on company letterhead before the license expires
Late penalty: $50, added to the renewal fee when you renew more than 90 days after the license expired (Code of Ala. 34-8-2)
After it expires: You can still renew up to one year after expiration, adding the $50 late penalty if it's more than 90 days late. After more than a year you must file a new application (Rule 230-X-1-.01), and the Board warns prime contractors that this may mean taking the trade exam(s) and the business and law exam again. Using an expired license is a Class A misdemeanor (Code of Ala. 34-8-6)
Continuing education: None: the Board's renewal page, its 2026 renewal forms and its renewal rule don't ask for continuing education
Inactive license: A prime contractor can go inactive by telling the Board in writing (Code of Ala. 34-8-2 says at least 30 days before the license expires) and renew it every year for $200, with no financial statement, insurance or Secretary of State information. Within 10 years it can be reactivated by filing the active renewal paperwork and fees
After you renew: The new expiration date shows on the Board's license roster by the next business day. Your license number must be on every construction contract, subcontract, bid and proposal (Code of Ala. 34-8-6)

If your company's name, ownership or structure has changed, contact the Board: changes may require a new application. Prime contractors whose test qualifier has changed must also contact the Board.

Questions about your renewal: call the Board at 334-272-5030 and ask for the renewal and licensing specialist.

How to renew

Look up your license on the Board's license search and note the expiration date. Your renewal month follows the first letter of your company name.
Download the 2026 prime or subcontractor renewal form from the Board's renewal page: the Board no longer mails them.
Prime contractors: get a current financial statement (no more than a year old, from a CPA or Board-approved accountant) showing at least $10,000 of net worth and working capital, and a certificate of liability insurance listing the Board as certificate holder.
Fill in the form, sign it in front of a notary, add your Secretary of State print screen (for an entity), certification cards and proof of citizenship, and pay with a $200 (prime) or $100 (sub) money order or cashier's check.
Send it so the Board has it at least 30 days before your license expires, but no more than 45 days before. Ask for a signature on delivery so you know it arrived.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

60 days outCheck your expiration date on the Board's license search and order a current financial statement and a certificate of insurance listing the Board as certificate holder (prime contractors).
45 days outThe earliest you can send the renewal without risking it being returned. Fill in the renewal form and get it notarized.
30 days outRenewal due: the Board should have your form, documents and money order or cashier's check by now, which also keeps your license in force until it acts.
End of the renewal monthNot renewed? The license becomes invalid on the last day of the month. Renewing more than 90 days after expiration adds a $50 late penalty, and after a year you need a new application.

Put this renewal in your calendar

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

The liability insurance policy the Board needs current proof of, with the Board as certificate holder
Alabama certification cards your license classifications need (such as electrical, plumbing and gas fitting, heating and air)
Your bid limit: the Board sets it again at each renewal from the financial statement you send
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When does an Alabama general contractor license expire?

How much does it cost to renew an Alabama general contractor license?

$200 for a prime contractor and $100 for a subcontractor, paid by money order or cashier's check. Renewing more than 90 days after the license expired adds a $50 late penalty.

When should I send my Alabama contractor renewal?

Renewals are due 30 days before the license expires, and renewals received more than 45 days before it expires may be returned. The renewal forms are online only and no longer mailed.

Do Alabama general contractors need continuing education to renew?

Can I renew an expired Alabama general contractor license?

Do I need an Alabama general contractor license to build homes?

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors, Renewal Information

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Alabama guides

All Alabama guides on one page

General contractor guides for other states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for general contractors

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet