Alabama licensing

Who and what this applies to

General-contractor and subcontractor licensing administered by the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors. Separate residential and trade credentials are outside this summary.

Thresholds and scope

$100,000 including labor and materials; $5,000 for swimming-pool construction.

The rules

• The Board states that its general-contractor license applies when the undertaking costs $100,000 or more including labor and materials; swimming-pool construction has a $5,000 threshold. Qualifying subcontractors under a licensed prime also require licensure. Source
• Awarding authorities must verify the prime is licensed before accepting a qualifying bid. A prime may receive an unlicensed subcontractor’s bid, but that subcontractor must be licensed before beginning qualifying work. Source

Deadlines

Prime: before qualifying bid. Subcontractor: before qualifying work begins.

Primary sources

• Alabama Licensing Board: Contractor Licensing Law; §§34-8-1, -7, -8

Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. This guide covers the projects and rules stated above.

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