By Shauna Krause, President, Capitol Services, Inc.
Sometimes the correct answer is yes…and no! That’s why we’ve written a thousand weekly columns to help contractors discover pitfalls in the often contradictory, complex rules and their interpretations. Another ‘maybe’ or ‘maybe not’ question comes from AZ…
Q: I am a “C-9” (Drywall) Contractor and have been for 20 years. I have always done metal stud framing as part of my work, but recently a General Contractor that I do work for said I needed to have a “C-5” (Framing and Rough Carpentry) license in order to install metal framing. Is that true?
A: A “C-9 “(Drywall) contractor can install non-structural metal framing as part of a drywall project. If the metal framing is structural (i.e. load bearing), the “C-5” classification is required. The CSLB also recently determined that if a Contractor is using wind load calculations when installing metal framing, the framing is considered structural and therefore also requires the “C-5” classification.
Q: My attorney referred me to your company and stated you provide assistance with Contractor’s Licensing in Arizona. We are a California Contractor and we have a project coming up in Arizona. Is a Contractor’s License required if the project is on an Indian Reservation?
A: Yes, a Contractor’s License is required in Arizona for any contracting/construction work. That being said, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) does not have the authority to enter tribal land (uninvited) in order to enforce the license requirement. Technically, it’s up to the project owner if they choose to hire unlicensed workers to do work within the Indian Reservation. To be safe though, I would suggest obtaining the license prior to doing any contracting work in Arizona. Contact our office if you’d like assistance with the process.
Q: I have a Sole Owner license that I have kept Inactive for the last several years. I want to advertise to be an RMO (Responsible Managing Officer) for someone else’s company. Do I need activate my license first? What is the fee to re-activate?
A: No, it is not necessary to reactivate your license prior to applying to act as the RMO for another license, and Yes, there is a fee, $360 to reactivate a license.
Attention Veterans applying for a Contractor’s License:
The CSLB offers expedited application processing to veterans applying for their Contractor’s License. In a recent press release, the CSLB noted that since January 2016, they have received 316 “veteran” applications that did not include the proper documentation in order to qualify for the expedited processing advantage. It is not enough to simply check the “veteran” box on the application, nor is your veteran identification card acceptable as proof of your service. You must also include your DD214 form! By marking the “veteran” box as well as providing your DD214 form, the CSLB offers priority service which includes expedited application processing, access to CSLB Licensing staff who are specially trained to evaluate transferable military and experience, and evaluation of any college transcripts in addition to your military experience.
As we celebrate this 1000th column, it’s important to remember history, to forget is to repeat the same mistakes! Visit www.cutredtape.com for all our past column Q/A. Thanks again for reading.
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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.