Contractor Licensing FAQs

The Capitol Connection is our weekly Q & A column for contractors that focuses on topics pertaining to contractor's licensing.

License Sharing, Failing to Show Up for Exams and RME Scope of Work

You can ‘share’ almost anything on social media, but contractor’s licenses are not one of those things. I remind a frazzled contractor why it’s important to keep your ‘snail-mail’ address up to ‘speed’ with the Contractor’s Board. And we wrap with how a ‘name’ gives direction, and just because others are jumping off the cliff doesn’t…

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Changing Business Structure, Names & Required Home Improvement Contracts

A new year brings new opportunity. Opportunity often brings changes in life and business. Like a rock thrown in water, change also has a ‘ripple effect’ that might affect your contractor licensing. Sometimes it takes an expert to know how far those changes go in changing the past, present and license futures… Q:  My partner and I…

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Online Renewals, DBA’s, Selling or Installing and Adding Classes to General Building CA Licenses

While you can get many things on the web, some exceptions remain. With economic growth comes new opportunity for contractors. One new venture ‘flushes’ out an answer on the difference between selling and installing as a contractor, another discovers he can ‘do business as’ usual with a small addition to his license… Q:  I currently have a…

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Subcontractor Payments, License Partners, Education Experience Credit and Low Voltage Cabling Rules

While Capitol Services has assisted contractors for more than 30 years and authored more than a thousand Q/A columns, what is old is also new again. Welcome to those of you who are new readers. A reminder about many of the complex rules contractors must work under is always helpful for many including those with low…

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CA License History, Qualifying Officer, HAZ & ASB Certification and Comp Certificates

Sometimes panic is appropriate, but our first contractor will escape the ‘suspense’ if he follows thru as I suggest. One is better than none, especially when it comes to taking exams as these contractors learn, and we wrap with a little ‘history’… Q:  Our Worker’s Compensation insurance expired on November 1st.  We renewed our policy but when I…

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AZ Reciprocity, Death of a Qualifier and LLC vs Corporate Applications for CA Licensing

Always a good idea to ‘look’ before you leap into new business! Protecting your license and bid opportunity beyond an unexpected turn of events should be part of your business plan, as we learn from these contractors… Q:  We are forming a new entity to obtain a new Contractor’s License.  We haven’t decided whether we are going to…

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Rules for Consumers in Disasters, Sole Owner & Corporate RME and Purchase of A Contracting Business

Sometimes, it’s yes and no as conditions dictate. Either way may be right. It takes a skilled expert to tell the difference. As builders know, ‘it’s measure twice, cut once’ but contractors complex law is sometimes all about ‘splitting hairs’… Q:  I will be purchasing the corporation I work for in April 2018.  We are a “C-20” Heating…

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