Do you need a license to be a carpenter in Oregon?
No. Oregon doesn't license carpenters as a trade. Contractors need a license from Oregon Construction Contractors Board. Note: CCB license if contracting with the public.
State license · By ChiselJobs Team · Updated
In short
Oregon does not license carpenters as a trade, but any carpenter contracting with the public needs a license from the Construction Contractors Board. The CCB license covers all paid construction work and carries residential or commercial endorsements, with home improvement work included. Applicants complete 16 hours of pre-license training and pass the CCB exam. Bonds and insurance depend on the endorsement; a residential limited license needs a $15,000 bond and $100,000 per occurrence in liability insurance. Licenses renew every two years, and residential contractors take three hours of continuing education. Oregon builds under its 2026 Residential and 2025 Structural Specialty Codes.
Key facts
| Carpenter license | No (CCB license if contracting with the public) |
| Licensing level | State |
| General contractor license | CCB license (commercial endorsement) |
| Residential contractor license | CCB license (residential endorsement) |
| Home improvement registration | Covered by CCB |
| When a license is needed | All paid construction work |
| Carpentry classification | None |
| Exam | CCB exam |
| Experience | 16-hr pre-license training |
| Bond / insurance | Surety bond + liability insurance |
| Renewal | 2 years |
| Continuing education | Residential 3 hrs LRB per 2 yrs |
| Local license | No (state license covers) |
| Board | Oregon Construction Contractors Board |
Exam
| Exam provider | PSI (for Construction Contractors Board) |
| Format | Open book |
| Questions | 80 |
| Time | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 70% |
CCB pre-license test after 16-hour training: PSI open-book exam, 80 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass.
- Source: oregon.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Bond and insurance
| Bond minimum | $15,000 (residential limited and home services); varies by endorsement |
| Insurance minimum | $100,000 per occurrence (residential limited); varies by endorsement |
Residential bonds: general $25,000, specialty $20,000, limited $15,000. Commercial bonds: CGC L1 $80,000, CGC L2 $25,000, CSC L1 $55,000, CSC L2 $25,000. Insurance: residential general $500k, specialty $300k, limited $100k per occurrence; commercial $500k per occurrence to $2M aggregate. Both endorsements need both bonds.
- Source: oregon.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Apprenticeship
| Registering agency | State Apprenticeship Agency (BOLI Apprenticeship and Training Division) |
- Source: apprenticeship.gov · checked November 6, 2026
- Source: oregon.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Building code
| Code in force | 2026 Oregon Residential Specialty Code; 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code |
2026 ORSC effective Oct 1, 2026, chapters 2-44 mandatory April 1, 2027 (2023 ORSC usable until then). 2025 OSSC mandatory April 1, 2026.
- Source: oregon.gov · checked November 5, 2026