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Is YOUR CONTRACTOR really "licensed"?

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We have all  seen them. Advertising mailers, TV ads, magazine ads or signage on a
  truck......"Licensed, insured and bonded." What does this really mean?  

First, don't  believe any answer you get without proof. I cannot tell you the number of times  I have received phone calls from salespeople who tell me they are working in my  neighborhood and can do any construction project. I ask if they have a state  license and their company name. Inevitably, most every one has told me that they  are licensed by the state. While they were on the phone, I checked online. When I tell they that they are not licensed by the state, I get a variety of  responses (some too rude to mention here): hang-ups, outright lies and claims  that they are licensed, backtracking and then claiming that they mean a local  business license. So let's talk about Licenses.

Not all contractors and construction people are required to have state contractor's  licenses. There are a number of "exemptions" which are mention below. It is  confusing, even to those in construction. So let's start with the easy clarification:

Business  License or Occupational Tax License.
Every business should  have this license and should be able to provide you a copy. If they don't have  it, they may not be paying taxes to their local authority. THIS is NOT a state  contractor's license. It is not a professional occupation license.  It is merely  a license issued to any business who submits the right form and a check in the  right amount. I have a business license. Some business licenses also indicate a  "profession". This is self-reporting and is generally not verified by the local  agency, although some have become more sophisticated and have started asking for  a state contractor's license if the contractor seeks a business occupation  license for a licensed profession. But note: The state contractor's license is  the REQUIRED prerequisiton license. 

State Residential or General  Contractors License 
Certain contractors  who perform remodeling or new home construction, basically anything to do with  the building structure should usually be presumed to be required to have a state  license. They have a "pocket card" they can show you. You can look up their state license information on websites for the State of Georgia.  Contractors who have a state license should be able to provide a license number that begins: RB  (for Residential Basic), RLC (for Residential Light Commercial) or GC (for General Contractor). Any of these state licensed contractors may perform  construction work on single family homes other than work which requires a license under Chapter 14 (explained below). Be sure to have the contractor specifiy in their contract with you that they are state licensed and their license number.  Really, in several conditions this can make much more feeling to purchase a good wrist watches purchase when compared to a replica watches uk.


Search for your contractor's state license information

Search by company or individual.  These  links will take you to the Georgia Professional
Licensing Board search site.
Individual or Qualified Agent
Company name

What do I check?

Be  sure to check the type of license you are searching for and consider search  alternatives -- Ken Jones could be under J. Kenneth Jones or Ken J. Jones. Acme  Remodel and Construction may have several alternatives. My recommendation is to  look up the name of the corporation specified on the contract with the Secretary of State's office. If the corporation is not licensed, it does not matter that the individual who may be "associated" with the company is or that a related  company is licensed. The company or individual that MUST hold a state  contractor's license for licensed construction work is the contractor named in  the contract. If you cannot find that the company listed with the Secretary of  State's website it may be operating under a trade name, ask for a copy of their trade name reqistration.
© 2013-2014 Law Office of Kevin M. Veler | 770.752.0990 | kmv@kmvlaw.com || This site provides legal information, not professional legal advice. Should you need specific legal advice or assistance, please contact me or another legal professional.