What you needed yesterday but don’t use in the present may hold the key to getting a contractor’s license back in the future. Documentation is everything. We’ll explore how to get a family waiver, test or not, as the individual case may be…
Q: I had a contractor’s license many years ago and I want to get it back. I understand that since it’s been over five years I need to re-apply and take the exams again. Is it necessary for me to complete the “Certification of Work Experience” portion of the application since I have been licensed in the past?
A: Yes, even though you have been licensed in the past you still need to complete a new Certification of Work Experience page. You will need to show at least four years of full time work experience, within the last ten years, in the trade you are applying for.
Q: I have worked for my Dad for over ten years in the construction industry and he is getting ready to retire. I was told that I could take over his license and not have to take the exams. Is that true? And what forms do I fill out; would it be an application for Replacing the Qualifying Individual?
A: To answer your first question, B & P Code Section 7065.1(b) allows someone who is immediate family member to waive the exams if certain conditions are met. As long as you have been actively engaged in the business for five out of the last seven years you should be able to qualify for a Waiver the exams. However, regarding your second question, Replacing the Qualifying Individual would not be the correct application to use in this case. Contact our office for assistance with the application process and having the license number re-assigned.
Q: We are a large corporation based in Canada. We don’t actually perform any construction work, we provide consulting services to our subsidiaries and they do the actual construction work. One of our customers wants us to build a few hotels in California. If the parent company (providing the consultation work) obtains a CA contractor’s license, does that allow for our subsidiaries to do the construction work?
A: Each entity bidding on, contracting for, or performing contracting work in CA is required to have their own contractor’s license.
Q: I am the President of a corporation that has been licensed since 2001. I received a letter stating that I can replace my RME (Responsible Managing Employee) without needing to take the exams. I’m wondering if this is valid or if this is some sort of scam?
A: In certain circumstances, B & P Code Section 7065.1(c) allows an individual to request a Waiver of the exams if they have worked in a supervisory capacity for the corporation for five out of the last seven years, but again, only under certain circumstances. The licensee must have not requested this Waiver within the past year, and the license must have been Active and in good standing for five out of the last seven years. Visit the website to keyword search additional conditions or past columns on this issue.