License Comparision

License Types comparisons

This chart (last updated in Spring 2008) provides a comparison of the general requirments and other information about the 3 types of licenses which will be provided through State Residential and General Contractors Licensing Board. More details and other requirements may be found on the attached side-by-side comparison (updated July 2008).

	Residential - Basic	Residential - Light	General
Basic Criteria	At least 21 years of age, qualified as to competency, ability, and integrity	At least 21 years of age, qualified as to competency, ability, and integrity	At least 21 years of age, qualified as to competency, ability, and integrity
Education or Experience	(1) Has at least two years of proven experience working as/or in the employment of a residential contractor, predominantly in the residential-basic category, or other proven experience deemed substantially similar by the division, and (2) Has had significant responsibility for the successful performance and completion of at least two projects falling within the residential-basic category in the two years immediately preceding application.	The applicant must have had significant responsibility for the successful performance and completion of at least two projects falling within the residence-light commercial category in the four years immediately preceding application AND one of the following three: 1) Has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the field of engineering, architecture, construction management, building construction, or other field acceptable to the division and has at least one year of proven experience working as/or in the employment of a residential contractor, general contractor, or other proven experience deemed substantially similar by the division; 2) Has a combination acceptable to the division of academic credits from any accredited college-level courses and proven practical experience working as/or in the employment of a residential contractor, general contractor, or other proven experience deemed substantially similar by the division equaling at least four years in the aggregate. For purposes of this subparagraph, all university, college, junior college, or community college level courses shall be considered accredited college-level courses; or 3) Has a total of at least four years of proven active experience working in a construction industry related field, at least two of which shall have been as/or in the employment of a residential contractor, or other proven experience deemed acceptable by the division	(1) Four-year degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, architecture, construction management, building construction or related-field acceptable to the Division and one year of work experience as or in the employment of a general contractor or other proven experience deemed substantially similar by the Division; or (2) Combination of college-level academic accredited courses and proven practical experience working as or in the employment of a general contractor or other proven experience deemed substantially similar by the Division equaling at least four years in the aggregate; or (3) Total of at least four years of proven active experience working in a construction industry related field, at least two of which shall have been as or in the employment of a general contractor, or other proven experience deemed acceptable by the Division and at least one of which shall have been in or relating to administration, marketing, accounting, estimating, drafting, engineering, supervision, or project management, or functions deemed substantially similar by the Division.
General Liability Insurance (Minimum)	$300,000	$500,000	$500,000
Workers Compensation	As required by Georgia law	As required by Georgia law	As required by Georgia law
Net Worth Requirements	None	None	$150,000 minimum**
Letter of Credit	Not required	Not required	$50,000 minimum**

Responses to the Board by the Attorney General's office

Per the Board minutes (March 5, 2008)

If a person is applying as an individual, does his/her work have to be completed as an individual? "O.C.G.A. § 43-41-8(a)(2) addresses experience on exam exemption applications. It says the applicant has to show 5 projects in 5 years or 10 projects in 10 years, with “such projects having been performed either by such person acting as an individual or by a business organization in which such individual person was affiliated by employment or ownership and over which such person had general oversight and management responsibilities”. This particular question pertains to the General Contractor Division only."

Per the Board minutes (March 5, 2008)

Does a business organization have to be in the contracting business in order to be licensed. "In O.C.G.A. § 43-41-2(2), the definition of business organization ends with 'or otherwise performing or acting as a contractor as defined in this Code section,' which would indicate that one would not have to be exclusively in the contracting business."

**New Tier Category for General Contractor with lower financial requirements.

CG Tier Division recommended, and the Board has approved, a General Contractor Limited Tier which applies to commerical contracts valued at $500,000 or less. The requirements are the same as those for General Contractors except that no line of credit is to be required and there is a minimum net worth $25,000 for the tier. The minimum net worth can be from a compilation of sources for net worth as stated in CPA letter. Applicants would be expected to be able to obtain a General Contractor license but their work authority would be limited as noted above.

Other Actions by the General Contractor Division:

Per Board Minutes (March 28, 2008)

Lisa Durden, Executive Director, asked that the General Division clarify what is meant in O.C.G.A. § 43-41-6(d) by the term “…or other proven experience deemed substantially similar by the division…” The General Division requested that these type issues be presented to them.

Ms. Durden asked if specialty projects listed on exam applications are acceptable projects for the General Contractor exam application. The General Division stated that they would accept specialty projects as proof of construction experience for the exam applications.

Ms. Durden asked if projects listed on the General Contractor exam applications needed to be completed projects. The General Division stated that projects did not have to be completed for purposes of the exam application. They felt that if the engineer or architect signed the letter regarding the applicant’s work, they would be comfortable with that.

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

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