Contractor licensing in Georgia

Georgia splits contractor licensing across several state boards, all housed under the Georgia Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division. The two chapters of the Georgia Code that matter to most trades businesses are O.C.G.A. Chapter 43-41 (residential and general contractors) and O.C.G.A. Chapter 43-14 (electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low-voltage contractors, and utility contractors). State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (O.C.G.A. 43-41). Three license classes define the scope of work. - Residential-basic contractor. Detached one-family and two-family residences and one-family townhouses not over three stories, plus accessory buildings and structures (O.C.G.A. 43-41-2). - Residential-light commercial contractor. Everything in the residential-basic scope plus multifamily and multiuse light commercial buildings less than four stories, under 25,000 sq ft of aggregate interior floor space, constructed of wood or light-gauge metal frame, brick veneer, prefabricated, or manufactured construction (O.C.G.A. 43-41-2). - General contractor. Broader scope, with no restriction on the structural type or height addressed by the residential classes. A General Contractor Limited Tier license exists for projects up to a statutory ceiling. Divisions under O.C.G.A. 43-14 (administered by the Construction Industry Licensing Board). - Division of Electrical Contractors. Class I (restricted) is limited to single-phase systems not exceeding 400 amperes on multifamily structures of not more than two levels or single-family dwellings up to three levels. Class II is unrestricted. Minimum 4 years of documented primary experience; applicants must be at least 21 (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-2-.01). - Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers. Master Plumber Class I is restricted to single-family dwellings, one-level dwellings designed for not more than two families, and commercial structures not exceeding 10,000 sq ft. Master Plumber Class II is unrestricted. Master Class II requires 5 years of plumbing experience, at least 2 of which as a licensed Journeyman (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-3-.02). - Division of Conditioned Air Contractors. Class I (restricted) covers systems not exceeding 175,000 BTU heating and 60,000 BTU cooling; Class II is unrestricted. Class I requires 4 years of documented experience; Class II requires 5. Small-project exemption. Under O.C.G.A. 43-41-17, a general or residential contractor license is not required where the total value of the work, including labor and materials, is less than $2,500. A specialty contractor may perform licensed-scope work that is incidental to the specialty, provided the incidental portion does not exceed the greater of $10,000 or 25 percent of the total value of the work. Local county or municipal permit requirements still apply. Unlicensed contracting. Violation of Chapter 43-41 is a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. 43-41-12. A contract entered into on or after July 1, 2008, by an unlicensed contractor for work that requires a Chapter 43-41 license is unenforceable in law or equity by the unlicensed contractor (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(b)). Intentional misrepresentation of project value to dodge licensing carries a fine of at least $1,000 or three months' imprisonment, or both, per offense (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(e)-(f)). Financial responsibility and insurance for Chapter 43-41 licensees. General liability insurance is required as a condition of licensure: $500,000 per occurrence for general contractors, general contractors limited tier, and residential-light commercial; $300,000 per occurrence for residential-basic (Georgia Secretary of State, State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors). Residential-basic and residential-light commercial applicants can satisfy financial responsibility with a $25,000 contractor license bond. General contractor and general contractor limited tier applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility through board-approved means; a surety bond alone is not currently accepted at those tiers. Before applying for any class, confirm the current application packet, fee schedule, and experience documentation rules on the Secretary of State board page linked below. Fees and rules change periodically and the board page is authoritative.