Oregon CCB Reference

Oregon Contractor Insurance Requirements

Oregon law requires every CCB-licensed contractor to carry general liability insurance. Minimums vary by license type — from $100,000 to $2,000,000. Here's exactly what each license requires, and how to verify it before you hire.

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Under ORS Chapter 701, all Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) licensees must maintain active general liability insurance as a condition of licensure. Insurance requirements were last updated by Oregon HB 2922, effective January 1, 2024. The minimums below reflect current law. Source: Oregon CCB Licensing Page.

Note: Insurance minimums shown are per-occurrence for residential licenses and aggregate for commercial licenses, unless otherwise noted. Always verify current status at CCB Lookup or the official CCB search.

Residential License Insurance Requirements

Residential endorsements cover single-family homes, apartments up to 4 stories, condos, and small commercial structures (under 10,000 sq ft or $250,000 contract value).

License Type Code Min. Insurance Min. Bond Scope
Residential General Contractor RGC $500,000/occ. $25,000 Unlimited trades on residential & small commercial
Residential Specialty Contractor RSC $300,000/occ. $20,000 1–2 trades on residential & small commercial
Residential Limited Contractor RLC $100,000/occ. $15,000 Max $40K/yr volume · Max $5K/job
Residential Developer RD $500,000/occ. $25,000 Develop & sell residential property
Residential Restoration Contractor RRC $100,000/occ. $15,000 Fire, water, mold restoration only

Restricted Residential License Insurance Requirements

Restricted endorsements are for single-purpose businesses only. All carry the same insurance minimum of $100,000 per occurrence and a $15,000 bond.

License Type Code Min. Insurance Min. Bond Scope
Home Services Contractor RHSC $100,000/occ. $15,000 Home warranty service & repair
Residential Locksmith Services RLSC $100,000/occ. $15,000 Locksmith services only
Home Inspector Services RHISC $100,000/occ. $15,000 Home inspection only
Home Energy Performance Score RHEPSC $100,000/occ. $15,000 Energy score assessments only
Construction Flagging Contractor CF $300,000/occ. $10,000 Traffic control near construction zones

Commercial License Insurance Requirements

Commercial endorsements use aggregate limits (total paid per policy year) rather than per-occurrence limits. They cover all commercial structures including large commercial buildings that residential licenses cannot touch.

License Type Code Min. Insurance (aggregate) Min. Bond Experience Required
Commercial General Contractor Level 1 CGC1 $2,000,000 agg. $80,000 8 years key employee
Commercial General Contractor Level 2 CGC2 $1,000,000 agg. $25,000 4 years key employee
Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 1 CSC1 $1,000,000 agg. $55,000 8 years key employee
Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 2 CSC2 $500,000/occ. $25,000 4 years key employee
Commercial Developer CD $500,000/occ. $25,000 —

How to verify a contractor's insurance in Oregon

Knowing the minimum isn't enough — you need to verify the contractor's actual policy is current. Here's how:

  1. Look up the CCB number on CCB Lookup — every active contractor profile displays the insurance company name, coverage amount, and expiration date. Search now →
  2. Confirm the expiration date has not passed — insurance can expire independently of the license. A contractor with an Active license may have expired insurance.
  3. Check the coverage amount meets the CCB minimum — use the tables above to verify the amount shown is at or above the required minimum for the contractor's license type.
  4. Request a Certificate of Insurance — for any project over $10,000, ask the contractor for a current COI directly from their insurer. Do not accept a photocopy of an old certificate.
  5. Ask to be named as additional insured — for large projects, ask the contractor to add you as an additional insured on their policy. This gives you direct coverage if a claim arises during your project.
Important: CCB Lookup data is synced daily from the Oregon Open Data Portal and may lag up to 24 hours. For real-time verification, always confirm at search.ccb.state.or.us before signing a contract.

Workers' compensation insurance in Oregon

Workers' compensation is separate from general liability insurance and is governed by ORS Chapter 656. Oregon requires workers' compensation for any contractor who employs workers — but sole proprietors with no employees may be exempt.

Workers' Comp Required

Any contractor with employees — including family members paid for labor — must carry workers' compensation insurance. Failure to do so is illegal and exposes you as the property owner to liability for workplace injuries.

Workers' Comp Exempt

Sole proprietors with no employees may claim exemption. CCB Lookup displays the workers' compensation status on every contractor profile. If you see "Workers' Comp Exempt," verify the contractor truly works alone before hiring.

Bond vs. insurance — what's the difference?

Both are required. Both protect you. But they cover very different situations. See our detailed guide: Oregon Contractor Bond vs. Insurance →

Surety Bond
  • Contractor abandons the job
  • Fails to pay subcontractors or suppliers
  • Violates Oregon contractor law
  • Claims filed through the CCB
Liability Insurance
  • Damage to your property during work
  • Injury to a third party on your property
  • Accidental fire or flooding
  • Claims filed directly with the insurer

Frequently asked questions

A Residential General Contractor (RGC) must carry at least $500,000 per occurrence in general liability insurance. A Commercial General Contractor Level 1 (CGC1) must carry at least $2,000,000 aggregate. These are the minimum required amounts — contractors may carry more.

No. An Oregon contractor whose insurance lapses is out of compliance with CCB requirements and risks suspension. However, the CCB database may not update instantly — a contractor with an "Active" license may briefly have expired insurance. Always verify the insurance expiration date directly, not just the license status.

Oregon House Bill 2922, effective January 1, 2024, increased minimum insurance requirements for several CCB license types. The most significant change was for RGC contractors, whose minimum rose to $500,000 per occurrence. Always verify current requirements at the Oregon CCB Licensing Page.

Search the contractor's CCB number at ccblookup.com or at search.ccb.state.or.us. Both tools display the bond company, bond amount, bond expiration, insurance company, insurance amount, and insurance expiration date for every active contractor.

If an uninsured contractor damages your property or a worker is injured on your property, you may be held financially liable. You lose the protection that insurance provides, and your ability to file a CCB complaint may be limited. Always verify insurance before signing any contract.
Sources & References

Last reviewed: March 2026. Requirements reflect Oregon HB 2922 (effective January 1, 2024).

Insurance Minimums at a Glance
  • RGC $500K/occ.
  • RSC $300K/occ.
  • RLC $100K/occ.
  • RD $500K/occ.
  • RRC $100K/occ.
  • RHSC/RLSC/RHISC/RHEPSC $100K/occ.
  • CF $300K/occ.
  • CGC1 $2M agg.
  • CGC2 $1M agg.
  • CSC1 $1M agg.
  • CSC2 $500K/occ.
  • CD $500K/occ.

Per Oregon HB 2922 (effective Jan 1, 2024)

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