How do I check if a concrete contractor is licensed in Nevada?

Search the Nevada State Contractors Board's public license lookup at https://app.nvcontractorsboard.com by license number or company name. Confirm the status reads "Active," the classification is C-5 (Concrete Contracting) — not a legacy C-5b license, which is limited to saw-cutting and coring — and check the monetary limit against your project size.

What license does a concrete contractor need in Nevada?

A Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) license in classification C-5 (Concrete Contracting) for pouring, placing, and finishing concrete. A decorative block or CMU wall may instead fall under C-18 (Masonry) — a separate classification whose scope specifically covers precast block, brick, and stone.

What is a monetary limit on a Nevada contractor license?

The maximum size, in dollars, of a single contract that license is authorized to take on. It's listed on the NSCB license record. If your project's total cost is close to or above the limit shown, ask the contractor directly how they plan to handle it — some job types can legally be split into phases, but a bidder waving away the question is a red flag.

Is there a limit on the down payment a Nevada contractor can ask for?

Yes. Nevada law caps a residential contractor's down payment at the lesser of $1,000 or 10% of the total contract price (NRS 624.970). A bidder asking for more than that up front — before any work has started — is asking for more than Nevada law allows.

Trust & Verification

Verify a Nevada Concrete Contractor's License

Concrete work in Nevada requires an NSCB license in classification C-5 (Concrete Contracting) — or, for a block or CMU wall specifically, possibly C-18 (Masonry). Search any company by name or license number at the state's own public lookup, https://app.nvcontractorsboard.com — free, no account — and confirm the status reads Active before you hire. Here's exactly how, step by step.

Two people reviewing and pointing at a printed contract on a table

The lookup, step by step

1

Get the exact business name or NSCB license number

Ask the contractor for their Nevada NSCB license number — it should be on the estimate, the truck, and the company's website. If you only have a name, use the legal or DBA name exactly as it appears on the bid.
2

Open the NSCB's public license search

Go to https://app.nvcontractorsboard.com — the Nevada State Contractors Board's own public lookup. It's free and needs no account. Search by license number (fastest) or by company/principal name.
3

Check status, classification, and monetary limit

The record shows the license status (you want "Active"), the classification, and a monetary limit — the largest single contract that license is allowed to take on. For concrete work, the classification should be C-5 (Concrete Contracting); for a block or CMU wall specifically, ask whether C-18 (Masonry) applies instead — see the Block Walls page for why.
4

Watch for a legacy C-5b classification

A 2003 regulatory change consolidated the old C-5a and C-5b subclassifications into one unified C-5 license, but grandfathered existing C-5b holders — who remain restricted to saw-cutting, coring, and drilling only, not pouring or placing concrete. If a license shows as C-5b, that contractor may not be authorized to pour your driveway or foundation at all.
5

Match the name on the license to the name on your contract

Finally, confirm the entity holding the license is the same entity you're about to sign a contract with and pay. A license held by a different company than the one invoicing you doesn't protect you.

Open the NSCB License Search →

Red flags to walk away from

No license number anywhere — not on the truck, the website, or the estimate.
The lookup shows anything but Active. Suspended, expired, revoked, or inactive all mean that contractor cannot legally take on licensed concrete work today.
A legacy C-5b classification for a full pour job — that license is limited to saw-cutting, coring, and drilling, not placing concrete.
The name on the license isn't the name on your contract. A license held by a different entity than the one you're paying doesn't cover you.
A down payment over the legal cap — the lesser of $1,000 or 10% of the contract (NRS 624.970).
Cash-only, full payment up front, or pressure to sign the same day — none of these is illegal on its own, but together they're a pattern worth walking away from.

Verify a Nevada Concrete Contractor's License

The lookup, step by step

Get the exact business name or NSCB license number

Open the NSCB's public license search

Check status, classification, and monetary limit

Watch for a legacy C-5b classification

Match the name on the license to the name on your contract

Red flags to walk away from

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