Trade license requirements · 51 jurisdictions
Excavation · broad-license lane (#8/20 by licensing breadth)
Performs earthmoving, grading, trenching, and site preparation work Licensing breadth 71% (#8/20 by licensing breadth) places this trade in the broad-license lane. Open-data from state boards, NCSL, and NASCLA; verify live status before you hire.
- 36
- States require license
- 71%
- Of all jurisdictions
- 0
- Surety bond mandates
- 15
- No state license
Excavation licensing-breadth posture
Excavation lands in the broad-license lane (#8/20 by licensing breadth): a state license is required in 36 of 51 jurisdictions (71%), with 0 of those rows also listing an exam.
- 36
- states require a license
- 0
- of those also mandate an exam
- 0
- also require a surety bond
- #8
- of 20 trades by breadth
Source: state licensing boards · NCSL · NASCLA · snapshot 2026-06-27. Specialty or local credentials may still apply where no statewide license is listed.
Excavation · broad-license lane
According to state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA, Excavation requires a state license in 36 of 51 jurisdictions (71%), rank #8 of 20 by licensing breadth; #8/20 by licensing breadth.
According to the same board-sourced directory (snapshot 2026-06-27), excavation sits in the broad-license lane. Of the 36 licensing states, 0 also mandate an exam and 0 list a surety-bond requirement. This is a requirements directory, not a live credential check - confirm status on the board roster before you hire.
Among 36 licensing states
NASCLA trade screen folio
Excavation board screens in this snapshot
Entity-varying counts from state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA: how many jurisdictions stamp exam, bond, and insurance requirements on this trade.
- 36/51 jurisdictions require a license 71% coverage
- 0 licensing states mandate an exam 0% of licensed rows
- 0 licensing states list a surety bond 0% of licensed rows
- 36 licensing states set a liability floor 100% of licensed rows
- #8 of 20 trades by breadth
Exam-mandate neighbourhood
Among licensing states, how many also mandate an exam; nearest trades by exam count (snapshot 2026-06-27).
Peer placement
Licensing breadth across all 20 tracked trades
Highlighted bar is Excavation: share of jurisdictions requiring a state license in this snapshot (#8/20 by licensing breadth).
Same board as the distribution above (state licensing boards · NCSL · NASCLA · 2026-06-27).
States Requiring an Excavation License (36)
The Exam, Bond, Insur., and Fee columns below reflect an industry-typical baseline for excavation licensing, per-state statutory research for this trade is still in progress, so these are not yet confirmed dollar figures for each individual state. Confirm the exact current requirement with the state licensing board (link on each state's page) before relying on a specific number.
| State | License Type | Exam | Bond | Insur. | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Alaska | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Arizona | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Arkansas | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| California | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Connecticut | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Delaware | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| District of Columbia | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Florida | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Georgia | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Hawaii | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Kentucky | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Louisiana | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Maine | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Maryland | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Massachusetts | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Michigan | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Minnesota | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Mississippi | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Montana | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Nevada | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| New Hampshire | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| New Jersey | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| New Mexico | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| North Carolina | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| North Dakota | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Oklahoma | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Oregon | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Rhode Island | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| South Carolina | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Tennessee | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Utah | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Vermont | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Virginia | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| Washington | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
| West Virginia | Excavation Contractor License | No | No | $300K | $50-$200 |
States Without State Excavation License (15)
In these states, excavation contractors do not require a state license. Local permits and municipal registration may still apply.
Breadth peers
Trades whose statewide licensing share sits nearest to Excavation's 71% - not a fixed guide strip.
- Carpenter 70.6% · Δ0
- Demolition 70.6% · Δ0
- Elevator Mechanic 70.6% · Δ0
- Flooring Installer 70.6% · Δ0
- General Contractor 70.6% · Δ0
Disclaimer: Requirements shown are from state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA data. Always verify current requirements directly with your state's licensing board.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Nationwide trades with similar licensing breadth
Peer sets for Excavation lead with jurisdiction licensing share (71% here), then exam-mandate count, distinct from the sidebar ABS(%) peers.
Similar licensing breadth
Nearest nationwide trades by share of jurisdictions requiring a license (71% here).
- Carpenter · 70.6% licensed
- Demolition · 70.6% licensed
- Elevator Mechanic · 70.6% licensed
- Flooring Installer · 70.6% licensed
Similar exam-mandate stack
Nearest nationwide trades by count of licensing states that also mandate an exam (0 here).
- Carpenter · 0 exam states
- Demolition · 0 exam states
- Flooring Installer · 0 exam states
- Glazier · 0 exam states
| Publisher | PlainHireCheck |
| Sources | Public state contractor licensing board records |