Home improvement contractors must be licensed in New York City, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties, and the City of Buffalo. Before you hire a home improvement contractor, use these links to check whether the contractor is licensed or registered in your county. Jun 14, 2019 Santa Fe – The Regulation and Licensing Department’s Construction Industries Division warns New Mexicans who have been affected by the recent hail storms to be cautious of unlicensed contractors and contractors performing unpermitted work.
How to Apply for a General and Mechanical LicenseApplying for a License by Examinations![]()
See Examinations to determine if a technical exam is required.
1. To apply for a license, download the following:
2. In the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, select your exams and submit the registration form to them.
3. After registering, you will receive an Eligibility Letter from PSI. Call the number at the bottom of the letter and schedule an appointment at the testing site of your choice.
4. After you have passed both the PSI technical exam and Business Management & Law exam, submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:
Apply for a License by Waiver/ReciprocityA technical examination must have been passed with one of the participating states listed below. The applicant must not have any outstanding complaints with any other licensing agency and all applicants must be currently licensed in good standing.
2. Applicants are required to pass the PSI Business Management & Law exam for South Carolina. Schedule the exam with PSI at 800-733-9267 or psiexams.com. 3. Submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:
How to Apply for a Burglar/Fire Alarm License
1. To apply for a license, download the following:
2. In the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, select your exams and submit the registration form to them:
3. All burglar and fire alarm examinees must be NTS Level I or II certified. All fire alarm examinees must be either NTS Level I or II certified, or NICET Level II or III certified.
4. All alarm examinees and principal officers must submit a Criminal Background Check/Report. Additionally, all other staff that will have access to client records and/or property must complete a Registered Employee application, Doc #126 , and submit a Criminal Background Check/Report.
5. A Certificate of Liability Insurance ($100,000 minimum coverage) must be submitted in your DBA name and have the same address. The insurer affording the general liability coverage must be licensed to write insurance policies in South Carolina. The “Certificate Holder” on the form must be listed as the “SC Contractor’s Licensing Board”.
6. After you have passed both the PSI technical exam and Alarm Code of Law exam, submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:
How to Apply for a Fire Sprinkler License
1. To apply for a license, download and complete the application, Doc#145.
2. All applicant qualifiers must be certified as a NICET Level III or IV technician in 'Fire Protection Engineering Technology Automatic Sprinkler System Layout' or “Fire Protection Engineering Technology Water-Based Systems Layout”.
3. A Certificate of Liability Insurance ($100,000 minimum coverage) must be submitted in your DBA name and have the same address. The insurer affording the general liability coverage must be licensed to write insurance policies in South Carolina. The “Certificate Holder” on the form must be listed as the “SC Contractor’s Licensing Board”.
4. Submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:
--Background--
The New Jersey Contractor Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 et seq.) requires all full and part-time contractors who engage in “home improvements” to annually register with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC). Additionally, the law provides certain remedies for consumers who are dissatisfied with a contractor and requires registered contractors to have all work covered by detailed written contracts.
Since 2006, municipalities have been barred from issuing construction permits to unregistered HICs. All HICs must register, even those with businesses that have been in operation for years prior to the enactment of the law.
—Who Must Register?--
The law requires all businesses engaged in “home improvements” to annually register with the Division of Consumer Affairs prior to entering into any contracts or performing any work.
The law and regulations define a “home improvement” as “the remodeling, altering, painting, repairing, renovating, restoring, moving, demolishing, or modernizing of residential or noncommercial property or the making of additions thereto, and includes, but is not limited to, the construction, installation, replacement, improvement, or repair of driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools, terraces, patios, landscaping, fences, porches, windows, doors, cabinets, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, basements and basement waterproofing, fire protection devices, security protection devices, central heating and air conditioning equipment, water softeners, heaters, and purifiers, solar heating or water systems, insulation installation, siding, wall-to-wall carpeting or attached or inlaid floor coverings, and other changes, repairs, or improvements made in or on, attached to or forming a part of the residential or noncommercial property, but does not include the construction of a new residence. The term extends to the conversion of existing commercial structures into residential or noncommercial property and includes any of the above activities performed under emergency conditions.”
“ Residential or non-commercial property” is defined as a single or multi-unit structure used in whole or in part as a place of residence, and any portion of the lot which is devoted to the residential use of the structure.
--Registration Requirements--
All applicants must use the form provided by the Division. In addition, applicants must complete the disclosure statement page of the application and: (1) provide proof of commercial general liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $500,000 per occurrence, (2) pay an initial registration fee of $110, and (3) certify that they have not been convicted of certain crimes, including but not limited to murder, kidnapping, sexual offenses, fraud or theft- related crimes. Registrations are only valid for one year, after which they may be renewed for an additional year at a cost of $90. After May 1, 2015, contractors seeking renewals must contact their licensing Board/Committee for reinstatement procedures and associated fees.
Please note that all information must be complete in order for the Division to process the initial application. Failure to complete the form in its entirety or failure to include a copy of the general liability policy could lead to substantial delays in processing.
--Exemptions--
The law specifically exempts any person otherwise licensed as an architect, burglar/fire alarm installer, professional engineer, landscape architect, land surveyor, electrical contractor, plumber, locksmith, or any other professional licensed, certified or registered by the state who is acting within the scope of practice of his profession. Additional exemptions apply to the following:
Although the law provides an exemption for new home builders already registered under the “The New Home Warranty and Builders’ Registration Act,” P.L. 1977, c. 467 (C 46:3B-1 et seq.), the Division has expanded the HIC registration requirements to include new home builders who also perform work on existing homes.
--HIC Registrant Requirements--
Once registered, the HIC law requires contractors to prominently display their official New Jersey registration number (listed as NJHIC#) within their places of business (the original registration certificate); in all advertisements; on business documents, contracts and correspondence with consumers; and on all commercial vehicles (on both sides of the vehicle). Likewise, HICs must prominently display a toll-free consumer hotline number operated by the Division on all invoices, contracts and correspondence.
Additionally, the law requires that every home improvement contract for a purchase price in excess of $500, on or after December 31, 2005, shall be in writing and must include:
Further, the contract must contain the following notice to the consumer in at least 10-point bold- face type:
You may cancel this contract at any time before midnight or the third business day after receiving a copy of this contract. If you wish to cancel this contract, you must either:
(Name, address and phone number of contractor)
If you cancel this contract within the three-day period, you are entitled to a full refund of your money. Refunds must be made within 30 days of the contractor’s receipt of the cancellation notice.
Registered contractors also have an affirmative duty to continuously update their information as a condition of registration.
--Penalty for Failure to Register--
Any home improvement contractor who is required to register and failed to do so by December 31, 2005, is prohibited from selling or making home improvements. If the unregistered contractor continues to sell or make home improvements, they may be subject to civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense, and $20,000 for each subsequent offense. Also, anyone who knowingly violates the Act is considered guilty of a crime of the fourth degree and faces additional fines as well as possible jail time.
Applications are available online at the Division website: http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ocp/Applications/Home-Improvement-Contractor-Application-Packet-for-Initial-Registration.pdf or can be obtained by calling the Division of Consumer Affairs at 888-656-6225. Applications are also available from construction officials in most municipalities.
Application status can be obtained by calling 888-656-6225 or 973-424-8150 and speaking with a customer service representative.
--For More Information--
For more information, contact NJBIA’s Member Action Center at 1-800-499-4419, ext. 3 or [email protected].
This information should not be construed as constituting specific legal advice. It is intended to provide general information about this subject and general compliance strategies. For specific legal advice, NJBIA strongly recommends members consult with their attorney.
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