Nevada Handyman License Requirements
Nevada's small-job figure is $1,000. The exact wording below decides whether a job fits.
NRS 624.031(6): exempt is 'Any work to repair or maintain property the value of which is less than $1,000, including labor and materials' (strictly under $1,000), unless (a) a building permit is required; (b) the work is of a type performed by a plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning contractor; (c) the work is of a type performed by a classification the Board deems significantly affecting public health/safety/welfare; (d) the work is part of a larger project valued at $500 or more, or split into contracts under $500 to evade the chapter; or (e) the work is performed by a licensee or licensee's employee. Repair/maintenance only.
What counts toward it: labor+materials
"Any work to repair or maintain property the value of which is less than $1,000, including labor and materials, unless: (a) A building permit is required to perform the work; (b) The work is of a type performed by a plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning contractor;"
Source: leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
Who regulates this
Nevada State Contractors' Board (NSCB), NRS chapter 624 / NAC chapter 624.
Source: leg.state.nv.us · leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
Does Nevada license general and residential work?
Nevada State Contractors' Board licenses all contractors under NRS chapter 624, including residential/remodel work; only narrow exemptions (NRS 624.031) apply. 2025 law added a restricted (handyman-type) residential remodel license (NRS 624.244).
Source: leg.state.nv.us · leg.state.nv.us · leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
When a permit changes the answer
Yes. Exemption is lost if 'A building permit is required to perform the work' (NRS 624.031(6)(a)).
Source: leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
Registration
No separate state handyman registration. New (2025) restricted license under NRS 624.244: residential remodel/improvement of existing detached single-family residence (max 3 stories above ground, 1 below), cannot add enclosed space; requires 2 years trade experience (or accepted training) plus a business-counseling course within the prior year; surety bond or cash deposit of not less than $2,000; valid 2 years; monetary limit set by Board regulation 'must be $7,000, including labor and materials, or a greater amount'; may not include plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or A/C work.
Source: leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
Trade work
Electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, heating and air-conditioning work is excluded from the handyman exemption and from the restricted license scope (NRS 624.031(6)(b), 624.244(6)); such contracting requires an NSCB contractor license in the relevant classification. No handyman carve-out for these trades.
Source: leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
Insurance and bond
Restricted license bond/cash deposit not less than $2,000 (NRS 624.244(2)).
Source: leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
City and county rules
State licenses contractors, but NRS 624.035 lets any county or incorporated city require an additional contractor's license meeting additional local standards. Building permits are local.
Source: leg.state.nv.us · checked November 2, 2026
What a handyman should charge in Nevada
Statewide planning estimate: $77 to $111 an hour. It's an estimate from public data, not the market rate. City pages use local wages when we can match them.
| Step | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|
| Your pay (employee wage for this work in Nevada) | $52,360 median | $70,100 top quarter starts here |
| Overhead ($33,148 national, adjusted to local prices at 100.0) | $33,141 | $33,141 |
| Profit 15% + PTO 10% + warranty 3% + business taxes 12% | +40% | +40% |
| Yearly total to cover | $119,702 | $144,538 |
| Billed hours a year (hours on the job × 52) | 30 × 52 = 1,560 | 25 × 52 = 1,300 |
| Hourly rate | $77 | $111 |
- Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 49-9071 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General, Nevada (statewide figure, because we could not match a metro for this place). The top-quarter figure is in the BLS data file.
- Local prices: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, Nevada, all items index 100.0 (US = 100).
- Overhead, hours and percentages: median answers from members using our hourly rate calculator, the same formula that tool uses. National, not local.
Nevada places we cover (15)
Rules change. This page shows what official sources said on the dates above. It is not legal advice.