By Shauna Krause, President, Capitol Services, Inc.
An ‘essential’ answer for contractors in a shut and ‘partially’ open case. Another contractor discovers that getting a test date, like a fine CA wine, is going to need more time to become ‘vintage’ as Covid-19 slows down the process…
Q: I am a licensed Contractor in California. I need to get licensed in Arizona for the equivalent work. I tried to register for the exams, because apparently that’s the first step for obtaining a license. The company who administers the exams, PSI, is currently closed due to the COVID-19 situation. Do you have any sense of when they will be back open for testing so I can get my Contractor’s license?
A: While PSI did partially reopen on March 30, 2020, I unfortunately don’t know when all the PSI testing centers will open again. They haven’t given us any indication yet. That being said though, I do have some good news! Due to many other Contractors in your same situation suddenly becoming unable to do business because of the requirement to take and pass the exams to qualify for a license, and then being unable to take the tests due to the shutdown, the State realized the impact this was having on the contracting industry, which is deemed “essential” by the state. Therefore, on March 26, 2020, Arizona Governor Ducey signed Executive Order 2020-17 - Continuity of Work. Under the new order, the AZ ROC is authorized to issue licenses on a provisional basis without requiring the exams. These provisional licensees will be required to take the required exams as soon as practically possible. In fact, in order to be in compliance, the applicant must actually schedule the exam with the PSI and indicate when they are registered/scheduled for the exam. Arizona Provisional Licenses expire in six months after issuance if the Qualifying Party fails to pass the required exams.
Give us a call if you’d like more information on the specifics or the process of obtaining a Provisional license.
Q: I have a pending application with the CA Contractor’s State License Board. When I looked up my status online today it says. “Referred to Exam Scheduling”. Is the CSLB offering tests at this time, or when is the next test opportunity?
A: I had heard through the ‘grapevine’ that they were going to reopen the testing centers on June 1st. That date was pushed out and I’m hearing now the new date for “tentatively” opening testing back up is June 15th. We shall see!
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., 3609 Bradshaw Rd, Ste H, #343, Sacramento, CA 95827. Research past columns at www.cutredtape.com.