Georgia Construction and Licensing Law for Residential Contractors, Specialty Contractors and Home Owners

 

If you have not yet applied for a residential or general contractors license, you may want to consider some of these options.  Please note that these options are NOT presented in any particular order.  Further, you should consult with your legal counsel to determine if any of these options will best serve your needs.  Also be aware that selection of any particular option may not preclude you from also using another.

 

If you have projects which qualify (for example, a pool house or bathhouse, preferably which would exceed the ability to have complete the project under the $10,000 or 25% rule), then get your application in and take the exam and get your contractors license. 

 

If you do not already have projects which will qualify you for a license, because anyone may pull permits and act as a general or residential contractor prior to the effective date of the licensing act, if you have the capability and skills to complete a successful construction of an appropriate project that requires a building permit and, for residential construction, a certificate of occupancy (or other acceptable evidence of successful completion) or, for commercial construction, an architect's letter or other acceptable evidence of successful completion, then you may want to do so prior to July 1, 2008.  Once you have completed the requisite projects, you may apply for a license as a qualified applicant.  

 

If you hold a comparable license (comparable to a residential or general contractor's license - not a pool or spa contractors license) in another state or can qualify for one and actually obtain a license, then you may want to try for reciprocity.  Note however that the rules for reciprocity have not yet been established and reciprocity for any particular state may not be assured.  Reciprocity will not be considered before July 1, 2008. 

 

Rely on the specialty contractor exception and be prepared to modify your business as may be required by the Board so that you can continue to meet the licensing exception.  Be sure to consider an appropriate budget for legal fees for claims from owners and others that you may be performing work for which a license is required or disputes involving the allocations of amounts in your contracts under the $10,000 or 25% restriction.  

 

Find another profession -- maybe this time one without the stress and nightmares?  Win the lottery too while you are at it. 

 

 

 This page was last modified on Thursday, March 06, 2008 07:18:29 PM