Contractor licensing in Alaska

Alaska licenses construction contractors through two agencies working on parallel tracks, and trades people need to understand both before they open a shop. 1. Construction Contractor registration (CBPL). Under AS 08.18, any person or firm that bids, offers, or contracts for construction work in Alaska must register with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (CBPL). Registration categories include: - General Contractor (with the Residential Contractor Endorsement required for anyone overseeing new home construction or performing residential work greater than 25% of the value of a structure being altered). - Residential Contractor. - Specialty Contractor. - Electrical Contractor. - Mechanical Contractor. - Handyman Contractor (projects with an aggregate contract of $10,000 or less per project, including labor and materials). Every category requires a surety bond and general liability insurance filed with CBPL. Source: Alaska Construction Contractors (https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/ConstructionContractors.aspx). 2. Electrical and Mechanical Administrator licenses (CBPL, supervisory licenses under AS 08.40). Alaska separately requires that an Electrical Contractor firm have at least one Electrical Administrator as an employee, and a Mechanical Contractor firm have at least one Mechanical Administrator as an employee. These are supervisory licenses only; they do not authorize the administrator to perform work covered by the NEC, NESC, or the applicable mechanical code. Mechanical Administrator categories include Heating, Cooling, and Process Piping (HCPP); Mechanical Systems Temperature Control (CNTL); Residential HVAC (RHVC); Residential Plumbing and Hydronic Heating (RPHH); Unlimited Commercial and Industrial Plumbing (UCIP); Unlimited HVAC/Sheet Metal (UHVCS); and Unlimited Refrigeration (UR). Source: Alaska Electrical Administrators (https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/ElectricalAdministrators.aspx) and Mechanical Administrators (https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/MechanicalAdministrators.aspx). 3. Individual Certificates of Fitness (Department of Labor). Individuals who perform electrical or plumbing work covered by a code that requires a Certificate of Fitness (CoF) hold the CoF issued by the Department of Labor's Mechanical Inspection Section. Categories include Electrician Journeyman (8,000 hours under 8 AAC 90.160), Residential Wireman (4,000 hours under 8 AAC 90.164), Plumber Journeyman (8,000 hours under 8 AAC 90.130), Plumber Restricted Gas (4,000 hours under 8 AAC 90.135), Plumber Restricted Utility (1,000 hours under 8 AAC 90.137), and Power Lineman Journeyman (8,000 hours under 8 AAC 90.162). A CoF is the individual credential; the firm registration and the Administrator license are separate. Source: Alaska Mechanical Inspection (https://labor.alaska.gov/lss/mihome.htm) and Electrical and Plumbing CoF Application (https://labor.alaska.gov/lss/forms/cof/COF_Application_ELECRICAL-PLUMBING.pdf). What a new trades firm needs to actually start work. - Alaska business license from the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (separate from contractor registration). - Entity filing with CBPL Corporations (LLC, corporation, partnership, or sole owner registration). - Construction Contractor registration in the correct category (General, Residential, Specialty, Electrical, Mechanical, or Handyman) plus Residential Endorsement if applicable. - Electrical Administrator or Mechanical Administrator license held by an employee (or the owner) if the firm's work is within those scopes. - At least one individual holding a current Certificate of Fitness on every crew performing work that requires a CoF. - Surety bond and certificate of insurance filed with CBPL. - Local borough or municipal permits and registrations as required at each job site. Residential energy code. Alaska winters drive a strict residential Building Energy Efficiency Standard (BEES) administered by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (https://www.ahfc.us/) for projects within BEES scope. Residential contractors should verify BEES applicability before closing a sale on residential remodel or new-construction work.