DIR Registration, Family Transfer and RME Reactivation of Expired Licensing

Important updates you don’t want to miss, but first losing a family member is never easy, but our second question shows that losing their loved one was only the beginning for this contractor family. Although it’s not much, we do find a small silver lining to the dark clouds…

Q:  We’re contemplating hiring this guy to make him one of our Responsible Managing Employees (RME). However, his license expired in 2007.   What would be involved in reactivating his license?  He claims that he should be able to apply for a Waiver of the exam since he has the required experience and does have verified references that can attest to his background.  What are you thoughts?

A:  Once a license has been expired for over five years you can no longer renew it. Period. When an individual has been unlicensed for over five years they are required to take the exams again and show the required four years of work experience.  Since your potential employee’s license expired in 2007 and he hasn’t been the Qualifier on any other license since then, he would need to re-certify his experience and re-test. Unfortunately.

Just FYI, even though his license cannot be renewed, since it’s a sole proprietor license, if he ever wants to re-apply in the future he can request the license number back.

Q:  We currently have a “C-27” (Landscaping) and a “C-61”/”D-44” (Sprinklers) license.  I am the Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) for the “C-27”.  My father Qualifies the “D-44” classification but he passed away early last year.  We never notified the CSLB.  We are up for renewal and it requires his signature.  What do we do?

A:  First of all sorry for your loss.  I would suggest signing the renewal and submitting it with a copy of your father’s death certificate.  Be aware that since you only get 90 days to replace a Qualifier, once the CSLB is notified that your father passed away last year the “D-44” will automatically be removed from your license.  The “D-44” classification no longer exists and is now covered under the “D-12” (Synthetic Products) classification, which you may decide you want to add to your license.  However since the “C-27” classification allows you to sprinkler systems, it’s not really necessary that you have the additional specialty classification.

First, for those contractors who work on public works contracts, here is a reminder to register with the State Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).  Beginning on March 1, 2015, all contractors were required to register with DIR and effective April 1st, this registration will be necessary in order to be awarded a public works contract – even if there was no bidding process.

According to the CSLB, the DIR registration requirement is a result of Senate Bill (SB) 854, a budget trailer bill that became effective on June 20, 2014.  This legislation also changed laws pertaining to the administration and enforcement of prevailing wage requirements.

Contractors also will be required to submit certified payroll records (CPRs) to the Labor Commissioner’s office for all new projects awarded on or after April 1, 2015.

Before bidding on a public works project, a contractor can check with the DIR, which maintains a listing of registered contractors and subcontractors on its website.  This site is also used to assist awarding bodies that must confirm this registration before considering a bid or awarding a contract.

Second, and crossing State lines, the Nevada State Contractor’s Board (NSCB) recently released a reminder for all contractors to include their license number on all advertisements.  The NSCB often monitors various print and online advertisements such as Angie’s List, Craigslist, and local publications and has begun to see an increase in licensed contractors failing to include their license number in advertisements.  As NRS 624.720(3) states, “All advertising by a licensed contractor must include the name of the contractor’s company and the number of the contractor’s license.” Period.