Utah licensing guide
How to Get a Contractor or Trade License in Utah
Which Utah license you need, what DOPL requires, which Prov exams you take and where to apply, for contractors, plumbers, electricians and HVAC.
Utah exams we cover
General contractors
Plumbing
Plumbing
Journeyman Plumber
The Utah Plumber Written Exam for the Journeyman Plumber license: 100 questions, open book, IPC 2021.
100 Q · 240 MIN · 70% TO PASS
Plumbing
Residential Journeyman Plumber
The Utah Residential Plumber Written Exam: 90 questions, open book, IPC 2021 and NFPA 13D.
90 Q · 240 MIN · 70% TO PASS
Plumbing
Master Plumber Law & Rule
The 40-question Utah Master Plumber Law and Rule exam on licensing law, labor law, safety and Utah code amendments.
40 Q · 120 MIN · 75% TO PASS
Electrical
Electrical
Journeyman Electrician
Utah's combined theory and code exam for Journeyman Electrician: 100 questions, NEC 2023, 75% to pass.
100 Q · 240 MIN · 75% TO PASS
Electrical
Residential Electrician
The Utah Residential Electrician exam: 100 questions on the 2023 NEC and Utah law, 75% to pass.
100 Q · 240 MIN · 75% TO PASS
Electrical
Master Electrician Rules & Laws
The Utah Master Electrician Rule and Laws exam: 80 questions on Utah licensing law, the NEC, NFPA 70E and OSHA PPE.
80 Q · 240 MIN · 75% TO PASS
HVAC & refrigeration
Which license do I need?
Find the work you do. Utah licenses are issued by the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), and the exams are given by Prov, Inc.
| If you want to… | You need | Exams | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build or remodel houses and small commercial buildings (2+ trades) | R100 Residential & Small Commercial | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| Build any commercial or residential building | B100 General Building | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| Roads, utilities, earthwork, bridges | E100 General Engineering | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| One specialty trade: roofing, concrete, framing, drywall, painting, landscaping, etc. | Specialty contractor (S-classes) |
| DOPL page (opens in a new tab) |
| Install and repair HVAC systems as a business | H100 HVAC Contractor | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| Work as a plumber | Apprentice → Journeyman → Master Plumber | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| Run a plumbing contracting business | P200 / P201 Plumbing Contractor | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| Work as an electrician | Apprentice → Journeyman → Master Electrician | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) | |
| Run an electrical contracting business | E200 / E201 Electrical Contractor | DOPL page (opens in a new tab) |
The path for plumbers and electricians
STEP 1
Apprentice
Register with DOPL and work under a licensed journeyman or master. No exam.
STEP 2
Journeyman
Classroom hours + supervised hours, then a written exam and a hands-on practical with Prov.
STEP 3
Master
Supervisory hours as a journeyman, then the master law & rule exam.
STEP 4
Contractor
To bid jobs yourself: Business & Law exam, insurance and business registration, with a master as qualifier.
Residential licenses follow the same ladder with fewer hours, but they only cover residential work. Exact hours are on each exam page.
Contractor license checklist
- Pre-license course (25-hour for specialty; 5-hour business & law for general classes) DOPL-approved pre-license course providers (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Business & Law exam (general, HVAC, plumbing and electrical contractor classes) Register for your exam with Prov (opens in a new tab)
- General liability insurance: $1,000,000 per incident / $2,000,000 total, with DOPL as certificate holder
- Business entity registration (if you're not a sole proprietor) Utah Division of Corporations (register your business) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal EIN (sole proprietors may use an SSN) IRS: get an EIN (opens in a new tab)
- Workers' comp insurance, or a waiver if you have no employees Utah Labor Commission (workers' comp / waiver) (opens in a new tab)
- Apply and pay online DOPL online application (opens in a new tab)
Specialty contractors (roofing, concrete, landscaping and so on) don't take a state exam; see the specialty contractor license guide. Many still need EPA Lead RRP for pre-1978 homes, and OSHA 30 is a common jobsite requirement.
Who to contact
Licensing questions: Utah DOPL
(801) 530-6628 · Mon–Fri 8–5
commerce.utah.gov/dopl (opens in a new tab)Exam scheduling: Prov, Inc.
(877) 228-3926
provexam.com (opens in a new tab)