By Shauna Krause, President, Capitol Services, Inc.
We begin with a little bit of ‘sole’, move on with no place like ‘home’ and help ease the worry about a ‘responsible’ person hitting the highway…
Q: I recently applied for a Contractor’s license and I used the word “Builders” in my business name. I checked the status online today and it says, “provide a corrected business name” and then has the word “builders” in parentheses. Do you know what this means?
A: I am assuming based on the notification you applied for a Sole Proprietor license. ASoleProprietor cannot use pluralsin their business name, such as “Builders” or “ABC & Sons” or “HVAC Installers”. The CSLB considers the plural as a mis-representation of personnel for a Sole Proprietor license.
Q: We have a fictitious name filed with Kern County. When filing for a new Contractor’s license, should the company name include our fictitious name or just the out-of-state Corporation’s name?
A: The company name should be your registered name as reflected in your Home State. If you are using a ‘dba’ (doing business as) name in CA, that will follow your corporate name (example: ABC Inc. dba XYZ).
Q: If we are an Oklahoma corporation, are we required to have a California address in order to do business there? Basically, I’m wondering if we can list an address outside of CA.
A: You can list an address outside of CA, that will not be an issue. If you are a foreign Corporation, meaning formed in another state, you will be required to have a Registered Agent in CA. We can act in that capacity if needed, contact our office for that or other licensing needs in CA, AZ and NV!
Q: We are a brand-new company and we need a CA Contractor’s license ASAP. We are looking to hire someone who already holds the Qualification. Our only concern is, what happens when he leaves the company? What are the ramifications of a Responsible person leaving the license?
A: If your RME (Responsible Managing Employee) leaves the company, the license remains with the Corporation and you are given 90 days to replace him/her.
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While knowledge is power, knowing where to go for the answers is half the battle. Get expert assistance immediately when you call 866-443-0657, email info@cutredtape.com, or write us at Capitol Services, Inc., 1225 8th St. Ste. 500, Sacramento, CA 95814. Research past columns at www.cutredtape.com.