Oregon Construction Contractor Licensing Law and CCB Rules
Who needs a license
Oregon requires a Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license for anyone who, for compensation, constructs, alters, repairs, or improves a building or other structure. The license is issued to the business entity, and each license must name a responsible managing individual (RMI) who is an owner, officer, or employee and who has passed the required exam. License categories include residential general, residential specialty, commercial general, and commercial specialty. A residential general contractor may perform and subcontract all phases of residential work; a specialty license limits work to the trades listed on the license.
Getting and keeping the license
Applicants complete CCB-approved pre-license training (16 hours for residential endorsements), pass the CCB exam, carry the surety bond required for the license type, and show workers’ compensation coverage or a valid exemption. Licenses are renewed every two years. The CCB license number must appear in advertising. Contractors must verify that subcontractors hold current CCB licenses; hiring an unlicensed subcontractor exposes the general contractor to CCB discipline and can affect lien rights.
Compliance traps
An unlicensed contractor generally cannot enforce a construction lien or sue for compensation for unlicensed work, and the CCB may impose civil penalties. Letting a license lapse mid-project is treated as unlicensed contracting. The RMI is not a figurehead: the CCB can act against the license when the business operates without a qualified RMI or when required supervision is absent.
Worked example
A homeowner hires “ABC Remodel LLC” for a $40,000 kitchen. ABC’s license expired last month. ABC finishes the job, the owner refuses to pay, and ABC records a lien. Result: the lien is vulnerable because ABC was unlicensed when it contracted and worked; the CCB can also penalize ABC. The owner’s remedy is a CCB complaint, not self-help.
Traps that cost marks
Treating the license as a one-time credential, ignoring the RMI requirement, and assuming a specialty license covers general residential work are common errors.