State requirements
Oregon contractors are licensed by Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB). General liability is required to hold the license. Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees.
| Licensing authority | Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) |
|---|---|
| General liability required for license | Yes |
| Statutory GL minimum | Residential general contractor $500,000; residential specialty $300,000; residential limited $100,000; commercial general contractor level 1 $2,000,000; commercial specialty level 1 $1,000,000; commercial general contractor level 2 $1,000,000; commercial specialty level 2 $500,000 (ORS 701.081/701.084) |
| Workers compensation | Required, any employees |
| Contractor license bond | Residential general contractor $25,000; residential specialty $20,000; residential limited $15,000; commercial general contractor level 1 $80,000; commercial specialty level 1 $55,000; commercial general/specialty contractor level 2 $25,000 (ORS 701.068/701.081/701.084) |
Verified against https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors701.html in the October 2026 research pass. Where a figure is not stated, no authoritative source published one, and we say so rather than estimating.
Licensed specialists we work with write contractors in all fifty states. Tell us your trade and we will route you to one who handles Oregon.
Get a Oregon quoteTell us your trade, payroll and the states you work in.
Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
Oregon sets both the surety bond and the general liability minimum by license endorsement and tier, not by trade - a residential general contractor carries a $25,000 bond and at least $500,000 in GL, while a commercial general contractor level 1 carries an $80,000 bond and $2,000,000 in GL. Evidence of the insurance must be provided to the CCB at licensure and renewal (ORS 701.073). An inactive license is exempt from the bond and insurance requirements.
The state sets a minimum of Residential general contractor $500,000; residential specialty $300,000; residential limited $100,000; commercial general contractor level 1 $2,000,000; commercial specialty level 1 $1,000,000; commercial general contractor level 2 $1,000,000; commercial specialty level 2 $500,000 (ORS 701.081/701.084). What you actually need is set by the contract in front of you. Most Oregon general contractors require one million per occurrence and two million aggregate from their subcontractors, plus additional insured status and a waiver of subrogation.
Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees. Operating without it where it is required exposes the business to penalties and to direct liability for an injured worker's medical costs.
Any vehicle used for business needs commercial auto. A personal policy excludes business use in every state, and it will not cover the tools inside the truck.
General liability never covers your own tools. Inland marine covers them in transit and on site, including theft, which is the most common loss contractors actually file.
Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees.
Workers compensation covers medical costs and lost wages for a work-related injury or illness. It is separate from general liability, which covers injury to other people. If an employee is hurt on a job site in Oregon, that is a workers compensation claim, and general liability will not respond to it.
Oregon requires a contractor license bond of Residential general contractor $25,000; residential specialty $20,000; residential limited $15,000; commercial general contractor level 1 $80,000; commercial specialty level 1 $55,000; commercial general/specialty contractor level 2 $25,000 (ORS 701.068/701.081/701.084). A license bond protects the consumer if you fail to complete the work or violate licensing law. It is not insurance and it does not pay a claim made against you, which is why contractors carry both.
Beyond the license bond, bid bonds and performance bonds come up on larger and public work. Bid bonds are typically priced as a percentage of the bid amount rather than a flat fee, so the cost scales with the project.
The state sets a minimum of Residential general contractor $500,000; residential specialty $300,000; residential limited $100,000; commercial general contractor level 1 $2,000,000; commercial specialty level 1 $1,000,000; commercial general contractor level 2 $1,000,000; commercial specialty level 2 $500,000 (ORS 701.081/701.084). That is a floor for licensing, not a recommendation, and contracts in Oregon commonly require more.
Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees.
Yes. The contractor license bond is Residential general contractor $25,000; residential specialty $20,000; residential limited $15,000; commercial general contractor level 1 $80,000; commercial specialty level 1 $55,000; commercial general/specialty contractor level 2 $25,000 (ORS 701.068/701.081/701.084). It protects the consumer, not you, and it does not take the place of insurance.
Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB).
The consequences run from losing the contract to losing the license. A general contractor who finds your certificate is not what the subcontract required will typically stop work and withhold payment until it is corrected, and an uninsured loss becomes a personal liability rather than an insurance claim.
Yes. A single policy can list every state you operate in. Pricing is driven by the highest-exposure state on the schedule, so tell us all of them rather than only your home state.
Requirements differ enough by state that it is worth checking before you bid.
Tell us your trade, payroll and what Oregon requires of you.
