As a licensed general contractor in North Carolina, there’s an annual requirement you just can’t ignore: NCLBGC Continuing Education (CE). Sure, you may feel like it’s just another hoop that you must jump through, but staying compliant with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) is more than just a box to check. It can make or break your career and/or business.
Here’s why completing your CE hours on time is such a good move.
1. It’s Required: Miss It and You Risk Losing Your Licence
Let’s begin with the most important. The law in North Carolina requires all licensed general contractors to complete 8 hours of CE every year so that they can renew their licences successfully. Of the 8 hours, there must be a mandatory 2-hour update course, with the remaining 6 hours coming from elective courses.
It’s usually recommended to get your NCLBGC Continuing Education course from a reputable provider like RocketCert to ensure you are studying the right content. Failing to complete your education by the deadline means your licence won’t be renewed. Leaving it like that gets you to a point where you can’t legally bid, contract, or work on any project until you have your licence reinstated.
If you have active projects or pending bids, you’re looking at thousands of dollars in lost revenue and damaged relationships with clients and subcontractors.
2. You’ll Avoid the Scramble (And Unnecessary Fees)
Many contractors make the mistake of thinking they have enough time, so they choose to focus fully on their projects and wait until the last minute to schedule their CE. This sounds like a harmless idea at first, but if you look closer, two big problems emerge:
- Limited course availability
- Rush fees or higher prices for last-minute registration
Of course, there will always be providers who continue offering the courses even beyond the renewal period and only stop offering courses for the last year when another renewal cycle starts. Still, this doesn’t take away the fact that knocking out your CE early is much easier and saves you from all the scrambling, stress, and financial impact.
Besides, choosing to complete your course as early as possible will naturally mean that you’ve got enough time to choose the courses that actually benefit you, as opposed to taking any course just to meet the deadline.
3. It Can Help You Make More Money
Yes, CE is mandatory, but rather than just viewing it as just another requirement that you must meet to renew your licence, you can use these hours to sharpen the skills that impact your income. With the freedom to choose the topics you’d like to take to cover 6 hours of CE, you can focus on topics that cover:
- Project management strategies that reduce costly delays
- Marketing and business development tips primarily for construction businesses
- New building codes and energy-efficiency standards (great selling point for eco-conscious clients)
By focusing your CE efforts on business skills and emerging trends, you can land bigger contracts and avoid costly mistakes that may offset the time and cost of your course.
4. It’s Cheaper Than Losing Business
Compared to the cost of staying out of business, the $150-$300 per year cost of purchasing a CE course (depending on the provider and format) is certainly worth it. It’s way less compared to the financial hit you’d take if your licence lapses. Remember that the cost of missing projects isn’t just monetary: It also includes trust, reputation, and the chance to attract new customers through the existing ones.
So, Complete Your CE Today!
It should be obvious at this point that completing your NCLBGC Continuing Education isn’t just about keeping the licensing board happy: it’s more about protecting your career and business, enhancing your skills, and standing out in a highly competitive North Carolina construction market.
So, head over to rocketcert.com today to start your CE journey and find out why many other contractors keep coming back to RocketCert for their professional development needs.
