CEO Departures, Pool Pumps, RMO Judgments and Adding ‘C-8’ to a General License

Help for a General with ‘concrete’ plans to win the bids! Coming back from overseas, this contractor may be ‘guilty’ by association unless he acts fast. What could be better in a heat wave than a dip in a ‘pools’ question, and be sure to do more than wave goodbye when your CEO heads out the door…

Q:  I currently have an “A” (General Engineering) license in CA.  While I know I can do concrete work with my “A” license, sometimes in order to do a foundation or a sidewalk, people want to see that we have the “C-8” (Concrete) classification on our license.  How do I go about sitting for the exam and adding it to our license?

A:  You will need to complete and submit the Application for Additional Classification.  You will be required to show at least four years of full time work experience doing concrete work specifically.  With regards to the exam, B&P Code Section 7065.3 allows the CSLB to consider a Waiver of the Trade exam for someone holding a closely related classification, if you can prove that concrete is a significant portion of your General Engineering work. Sweet!  Waiver requests however are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and there is no assurance the CSLB will approve the request.

Q: I have been out of the country since last year. I just returned, and I need to make sure that my Contractor’s License and corporation are in order.  I contacted my Responsible Managing Officer (RMO), who also has his own personal license, and he tells me that he was sued by a large company and lost in relation to his personal license.  Is that going to affect my license?

A:  It has the potential to affect your license depending on whether he complies with the Judgement or not.  If your RMO has an unsatisfied Judgement attached to his license, the CSLB will suspend any/all licenses he is associated with.  I would suggest that you disassociate him from your license to avoid the potential for suspension.  Once you disassociate him, you have 90 days to replace him on the license.

Q:  I have “B” (General Building) license and I’ve been doing solar work for a couple years.  I want to start a pool pump business.  Can I do that with my building license or would I need to get a “C-53” (Swimming Pool) license?

A:  General Building contractors are required to be performing at least two unrelated trades on their jobs.  In order to start doing projects which only involve pool pumps, you would want to add the “C-61”/ “D-35” (Pool and Spa Maintenance) classification to your license.  The “C-53” classification is needed if you are constructing pools.

Q:  Our CEO recently left the company.  Do we need to notify the CSLB?

A:  Yes, you will want to notify both the Secretary of State as well as the CSLB of any Officer changes.  I looked up your license and your CEO is the only Officer listed on the license so you definitely want, and need, to update it.  The Officers you have listed on your license are the only ones with signing authority for the license to make changes, sign renewals, etc.