Ohio Contractor License Renewal (OCILB)

Last reviewed October 2026 · 3 min read

The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) licenses commercial electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration contractors: the state license often called a master license. It renews every year, and renewal takes 10 hours of approved continuing education and at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance, not just the fee. Residential work is regulated by local building and health departments, which may also require the state license.

At a glance

Renews every: Year (members of the compliant contractor program can choose every three years instead). All the OCILB licenses you hold expire on the same date: the expiration date of your original license
Renewal opens: The board makes the renewal application available at least 90 days before expiration, and you can't apply more than 90 days before
Deadline: The expiration date on your license. Miss the renewal requirements by then and the license is suspended automatically
Continuing education: 10 hours of approved CE each year, however many licenses you hold. Electrical license holders need at least 5 of them in electrical code. Extra hours don't carry over, and no more than 10 count in one day
Insurance: Certify at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance, including completed operations coverage, in your name or, if the license is assigned to a company, the company's
Fee: $60 per license for the annual renewal
Renew: Online through Ohio eLicense, linked from the OCILB page
Late renewal: Within one year after expiration you can apply to renew late: the renewal fee plus a late fee of up to $120 per license, the insurance certification and the CE hours. The license isn't valid until the board's conditions are met
After a year: A suspended license that isn't reactivated within one year of expiring is revoked

Contractors with a year of compliance can join the board's compliant contractor program: 8 CE hours a year instead of 10, with the option to renew every three years (24 hours, $180 per license).

If you're not contracting, you can ask to put a license in inactive status: no CE or insurance while it's inactive, but it still renews every year.

Questions about an existing license: OCILB at 614-644-3493.

How to renew

Check the expiration date on your license or the Ohio eLicense lookup: every OCILB license you hold shares it.
Finish your 10 hours of approved CE before the expiration date. Electrical license holders: at least 5 hours of electrical code.
Confirm your contractor liability policy (at least $500,000, with completed operations) is current and in the right name: yours, or the company's if your license is assigned to it.
Renew online once the application opens, up to 90 days before expiration, and pay $60 per license.

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

120 days outBook your 10 CE hours with an approved training agency (5 in electrical code if you hold an electrical license).
90 days outYou can apply from now (not earlier): renew online through Ohio eLicense once your CE is done.
45 days outConfirm your contractor liability policy is at least $500,000 with completed operations, in the right name, and stays in force with no gaps.
30 days outCE done? Renew online and pay $60 per license.
Expiration dateNot renewed? The license is suspended. You have one year to apply to renew late, with a late fee of up to $120 per license.

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:

Your contractor liability policy: renewal makes you certify at least $500,000 of coverage
Local building or health department contractor registrations, where you hold them: departments that register contractors require the state license before issuing commercial permits
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

How often do you renew an Ohio contractor license?

Every year. All the OCILB licenses you hold expire on the same date: the expiration date of your original license.

How many CE hours does an Ohio electrical, HVAC or plumbing contractor need?

10 hours of approved CE each year, however many licenses you hold. Electrical license holders need at least 5 of them in electrical code.

What insurance do Ohio OCILB contractors need to renew?

Certify at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance, including completed operations coverage, in your name or, if the license is assigned to a company, the company's.

Can I renew an expired Ohio contractor license?

Within one year after expiration you can apply to renew late: the renewal fee plus a late fee of up to $120 per license, the insurance certification and the CE hours. A suspended license that isn't reactivated within one year of expiring is revoked.

Official sources

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

Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Ohio guides

Cincinnati Contractor Registration Renewal

All Ohio guides on one page

Electrician guides for other states

Compare electrician license renewals across 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 electricians

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet

Ohio Contractor License Renewal (OCILB)

Last reviewed October 2026 · 3 min read

At a glance

Renews every: Year (members of the compliant contractor program can choose every three years instead). All the OCILB licenses you hold expire on the same date: the expiration date of your original license
Renewal opens: The board makes the renewal application available at least 90 days before expiration, and you can't apply more than 90 days before
Deadline: The expiration date on your license. Miss the renewal requirements by then and the license is suspended automatically
Continuing education: 10 hours of approved CE each year, however many licenses you hold. Electrical license holders need at least 5 of them in electrical code. Extra hours don't carry over, and no more than 10 count in one day
Insurance: Certify at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance, including completed operations coverage, in your name or, if the license is assigned to a company, the company's
Fee: $60 per license for the annual renewal
Renew: Online through Ohio eLicense, linked from the OCILB page
Late renewal: Within one year after expiration you can apply to renew late: the renewal fee plus a late fee of up to $120 per license, the insurance certification and the CE hours. The license isn't valid until the board's conditions are met
After a year: A suspended license that isn't reactivated within one year of expiring is revoked

Contractors with a year of compliance can join the board's compliant contractor program: 8 CE hours a year instead of 10, with the option to renew every three years (24 hours, $180 per license).

If you're not contracting, you can ask to put a license in inactive status: no CE or insurance while it's inactive, but it still renews every year.

Questions about an existing license: OCILB at 614-644-3493.

How to renew

Check the expiration date on your license or the Ohio eLicense lookup: every OCILB license you hold shares it.
Finish your 10 hours of approved CE before the expiration date. Electrical license holders: at least 5 hours of electrical code.
Confirm your contractor liability policy (at least $500,000, with completed operations) is current and in the right name: yours, or the company's if your license is assigned to it.
Renew online once the application opens, up to 90 days before expiration, and pay $60 per license.

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

120 days outBook your 10 CE hours with an approved training agency (5 in electrical code if you hold an electrical license).
90 days outYou can apply from now (not earlier): renew online through Ohio eLicense once your CE is done.
45 days outConfirm your contractor liability policy is at least $500,000 with completed operations, in the right name, and stays in force with no gaps.
30 days outCE done? Renew online and pay $60 per license.
Expiration dateNot renewed? The license is suspended. You have one year to apply to renew late, with a late fee of up to $120 per license.

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:

Your contractor liability policy: renewal makes you certify at least $500,000 of coverage
Local building or health department contractor registrations, where you hold them: departments that register contractors require the state license before issuing commercial permits
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

How often do you renew an Ohio contractor license?

Every year. All the OCILB licenses you hold expire on the same date: the expiration date of your original license.

How many CE hours does an Ohio electrical, HVAC or plumbing contractor need?

10 hours of approved CE each year, however many licenses you hold. Electrical license holders need at least 5 of them in electrical code.

What insurance do Ohio OCILB contractors need to renew?

Certify at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance, including completed operations coverage, in your name or, if the license is assigned to a company, the company's.

Can I renew an expired Ohio contractor license?

Official sources

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

Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Ohio guides

Cincinnati Contractor Registration Renewal

All Ohio guides on one page

Electrician guides for other states

Compare electrician license renewals across 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 electricians

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet