Specialty classifications: 25 hours
If you are applying only for specialty (S-code) classifications such as S220, S260, S280, S310, or S330, the 25-hour course is the requirement.
Utah contractor licensing
Compare Utah Contractor Pre-License Courses
Utah requires a 25-hour contractor pre-license course, plus an additional 5-hour business and law course for general and primary classifications. Only three organizations may teach it: ABC Utah, AGC of Utah, and HBA Utah. They differ on price, location, evening and Spanish options, and what the fee includes.
Prices, locations, and schedules verified August 2, 2026. Confirm with the provider before you register.
The short answer
Which course do you need?
General or primary: 30 hours
B100, R100, E100, H100, E200, E201, P200, and P201 applicants also need the 5-hour business and law course. Providers sell the two together as a 30-hour course.
Or no course at all
Five other documented paths, including a construction management degree or a current qualifier role, satisfy the same requirement without a class.
Not sure which classification you are applying for? Start with Utah contractor license classifications. The classification decides whether you need 25 or 30 hours, so confirm it before you pay for a class.
Before you pay
Do you need a pre-license course at all?
Every contractor applicant must document the pre-licensure course requirement, but taking the course is only one of six ways to do it. Page 8 of the DOPL contractor application asks you to choose exactly one of the following.
Take the pre-licensure course
The 25-hour pre-licensure course at minimum, plus the 5-hour Business and Law course if you are applying for a general or primary classification.
This page covers this pathYou are already an active qualifier
You are currently the qualifier on an active and unrestricted Utah contractor license.
Construction management degree
The qualifier holds an accredited 2-year or 4-year degree in construction management. Official transcripts are submitted with the application.
Utah professional engineer license
The qualifier holds an active and unrestricted Utah professional engineer license.
Qualifier within the last 5 years
Within the last 5 years the qualifier is or has been a qualifier on an active and unrestricted Utah contractor license.
Applying by endorsement
You are licensed in a jurisdiction Utah treats as equivalent and you apply by endorsement, submitting official verification of licensure.
Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302f lists the exemptions in similar terms: a construction management degree from an accredited 2-year or 4-year program, an active unrestricted Utah professional engineer license, or having been a qualifier on an active unrestricted contractor license within the past five years. Confirm your path with DOPL before registering for a class, and read the current requirements on the DOPL contractor application.
The foundation
The 25-hour Utah contractor pre-license course
This is the course every applicant on the course path takes. It is a business and licensing course, not trade-skills training. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302f fixes the curriculum, so the subject matter is the same at all three providers.
15hours
Financial responsibility
- Record keeping and financial statements
- Payroll, payroll taxes, and employee benefits
- Workers compensation and unemployment insurance requirements
- Employee leasing (PEO) alternatives and the Fair Labor Standards Act
- Why unlicensed, unexempted workers cannot be paid on 1099 forms
- Cash flow
- Auto, liability, and health insurance requirements
- Independent contractor licensure and exemption requirements
6hours
Construction business practices
- Estimating and bidding
- Contracts
- Project management
- Subcontractors
- Suppliers
2hours
Regulatory requirements
- Licensing laws
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Consumer protection laws
2hours
Mechanic lien fundamentals
- Mechanic liens, including the State Construction Registry
Rules that shape the schedule
- An hour of course credit is 50 minutes of live instruction. Lunches and breaks do not count, which is why 25 hours takes three full days.
- Distance learning, internet courses, and home study do not satisfy the requirement.
- A course may be taught by live broadcast only if you and the instructor can see and hear each other and a provider representative monitors attendance at your location.
- A provider may include an end-of-course exam at no additional fee.
- Providers must offer the course at least 12 times a year, and at least 6 times a year outside Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber counties.
- Your provider must report your completion to the Division within seven calendar days.
The general contractor path
The 30-hour course: 25 hours plus 5 hours of business and law
There is no separate 30-hour curriculum. The 30-hour course is the 25-hour course plus an additional 5-hour business and law course, which by rule covers the topics on the Utah Contractor Business and Law examination. Some providers market those 5 hours as “test prep” — it is the same requirement.
Classifications that need the extra 5 hours
The DOPL application checklist names these classifications. Statute describes the same set in plain terms.
- B100General building contractor
- R100Residential and small commercial contractor
- E100General engineering contractor
- H100HVAC contractor
- E200General electrical contractor
- E201Residential electrical contractor
- P200General plumbing contractor
- P201Residential plumbing contractor
The 5-hour course is not the exam
These are separate items on the DOPL application. The 5-hour course is classroom education. The Utah Contractor Business and Law exam is a separate test that general classification qualifiers must pass. Finishing the course does not satisfy the exam requirement, and passing the exam does not replace the course.
If you took the 25-hour course before July 1, 2019
An approved 25-hour course completed before that date is accepted as satisfying both the 25-hour and the 5-hour requirements. An approved 20-hour course completed before November 30, 2017 is treated the same way. Verify your situation with DOPL rather than assuming.
Who can teach it
Only three organizations are approved
Utah Code § 58-55-102 defines an “approved prelicensure course provider” as the Associated General Contractors of Utah, the Utah Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, or the Utah Home Builders Association. If a school or website is not one of these three, it cannot issue the completion certificate DOPL accepts.
The same statute adds a coverage requirement: a provider only qualifies if it offers the 25-hour course at least six times a year in one or more counties other than Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber. That is why St. George, Logan, and Vernal sections exist.
Side by side
Compare ABC, AGC, and HBA pre-license courses
The curriculum is set by rule, so the providers compete on price, location, schedule, and what the fee includes. This table records what each provider and DOPL published on the date below.
Prices, locations, and schedules verified August 2, 2026. Confirm with the provider before you register.
| Feature | ABC Utah | AGC of Utah | HBA Utah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published 25-hour price | Not published online | $320 | $350 |
| Published 30-hour price | Not published online | $420 | $400 |
| Locations (per DOPL) | North Salt Lake, Midvale, St. George, Vernal | Salt Lake City, St. George | Draper, South Ogden, Logan, St. George |
| Evening classes | Not listed by DOPL or on ABC’s schedule | Yes, for the 25-hour course in Salt Lake City | Yes, in Draper |
| Spanish-language section | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, a Draper night section |
| 30-hour course locations | Not stated per location — one schedule is published for all four | Salt Lake City and St. George, daytime | Draper only |
| Textbook | Course materials provided; contents not itemized | Optional, $59 extra | Included in the price |
| Meals | Not stated publicly | Included | Lunch included |
| Buy the 5 hours separately | Not listed | Yes, $100 | Not listed separately |
Cheapest published price
AGC of Utah, at $320 for 25 hours with meals included. HBA is $350 but includes the textbook, which costs $59 extra at AGC. ABC does not publish a price.
Widest coverage
ABC Utah lists four locations including Vernal, the only approved location in the Uintah Basin. HBA is the only provider in Cache Valley.
Evenings and Spanish
HBA runs evening and Spanish-language night sections in Draper. AGC runs an evening 25-hour course in Salt Lake City, but its extra 5 hours are daytime only.
Redoubt is an insurance agency, not a course provider, and has no affiliation with ABC, AGC, or HBA. We publish this comparison because contractors ask us which course to take while we are helping with their DOPL insurance documents.
Approved provider
ABC Utah pre-license courses
Associated Builders and Contractors of Utah
The widest geographic coverage of the three providers, and the only approved provider currently listed in the Uintah Basin. ABC does not publish its course price on its public course page.
DOPL lists these locations: North Salt Lake, Midvale, St. George, Vernal.
ABC Utah 25-hour pre-license course
25 hours- Published price
- Not published online
- Shown during registration. Call ABC to confirm.
- Locations
- North Salt Lake, Midvale, St. George, Vernal
- Schedule format
- Daytime, Monday–Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Included in the price
- Course materials
- Covers getting licensed, money management, bidding and estimating, hiring and firing, contracts and legal, and business operations.
- Attended in person. ABC notes that some instruction may be delivered by live video from another ABC classroom, which Utah’s rule allows.
- Meals are not mentioned on ABC’s public course page.
ABC Utah 30-hour pre-license course
30 hours- Published price
- Not published online
- Shown during registration. Call ABC to confirm.
- Locations
- Not stated per location — confirm with ABC
- Schedule format
- The same Monday–Wednesday course, plus Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Included in the price
- Course materials
- This is the 25-hour course plus the additional 5-hour session on the Thursday.
- ABC does not use the term “30-hour.” It presents the Thursday session as the added requirement for a general or primary license, and publishes one schedule rather than a per-location list, so confirm the Thursday session runs at the classroom you want.
- One ABC event listing shows the overall event ending Thursday at 5:00 p.m. while the course description ends the Thursday session at 12:30 p.m. Confirm the final-day end time when you book.
Approved provider
AGC of Utah pre-license courses
Associated General Contractors of Utah
The lowest published 25-hour price of the three, with meals included and the extra 5 hours also sold separately. Fewest locations.
DOPL lists these locations: Salt Lake City, St. George. Night classes available.
