The City of Omaha has very clear licensing guidelines for becoming a licensed contractor and legally doing work in the state.
In this short post, you'll learn the:
- Licensing requirements for the contractor license you're obtaining
- What each requirement is and why it's needed
- An explanation of the requirements that can be confusing
- Plus helpful links so you can get through the process faster
What Are The Omaha Contractor License Classification?
The following are the classifications specific to Omaha with some basic requirements. Plus the responsibilities are based on what is allowed by the Omaha International Building Code and the Omaha International Residential Building Code (found at the same link).
- Class A licenses allow all work by the International Building Code
- Class B licenses allow all work by the International Building Code for structures up to four stories tall
- Class C licenses allow all work by the International Residential Building Code
- Class D licenses all all work by the International Residential Building Code and remodeling of one and two story residential structures
- Class E licenses all work related to roofing, siding, replacement windows, doors, fencing, and deck construction work
Again, these are the license classifications that directly specific building construction activities. Omaha has specific requirements for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical contractors, which will be covered at the end of the article.
What Are The Omaha Contractor License Requirements?
The License Expiration Dates
Every license will expire on December 31st, but when you get your license you can choose to obtain it for a term of up to 3 years before it expires and you'll have to renew the license.
As you'll see soon, you will also have this option when you purchase your surety bond. Make sure you ask your bond specialist for pricing for one, two, and three years.
Liability Insurance Requirements
All license classifications including plumbing, electrical, and mechanical are required to have a minimum level of liability insurance coverage.
The amount you choose to purchase is up to your as long as you meet these following minimums:
| License Classification | Liability Coverage Minimum |
|---|---|
| Class A and Class B | $1 million |
| Class C | $500,000 |
| Class D and Class E | $300,000 |
| Plumbing Master, Lawn Sprinklers, and Water Conditioning Contractors | $1 million |
| Electrical | No required coverage |
| Mechanical Steamfitter and Master ACAD Contractors | $300,000 |
If you did not see your specific plumbing or mechanical license listed, you do not have to purchase any liability coverage.
Just to quickly recap, liability insurance will protect you and your business in the event of incidental property damage to a customer's property, even bodily injury accidents.
Surety Bond Requirements
The City of Omaha has laws requiring a surety bond for every licensed classification. If this is your first time getting licensed as a contractor, you've probably never heard of a surety bond before.
State, county and city licensing agencies require a bond because it's how they hold contractors accountable to the laws and regulations governing licensed contractors.
Simply put, a surety bond is a legal contract you purchase that acts as a personal guarantee your business will:
- Follow the laws and building codes in Omaha
- Not purposefully cheat, financially harming your customers
The Surety Bond Amount
There are different bond amounts depending on the license you're obtaining.
The bond amount is the maximum amount of financial compensation available to a customer if a contractor purposefully harms them.
These bond amounts are set by the City of Omaha based on the history of complaints against license contractors. Essentially, the more responsibility your license entails, the higher the bond amount.
And these bond amounts will affect the price you pay to purchase your bond.
Learn all of the details about the Omaha contractor bonds and how you can purchase your bond today.
| License Classification | Bond Amount |
|---|---|
| Building contractors (Class A, B, C, D, E) | $10,000 |
| Electrical contractors | $12,500 |
| Plumbing contractors | $10,000 |
| Mechanical contractors | $10,000 |
The Surety Bond Expiration
Just like your contractor license, your contractor license surety bond will have a term. In most cases your bond will expire on December 31st.
But like your license you can purchase your bond for a one, two, or three year bond term, which comes with a discount.
Click here to find your contractor bond and if you want to talk with a bond specialist you can call 1-800-608-9950.
What Are The Examination And Continuing Education Requirements?
License Examinations
Each license has an examination for the specific classification, including the specific classifications within plumbing, electrical, and mechanical.
The City of Omaha uses the International Code Council to administer these exams.
