What Does an Oregon CCB License Mean for Your Business and Your Website?
In Oregon your CCB number is a legal requirement, a sales tool and a Google verification check all at once. Here is what the license takes, what the state charges, and where the number has to appear.
Key takeaways
- Roofing, electrical, plumbing, remodeling and handyman work for pay all need a CCB license.
- The responsible managing individual completes 16 hours of training and passes the exam.
- Bond and insurance amounts depend on your endorsement, from a $15,000 bond up to $80,000.
- OAR 812-003-0120 requires your CCB number on your website and all internet advertising.
- Google checks state licenses before it verifies contractors for Local Services Ads.
Who needs a CCB license in Oregon?
Anyone who works for pay in any construction activity on improvements to real property needs a CCB license. The CCB lists roofing, electrical, plumbing and handyman work as examples. Gutter cleaning and debris cleanup do not need one. ORS 701.021 says anyone who bids on or performs contractor work must have a current license, with an endorsement that fits the type of building.
The bid part matters. Advertising or quoting a job without a license is a violation on its own, before any work starts.
How do you get a CCB license?
The CCB's licensing steps, in order:
- Training and exam. The responsible managing individual completes at least 16 hours of pre-license training from an approved provider and passes the Oregon exam. The exam fee is $60, paid to the exam provider.
- Choose an endorsement. Residential or commercial, general or specialty, based on the work you do.
- Register the business. File your corporation, LLC or assumed business name with the Oregon Secretary of State.
- Get a surety bond. In the amount your endorsement requires. Submit it with the application, not separately.
- Get liability insurance. The certificate must name the CCB as the certificate holder.
- Workers' compensation. Required if the business has employees.
- Apply online. Submit the application, bond, insurance certificate, signatures form and the $400 fee. The CCB says processing can take six to eight weeks.
A license runs for two years. Renewal is $400 every two years. The $400 application fee took effect July 1, 2025. It was $325 before that.
How much bond and insurance does each endorsement need?
ORS 701.081 and 701.084 set these minimums. Confirm current amounts with the CCB or your bond agent before you buy, since the CCB's administrative rules have listed lower bond figures for some endorsements.
| Endorsement | Surety bond | General liability insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Residential general | $25,000 | $500,000 |
| Residential specialty | $20,000 | $300,000 |
| Residential limited | $15,000 | $100,000 |
| Commercial general, level 1 | $80,000 | $2 million |
| Commercial general, level 2 | $25,000 | $1 million |
| Commercial specialty, level 1 | $55,000 | $1 million |
| Commercial specialty, level 2 | $25,000 | $500,000 |
Where does your CCB number have to appear?
Everywhere you advertise or quote. OAR 812-003-0120 requires the license number on:
- Websites and all other internet advertising, shown visually
- Bids, inspection reports and contracts
- Newspaper, directory and display ads
- Business cards, letterhead and construction site signs
- TV and video ads, shown on screen
- Radio and audio ads, read out loud
Promotional gifts like pens, cups and clothing are exempt. The CCB recommends the format "CCB #123456," and you can add "Licensed and bonded."
The penalty schedule in OAR 812-005-0800 sets fines for leaving the number off: $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $400 for each one after that.
Where should the CCB number go on a contractor website?
Put it where every visitor sees it without looking: the site header or the top bar, and again in the footer of every page. A number buried on the About page technically shows "visually," but it does not do the selling job.
- Header or top bar. "CCB #123456 · Licensed, bonded & insured" next to the phone number. Homeowners look for it before they call.
- Footer, every page. With the business name, address and phone.
- Estimate and contact forms. Right above the submit button, where doubt is highest.
- Schema markup. List the license in your LocalBusiness structured data so search engines and AI tools can read it as a fact about your business.
- Google Business Profile and Facebook. In the description and About section.
Every contractor site we build carries the CCB number this way. You can see it in the top bar on Empyre Electric and FlowSeal Coatings.
Why does the CCB number help you get more work?
Because homeowners check it, and Google checks it. The CCB's own contractor guidance warns that if customers cannot find your number, you may lose work because they think you are unlicensed. Anyone can look up a license on the CCB license search to see if it is active, what endorsement it carries and whether there are complaints.
Google does the same check for its ads. Its screening for home service businesses in Local Services Ads includes business and owner licenses at the state level where the law requires them. A lapsed CCB license or a name that does not match your registration can stall your Google Verified badge.
What happens if you work without a CCB license?
The CCB penalty schedule sets a $1,000 penalty when there is no evidence of earlier unlicensed work and no consumer has been damaged. It rises to $5,000 for repeat violations, for using a lapsed, inactive or invalid license number, or when a property owner has filed a complaint for damages. Some of these can be reduced if the contractor gets licensed within the time the CCB sets.
The bigger cost is getting paid. Under ORS 701.131, a contractor who was not licensed when they bid the job and the whole time they did the work generally cannot file a construction lien or sue for payment for that work, with narrow exceptions.
What should you check on your website this week?
- Your CCB number is in the header or top bar of every page.
- The number in the footer matches your active license exactly.
- The business name on the site matches the name on your CCB record.
- Your Google Business Profile description includes the number.
- Old marketing pages, landing pages and PDFs carry the number too.
If any of that is missing, it is a ten-minute fix. If your site makes it hard, we build contractor websites with the license, service area and contact details in the right places from day one, or send us your site and we will tell you what to change.
FAQ
Does my CCB number have to be on my website?
Yes. OAR 812-003-0120 says all internet advertising, including website advertising, must visibly show the contractor's license number. The CCB recommends the format CCB #123456. The penalty schedule sets fines of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $400 after that.
Does my CCB number need to be on my Facebook page and Google Business Profile?
The rule covers internet media advertising, including but not limited to websites, so treat any page that advertises your services as covered. Putting the number in your Facebook About section and Google Business Profile description is the safe call, and it costs nothing.
How do customers check a CCB license?
On the CCB license search at search.ccb.state.or.us or by calling the CCB at 503-378-4621. The search shows whether a license is active, the endorsement, bond and insurance details, and any complaint history.
How long does it take to get a CCB license?
Plan on two to three months. You need 16 hours of pre-license training and a passing exam score first. The CCB says processing a complete application can take six to eight weeks. Applications missing the bond or insurance certificate take longer.
What happens if I do work without a CCB license?
The CCB penalty schedule sets a $1,000 penalty when there is no prior unlicensed work and no consumer damage, and $5,000 when there are repeat violations, a lapsed or invalid license number was used, or an owner filed a damage complaint. Under ORS 701.131, a contractor who was not licensed when bidding and throughout the work generally cannot file a construction lien or sue for payment.
Sources
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board: CCB License
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board: Contractor Tools
- Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 701 (ORS 701.021, 701.081, 701.084, 701.131)
- OAR 812-003-0120: License Required to Advertise
- OAR 812-005-0800: Schedule of Penalties
- Oregon CCB License Search
- Google Local Services Help: Business screening and verification requirements
This guide explains Oregon rules in plain terms. It is not legal advice. Check current requirements with the CCB before you apply or renew.
Want a website that does this right?
License number, service areas, schema and fast pages, built in from the start for Oregon contractors.