AGC of Utah 25-hour pre-license course
25 hours- Published price
- $320
- Includes meals. Optional textbook is $59 more.
- Locations
- Salt Lake City and St. George
- Schedule format
- Daytime, across three midweek days, plus a Salt Lake City evening option running five consecutive weeknights.
- Included in the price
- Meals, Instruction
- AGC markets this as its specialty and subcontractor course.
- The textbook is optional and is not required to complete the course.
- AGC states that state law requires attendance for all hours to receive a completion certificate.
AGC of Utah 30-hour pre-license course
30 hours- Published price
- $420
- Includes lunch. Optional textbook is $59 more.
- Locations
- Salt Lake City and St. George
- Schedule format
- The daytime 25-hour course plus a fourth day. AGC lists its test-prep dates as single daytime sessions.
- Included in the price
- Lunch, Test preparation, A practice exam
- AGC also sells the 5-hour session on its own for $100 if you already hold a 25-hour completion certificate.
- AGC’s evening sections are listed as 25-hour courses and its test-prep dates are daytime, so plan on a daytime session for the extra 5 hours.
Approved provider
HBA Utah pre-license courses
Utah Home Builders Association
The only approved provider currently advertising a Spanish-language section, and the only one with a Cache Valley location. Its 30-hour course runs in Draper only.
DOPL lists these locations: Draper, South Ogden, Logan, St. George. Spanish and night classes available.
HBA Utah 25-hour pre-license course
25 hours- Published price
- $350
- Includes the textbook and lunch.
- Locations
- Draper, Ogden, Logan, St. George
- Schedule format
- Daytime and evening options in Draper, including a Spanish-language night section. Daytime elsewhere.
- Included in the price
- Textbook, Course materials and handouts, Lunch during class, In-class license application walkthrough
- Covers getting started and business structure, financial management, estimating and project management, managing employees, and contracts.
- HBA states plainly that the 25-hour course must be completed in person.
HBA Utah 30-hour pre-license course
30 hours- Published price
- $400
- Includes the HBA contractor manual and 5 hours of test prep.
- Locations
- Draper only
- Schedule format
- Daytime. The five-night format is not offered for the 30-hour course.
- Included in the price
- HBA contractor manual, Licensing guidance, 5 hours of test prep
- HBA labels the extra 5 hours as test prep. Under Utah’s rule that is the same 5-hour requirement: the course content is the material covered by the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam.
- If you need the 30-hour course and cannot get to Draper, compare ABC and AGC.
In class
What to expect in the class
You attend in person
All currently advertised options are classroom based. HBA states the course must be completed in person, and ABC describes in-person attendance even when an instructor is broadcast between classrooms.
Full attendance is required
AGC states that state law requires attendance for all hours to receive a completion certificate. Providers verify attendance and report completions to the Division.
It is a business course
The curriculum is licensing, money management, contracts, employment, estimating, and liens. It does not teach you how to perform a trade, and it does not prepare you for a trade exam.
Inclusions differ
HBA includes its textbook and lunch. AGC includes meals but sells its textbook separately for $59. ABC says materials are provided without itemizing them.
You get a certificate
The certificate shows the course date, the provider’s name, your name, verification of completion, and the provider’s signature. Submit a copy with your application.
A class is not a license
Registering for a seat is not the license application. You still complete the DOPL process, including the insurance documents, entity records, and fees.
Next steps
After the course, the application still needs documents
The completion certificate satisfies one line on the DOPL application. The insurance-document side is usually what holds applications up, and it is the part Redoubt can help with.
General liability certificate
Certificate holder wording, named insured matching, policy dates, and limits for a DOPL-ready COI.
Read the guideWorkers comp: insurance or waiver
Decide whether your worker setup points to a workers comp policy, a certificate, or a coverage waiver.
Read the guideLicense classifications
Confirm the classification you are applying for, which is what decides whether you need 25 or 30 hours.
Read the guideFAQ
Utah contractor pre-license course questions
Who is approved to teach the Utah contractor pre-license course?+
Utah Code 58-55-102 names three organizations as approved prelicensure course providers: the Associated General Contractors of Utah, the Utah Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, and the Utah Home Builders Association. No other school, website, or training company can issue the completion certificate DOPL accepts.
Do I need the 25-hour or the 30-hour course?+
Every applicant who satisfies the requirement by taking a course needs the 25-hour course. You also need the additional 5-hour business and law course, sold together as a 30-hour course, if you are applying for a B100, R100, E100, H100, E200, E201, P200, or P201 classification. Specialty (S-code) applicants generally need only the 25 hours.
