Construction Contractor Registration

• To assure all construction businesses in Montana are in compliance with Montana workers' compensation laws.

• All businesses in the building and construction industry that have employees.
• This includes businesses that are corporations and manager-managed limited liability companies even if the only employees are officers of the corporation or managers of the manager-managed limited liability company.

• The CR ensures that all construction businesses working in Montana are competing fairly by paying the same premiums for workers’ compensation insurance on their employees.
• Many general contractors will hire only registered contractors to protect themselves from upward migration of liability.
• Also, please read next question.

• If a contractor hires an unregistered contractor, (even if that person has an ICEC), the contractor is taking a risk and assuming the liability for workers' compensation should an individual be hurt on the job.

• Construction contractors can be fined up to $500 per violation for:
  • Performing work without a CR if required to obtain one
  • Performing work with a suspended CR
  • Transferring their CR to another person

• No test is required. The CR certificate is not a license and does not ensure quality of work.

• Completion of a CR application.
• Proof of Montana workers' compensation coverage on employees.
• A completed ICEC application or proof of workers' compensation for all listed individuals. (Unless listed individuals are officers of the corporation)
• A non-refundable $70 application fee.

• Limited Liability Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, and Corporations must be registered with the Montana Secretary of State’s office.  You may contact their office at (406) 444-3665 or visit their website at www.sos.mt.gov.

• The law exempts independent contractors in the construction industry that do not have employees from registering, although they can choose to register.

• The ICEC exempts the owner of a business from being required to cover themselves under workers’ compensation insurance.
• The CR monitors workers’ compensation compliance and ensures a fair playing field for all businesses in the construction industry that are competing in Montana.

I'm an out-of-state contractor bidding work in Montana. Are there any special requirements I might want to know about?

• Montana's workers' compensation law does not allow coverage from other states' workers' compensation plans in the construction industry.
• If you are only bidding jobs in Montana, you may apply for a "Bid Only" registration on the CR application.
• However, when you come to work in Montana, you must upgrade the “Bid Only” certificate to an "Employees Only" certificate by providing proof of a workers' compensation policy specific to Montana.

• Yes, if the spouse or child was already listed on the CR application.
• No, if ownership of the business completely changes, the business must reapply for the CR.

• We will mail you a renewal application approximately 60 days before your CR expires to the last known address on file.
• The renewal application forms will be preprinted with the information you provided the last time you applied.
• Please cross out any errors, make the correction in ink, and initial the change.
• The application fee is $70 non-refundable.

Do I need to notify the CR unit to update my CR if my phone number, mailing address, business structure, or business name(s) changes?

• Yes.  There is no additional application fee to make any changes to an existing CR certificate.
• Phone number - You must mail, email or fax us a request in writing to make those changes.
• Mailing address - You must mail, email or fax us a request in writing to make those changes.
• Business Structure – If you are changing from a manager-managed limited liability company or corporation to a sole proprietor, partnership, or member-managed limited liability company and vice versa, your business must reapply.
• Business Name – You must mail, email or fax us a request in writing to make those changes.
• Ownership Change – The business must reapply for CR.

• If you mail the application, processing time can take about 5-7 business days, sometimes longer depending on the volume of applications at the time.
• You can overnight the application to our physical address (301 South Park Ave., Floor 5, Helena, MT 59601) using FEDEX or UPS to speed up the mailing time.
  • Do NOT use the US Postal Service to overnight your application because your application will be mailed to our Po Box which results in delayed mailing times.
• You may visit the Helena office to have it processed in person IF you have all required materials available, same day processing not guaranteed.

• Send the original application form, proof of Montana workers' compensation coverage on employees, a completed ICEC application or proof of workers' compensation for all listed individuals (unless corporate officer), and the $70 non-refundable application fee to our mailing address:

Construction Contractor Registration Unit
PO Box 8011
Helena, MT  59604-8011

Physical location in Helena (for overnight mailing and walk-in customers, same day processing not guaranteed):

301 South Park Avenue, Floor 4
Helena, MT 59601

If you have questions or complaints regarding compliance of the Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate or Construction Contractor Registration programs, please contact: