Michigan Builders Pre-License Frequently Asked Questions

Step 1 is to complete the required 60-Hour Pre-license Education.

Before you take the test to get your Michigan Builders License, you must show the state and future clients that you understand relevant topics that correlate with the construction and building industry. First, choose a LARA-approved sponsor/school. Next, take the necessary courses. The state of Michigan makes sure of this by making it mandatory to complete 60 hours of approved pre-license courses. These courses can be online or in-person. The choice is yours. Since Michigan only accepts courses from LARA-approved schools, you can choose one using this list provided by LARA.

After you choose which school is right for you, you need to complete the 60-Hour courses. The LARA requirement includes the following:

• 6 hours in the Michigan Residential Code
• 6 hours in MIOSHA construction safety standards
• 6 hours in business management, estimating, and job costing
• 6 hours in design and building science
• 6 hours in contracts, liability, and risk management
• 6 hours in marketing and sales
• 6 hours in project management and scheduling

The right LARA-approved school will also provide 18 hours of courses in other approved topics that will be necessary for you to be a competent licensed Michigan builder.

Each course prepares you to take the Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor exam you must pass to get your license. Many schools will offer packages that include the additional necessary information that will help you cover all areas of construction and owning a business. Here is one example.

You will be able to print your certificate of completion as soon as you finish your course. You could potentially send in your Michigan builders license application the day your finish your contractor training.

Step 2: Submit Your Application and Confirm Your Moral Character

After you have completed the 60-Hour Pre-license Courses you are ready to send in your application and your certificate of completion to the state.

The application, which is referred to as the "Residential Builder or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor License or Relicense Application" asks you a couple of questions about your criminal history, ensuring you’re meeting the good moral character requirement mentioned above. It also asks you for your name, address, etc., and asks you to select the type of license you are applying for. The last section has an area for you to add in the information about your pre-license education.

Once your application is filled out, you need to gather up your application materials and submit:

• Your completed application
• The certificate showing you completed your residential builders license course
• Your license fee* (it's $195 for first-time licensees and $185 for relicensure)
• A copy of your personal ID (e.g., driver's license, state personal identification card)
• *If you're a veteran and you can show that you separated from the armed forces with "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions" standing, you're exempt from the licensing fees. Just make sure you include a copy of your DD Form 214 or DD Form 215 in lieu of your application fee.

Once you have your application, fees, and the relevant documentation packaged up, mail it to:

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Construction Codes/ Licensing Division
P.O. Box 30255
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 373-1820
Fax: (517) 373-2162

Everything you submit to LARA becomes their property at the time of submittal. Nothing will be returned to you, so keep copies for your records.

Once LARA has received your application with all of the necessary information and materials, the State of Michigan Licensing Division Builders Unit will review the application documents. Once approved, the Department will send an 'Authorization to Test' form. Allow 6 to 8 weeks.

In order to obtain a license as a Residential Builder, you must apply for licensure and examination with the Department and pass a Business and Law and Practice/Trade combination examination within one (1) year from the date your application is approved by the Department. Failure to achieve licensure within this one-year period will require you to reapply and forfeit any fees paid.

Step 3 is to schedule and pass your Michigan Builders exam.

Once LARA has approved you to take the exam, the next step is registering for the Michigan Builders License exam. The State of Michigan uses PSI Examination Services to administer the builders test. The test consists of a 75-minute Business and Law section and a 180-minute Practice and Trade section.

To register for the Michigan Residential Builders Exam:

1. Go to PSIExams.com
2. Create an account using your Email Address and First and Last Name. Then you will create a password and a security question.
3. Once your account is created, you can Register for a test, schedule a test, reschedule a test, apply for a retest, pay for the test, and apply for a duplicate score report.
4. Click on the 'Register For A Test' link to register for a test.
   Choose 'Government/State Licensing Agencies' from the Select Organization drop-down menu.
   Choose 'Michigan' from the Select Jurisdiction drop-down menu.
   Choose 'MI Residential Builders' from the Select Account drop-down menu.
5. Remember you have to be pre-approved to register for this exam. If you have been pre-approved click on the "View All My Activities" and follow the instructions on the page.
6. Once you are registered, you can then schedule the test.
7. Exam sessions are available at least 6 weeks in advance. You will have the best opportunity to schedule your preferred date if you contact PSI 4-6 weeks prior to your preferred date.
8. You can schedule your PSI exam online at www.psiexams.com or by calling the PSI Candidate Service Center at (800) 733-9267.