How much does the Utah contractor pre-license course cost?+
As of August 2, 2026, AGC of Utah publishes $320 for the 25-hour course and $420 for the 30-hour course. HBA Utah publishes $350 for the 25-hour course and $400 for the 30-hour course. ABC Utah does not publish a price on its public course page; its price is shown during registration. Confirm current pricing with the provider before you register.
Can I take the Utah contractor pre-license course online?+
No. Utah Administrative Code R156-55a-302f states that distance learning, internet courses, and home study courses are not allowed to meet the pre-licensure course requirement. The rule does allow a course to be taught by live broadcast, but only if the student and instructor can see and hear each other and a representative of the provider is at the remote location to monitor registration and attendance.
Do I have to take a course at all?+
Not necessarily. The DOPL contractor application lets you choose one of six ways to satisfy the requirement. Besides taking the course, you can qualify if you are currently a qualifier on an active unrestricted Utah contractor license, hold an accredited 2-year or 4-year construction management degree, hold an active unrestricted Utah professional engineer license, have been a qualifier on an active unrestricted Utah license within the last 5 years, or are applying by endorsement.
Is the 5-hour course the same as the Business and Law exam?+
No, and they are separate line items on the DOPL application. The 5-hour course is classroom education covering the topics on the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam. The exam itself is a separate test that general classification qualifiers must pass. Completing the 5-hour course does not satisfy the exam requirement.
What is actually taught in the 25-hour course?+
Utah Administrative Code R156-55a-302f sets the curriculum: 15 hours of financial responsibility, 6 hours of construction business practices, 2 hours of regulatory requirements, and 2 hours of mechanic lien fundamentals including the State Construction Registry. It is a business and licensing course, not trade-skills training.
How long is an hour of course credit?+
Under R156-55a-302f, each hour of pre-licensure course credit is 50 minutes of live lecture or training. Time allowed for lunches and breaks cannot be counted toward course credit, which is why a 25-hour course is scheduled across three full days.
Can I take the course at night or in Spanish?+
Yes. DOPL’s approved-provider sheet notes that HBA Utah offers Spanish and night classes and that AGC of Utah offers night classes. HBA runs evening and Spanish-language night sections in Draper, and AGC runs an evening 25-hour course in Salt Lake City. Note that the evening sections at both providers are the 25-hour course, so if you need all 30 hours, plan on a daytime session for the extra 5 hours.
Are courses available outside the Wasatch Front?+
Yes, and this is required by statute. Utah Code 58-55-102 says an approved provider may only qualify if it offers the 25-hour course at least six times each year in one or more counties other than Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, or Weber County. In practice that means St. George, Logan, and Vernal sections.
How do I get my completion certificate to DOPL?+
The provider issues a certificate showing the course date, provider name, your name, verification of completion, and the provider’s signature. Under R156-55a-302f the provider must also report your attendance and completion directly to the Division within seven calendar days. You still submit a copy of your certificate with your application.
Does finishing the course mean I have a contractor license?+
No. The course satisfies one line on the application. You still need the rest of the DOPL application, which includes a general liability insurance certificate, documentation of your workers compensation situation, entity and ownership records, fees, and for general classifications the Business and Law exam and two years of experience.
Sources
Where these facts come from
Every requirement on this page was read from a primary source on August 2, 2026. Course prices and schedules came from each provider’s own page on the same date. Requirements change, so verify against these sources before you rely on anything here.
DOPL’s contractor page, including the current list of approved pre-licensure course providers.
Page 8 lists the six ways to satisfy the pre-licensure course requirement. The checklist names the classifications that also need the 5-hour course. Version 20260327.
One-page sheet with each approved provider’s addresses and phone numbers, plus notes on Spanish and night classes. Updated April 10, 2026.
Definition of “approved prelicensure course provider,” naming the three organizations and requiring courses outside the four Wasatch Front counties.
The licensure requirements themselves, including the 25-hour course and the 5-hour business and law course.
Route to Utah Admin. Code R156-55a, whose section 302f sets the curriculum, the 50-minute hour, the ban on online courses, and the exemptions.
Prices, locations, formats, and inclusions for Associated Builders and Contractors of Utah.
Prices, locations, formats, and inclusions for Associated General Contractors of Utah.
Prices, locations, formats, and inclusions for Utah Home Builders Association.
Working on the rest of the application?
Redoubt helps Utah contractors with the insurance side of the DOPL application: general liability certificates, business-name matching, workers comp certificates, and waiver questions. DOPL makes the licensing decision, and the three approved providers run the courses.