- Class A, B, C are required to take an exam
- Master Sign Erector and Journeyman Sign Erector are required to take an exam
- All plumbing contractors except Fire Suppression and Street Excavation are required to take an exam
- All mechanical contractor licenses are required to take an exam
Learn more about your exam requirement through the International Code Council.
License Continuing Education
Building contractors (Class A, B, C, D, E) must have 9 hours of continuing education from:
- College courses
- Outreach activities pertaining to professions
- Agencies certified through the International Code Council, American Institute of Architects, National Association of Home Builders, or the Associated General Contractors of America
Plumbing contractors have the following requirements:
- Master Plumber - 8 hours
- Journeyman Plumber - 8 hours
- Lawn Sprinkler Contractor - 4 hours
- Water Conditioning Contractor - 4 hours
- Water Conditioning Installer - 4 hours
- Sewer Layer 'contractor - 4 hours
Mechanical contractors have the following requirements:
- ACAD Master Contractor - 8 hours
- ACAD Journeyman Contractor - 8 hours
Building Contractor Reciprocal Licensing
You can apply for a reciprocal license if you're already a licensed contractor from another state or jurisdiction. However, these are ruled upon during a hearing held on at the beginning of each quarter during the year.
If you need to get a license outside of these timeframes, even if you think you qualify for a reciprocal license, you either have to wait until the next meeting or go through the standard licensing process.
What Are The Omaha Contractor License Application Fees?
These are initial application fees only.
Building Contractors
Here are the application fees for each type of contractor classification:
- Class A and Class B - $300 fee
- Class C - $200 fee
- Class D and Class E - $100 fee
Electrical Contractors
- Master Bonded Electrician - $85 fee and a $6.80 tech fee
- Master Non-Bonded Electrician - $30 fee and a $2.40 tech fee
- Journeyman Electrician - $30 fee and a $2.40 tech fee
- Residential Journey Electrician - $30 fee and a $2.40 tech fee
- Apprentice Electrician - $10 fee and a $0.80 tech fee
Plumbing Contractors
- Master Plumber - $100 fee and $8.00 tech fee
- Journeyman Plumber - $1 fee, $1.64 tech fee, and $19.50 id badge fee
- Apprentice Plumber - $20 fee and $1.60 tech fee
- Lawn Sprinkler Contractor - $25.00 fee and $2.00 tech fee
- Lawn Sprinkler Installer - $15.00 fee and $1.20 tech fee
- Water Conditioning Contractor - $25.00 fee and $2.00 tech fee
- Water Conditioning Installer - $25.00 fee and $2.00 tech fee
- Sewer Layer Contractor - $25.00 fee and $2.00 tech fee
- Sewer and Drain Cleaner - $50.00 fee and $4.00 tech fee
Mechanical Contractors
- Steam Fitter Contractor - $100.00 fee and $8.00 tech fee
- Steam Fitter Journeyman - $35.00 fee and $2.80 tech fee
- Oil Burner Installer - $40.00 fee and $3.20 tech fee
- Oil Tank Installer - $40.00 fee and $3.20 tech fee
- LPG Tank Installer - $60.00 fee and $4.80 tech fee
- Stationary Engineer First Grade - $60.00 fee and $4.80 tech fee
- Stationary Engineer Second Grade - $50.00 fee and $4.00 tech fee
- ACAD Master Contractor - $50.00 fee and $2.80 tech fee
- ACAD Journeyman - $35.00 fee and $2.80 tech fee
- Apprentice ACAD and Sheet Metal Installer - $25.00 fee and $2.00 tech fee
We Are Here To Help You Get Your Omaha Contractor Surety Bond
The City of Omaha has a great website outlining these requirements. I hope this article helped answer any questions you had about the process. Use the links within the article to help satisfy each of the licensing requirements.
When you're ready to get your surety bond, complete an online quote or you can call a bond specialist at 1-800-608-9950.
Many of our Nebraska contractors also get licensed in neighboring states. Learn more about the bond requirements in these states:
- Colorado and Denver right of way bonds
- Iowa contractor license bonds
- Missouri contractor license bonds
- Kansas contractor bonding