If you are having any issues you can call the PSI Candidate Service Center at (800) 733-9267, 24 hours a day and schedule using the Automated Registration System or speak with a representative between 7:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. ET.

Builders license exams are given at the following locations

• Dearborn
• Gaylord
• Grand Rapids
• Holt-Lansing
• Marquette
• Southfield-Crossroads
• Southfield-Lahser

• NOTE: NO personal items are to enter the testing center. PSI will not be responsible for any personal items and suggests that you leave them in a safe place of your choosing.

It is recommended that you arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled testing time. You must present two (2) valid forms of identification when you arrive at the testing center. One of the IDs must have a photograph and your signature. A driver's license will satisfy this requirement. The application's name must match the name on the photo ID used to check in for the builders test. In addition, you should bring a non-programmable calculator.

Included with our 60-Hour Michigan Contractor Pre-license Course is the Candidate Information Bulletin which outlines the topics covered on the General Contractors Exam. Complete instructions for taking the Michigan construction license exam and directions to the testing centers are also provided.

The Michigan Builders License Exam covers Business and Law as well as Practice and Trade content. There are 160 multiple choice questions on the exam and you must answer at least 116 questions correctly in order to pass. It is a closed-book test. No reference materials are allowed in the examination center. You are given 240 minutes to complete the Michigan Builders License exam. Our Michigan Builder 60-Hour Pre-license Course prepares you for each section of the exam.

The Business and Law Section Content Outline (50 multiple-choice questions)

• Regulatory and Statutory Requirements (13 questions)
• Types of Business Organization (4 questions)
• Estimating (1 question)
• Contracts (7 questions)
• Project Management and Administration (6 questions)
• Accounting and Finance (6 questions)
• Insurance, Bonds and Liens (11 questions)
• Personnel (2 questions)

The Practice/Trade Section Content Outline (110 multiple-choice questions)

• Site Engineering (5 questions)
• Plans, Specifications and Estimating (14 questions)
• Excavation/Sitework (9 questions)
• Footings and Foundation Walls (11 questions)
• Concrete (7 questions)
• Carpentry (16 questions)
• Masonry (9 questions)
• Roofing (7 questions)
• Insulation (5 questions)
• Ventilation (2 questions)
• Windows, Doors and Skylights (5 questions)
• Siding Installation (3 questions)
• Interior and Exterior Finishes (5 questions)
• Specialties (2 questions)
• Safety and Employee Protection Including MIOSHA (10 questions)

The exam is a closed book and taken on a computer.

In order to obtain a license as a Residential Builder, you must apply for licensure and examination with the Department and pass a Business and Law and Practice/Trade combination examination within one (1) year from the date your application is approved by the Department. Failure to achieve licensure within this one-year period will require you to reapply and forfeit any fees paid.

After completing our 60-Hour Michigan Pre-License Course, you can take the contractor's license exam. You may also look at our Michigan Test Prep Course and/or Online Cram Course for additional preparation. You can also take an extra step to ensure you're prepared, you can review PSI's bulletin about the exam. Starting on page 6, it has a comprehensive list of the topics that will be covered in each question you’ll be asked. You can arrive confident, knowing that you are prepared for the questions on the test.

Registration fees are not refundable or transferable.

If it’s your first time taking the test or you need to retest both parts, the fee is $117. You can find more on the cost of the exam and the cost of retests here.

You'll be notified immediately after testing if you pass the exam.  PSI will notify the State of Michigan Licensing Division, who will send you your Michigan construction license and identification card.

Once you get your license in the mail, you're officially licensed by the State of Michigan. Every three years from that point forward, you will need to complete continuing competency courses to keep your license. Click here to go to our Continuing Competency Frequently Asked Question page to learn more.