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Launching your own contracting business in Massachusetts is a big stride, and it involves a lot of planning. You need to line up a workforce, build relationships with suppliers, and observe trustworthy subs to contract. And, don't forget about Massachusetts contractor licensing requirements.

Massachusetts contractor licensing is of import, but we know how decorated you are planning for your time to come. Nosotros put together this guide to Massachusetts contractor licensing to assist you lot navigate the process confusion-free.

Working in a unlike state? For information on licensing in other states, check out The Ultimate Guide to Contractors License Requirements in Every Country.

Who needs a contractors license in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts contractors license requirements can be a bit disruptive. Between licensing and registering, just nearly every contractor has some dominion or regulation to meet.

General contractors and specialty trades are required to conduct a state-issued license. On the other hand, home improvement contractors accept to register their businesses.

In some cases, y'all might need to exercise both.

General contractors and the construction supervisor license

In Massachusetts, general contractors are considered "construction supervisors," and at that place are several types of construction supervisor licenses (CSL) that apply.

Restricted structure supervisor license holders can build two-family unit dwellings, including accessory buildings and structures. Unrestricted construction supervisor license holders tin oversee the structure of any building under 35,000 cubic feet. Specialty construction supervisor license holders follow the same rules as unrestricted, but they can specialize in:

  • Masonry
  • Windows, doors, and siding
  • Insulation
  • Roof covering
  • Solid fuel-called-for appliances
  • Demolition

Home comeback contractor

In addition to a CSL, any contractor or subcontractor who intends to work on a one to four-family residential properties in Massachusetts must register as a Home Improvement Contractor.

Exercise you need a license to file a mechanics lien in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts contractors licensing requirements might seem confusing —but the country's mechanics lien laws do not specifically require a contractor to carry a license. So technically, you can file a mechanics lien in the event of a payment dispute fifty-fifty if you don't have a license.

Keep 1 thing in listen: Non carrying a required license could impact your chances of winning a suit if yous have to enforce the lien. Information technology's ever all-time to acquit the appropriate licenses for the work you lot're completing.

If you need to file a lien in Massachusetts, get started with Massachusetts Mechanics Liens: Everything You Need to Know + Free Forms.

How to get a contractors license in Massachusetts

How you go almost obeying Massachusetts contractor licensing requirements will have a lot to practice with the type of piece of work you offer.

We'll interruption each department downwards and so you'll know which license you need, which bureau oversees that license, and how y'all can go about applying for i.

Getting a construction supervisor license (CSL)

Construction supervisor licenses are a office of the land's Division of Professional Licensure. Whether you're applying for a restricted, unrestricted, or specialty CSL, the steps are relatively similar.

To qualify for a construction supervisor license, you must be able to evidence that you have three years of feel in edifice constriction or pattern. It doesn't have to be iii consecutive years, simply the work must be full-time (xl hours per week), and all exist within the last ten years.

However, there are exceptions to this, which include:

  • Three or four years of high school vocational training can substitute for 1 year of experience
  • A bachelors degree tin substitute for one year of experience
  • A bachelors caste in architecture, science, applied science, or technology can substitute for two years of experience
  • Agile construction-related military machine experience counts for the entire full three years

If you meet those requirements, you lot're complimentary to start your exam application journey. The CSL licenses all involve taking a standardized, open up-book examination. This test is held by Prometrics, and you need to make full out this exam application and mail it in. After waiting a suggested 10 days from mailing, you should contact Prometrics and schedule your test. Yous'll accept to score a seventy or better on this test in lodge to continue with the application procedure.

If you pass the examination, the score study will include instructions on applying and obtaining your license. It typically takes around 30 days for the Department of Professional Licensure to process each application.

Fees for applying for a construction supervisor license are $150 for the restricted and unrestricted license, and $150 plus $100 for each specialty for the specialty CSL license.

Home comeback contractor registration

Registering your business with the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation is the next step for most contractors. Registration is actually quite simple.

Applicants can annals as an individual, proprietorship, partnership, or corporation. If you lot're registering nether a trade name, or DBA, y'all'll take to provide a copy of the business certificate issued by the city or town where the business organization is based.

To apply, create a login using the online portal. The fee for applying is $150, plus a mandatory payment to the Guaranty Fund. Luckily, the state bases this fee on your company size:

  • 0–3 employees: $100
  • four–10 employees: $200
  • 11–30 employees: $300
  • More than 30 employees: $500

For more information nigh which lines of work require licensing, registering, or both in Massachusetts, click here.

Plumbing contractor licenses

To operate a plumbing contracting business in Massachusetts, you volition take to deport a license issued past the Division of Professional Licensure. To utilize, you'll fill out this application and mail service it, and a $150 license fee, to:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Professional Licensure \
1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, MA 02118-6100
Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters

Annotation: To qualify for a plumbing contractor license, you will accept to have a chief-level plumber on staff to act as an officer of the visitor.

Electrical contractor licenses

Electrical contractor licenses are also a function of the Division of Professional Licensure, and you lot'll need 1 if you lot want to operate as an electrical contractor. Similar to a plumbing license, you lot will have to have a master-level electrician on staff.

Applicants can submit their applications through the state'southward ePLACE portal. The fee for the application is $221.

Penalties for unlicensed contracting in Massachusetts

While your lien rights might not be at run a risk, unlicensed contracting does put your concern, and yourself, in a bad position.

Massachusetts takes licensing and registration very seriously. Working without ane is punishable past a fine of up to $five,000 and upwards to two years in jail.

For that reason lonely, it's critical to stay on the right side of the Massachusetts contractor licensing rules.

Protecting your payment rights in Massachusetts

Regardless of what the statutes say about licensing, protecting your payments is vital to growing a thriving, successful business. Cash flow problems arise all the time in the structure manufacture, and they can take a serious price on a business — new and old alike.

Not only exercise Massachusetts contractors have licensing requirements to look out for, but they too have specific steps and deadlines to follow to protect their lien rights.

While GCs aren't required to send a preliminary notice, subs and suppliers take xxx days to ship a preliminary notice to the prime contractor.

Aside from notices, GCs, subs, and suppliers take sliding deadlines they have to follow:

"Subcontractors and other sub-tier parties in Massachusetts must record a Notice of Subcontract the before engagement of the before date of (a) 60 days later on a notice of substantial completion is filed, (b) xc days after a notice of termination is filed, or (c) xc days after last furnishing labor or materials to project.

In addition, they must record a Statement of Business relationship the earlier date of (a) 90 days after observe of substantial completion, (b) 120 days later on notice of termination, or (c) 120 days after terminal furnishing labor or materials to projection."

Additionally, Massachusetts allows a very small window to enforce the lien, requiring a GC, sub, or suppliers to take action within 90 days — not a lot of fourth dimension to fool around with deadlines.

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