In Massachusetts, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations (OCABR) is cracking down on unregistered Home Improvement Contractors (HIC).
Already OCABR has published a list of known unregistered HICs as well as provided a tool for consumers to check and see if their contractor is registered.
The HIC Act says that any contractor who contracts with a homeowner for work exceeding $1000 to an existing 1-4 family, owner-occupied, primary residence is required to be registered. A Construction Supervisor License (CSL) does not automatically mean that a contractor is registered. The HIC registration lasts for 2 years.
In order to register for the first time, contractors must fill out the application below. In addition to the application form, contractors must include two separate payments. $150 for the Registration Fee, and another payment to the Guaranty Fund based on the number of employees in the company.
- 0-3 employees = $100
- 4-10 employees = $200
- 11-30 employees = $300
- More than 30 employees = $500
Only one application is necessary for any business, however only the individual named on the HIC Registration will be able to pull permits. Supplemental Cards can be issued to registered businesses who want additional employees to be able to pull permits. They cost $10 per employee.
The HIC registration lasts for 2 years. Contractors that file a renewal application more than 60 days before the expiration of their HIC registration must pay a fee of $100. Contractors who fail to renew more than 60 days before expiration must file a new application with all of the other associated fees.
The HIC Registration application is located HERE.
Below are a few fact sheets from OCABR further detailing the information above:hic-faq